NFL Draft: Bengals select kicker in fifth round

Florida punter Jacob Finn (18) holds as Evan McPherson (19) kicks a field goal against Oklahoma during the first half of the Cotton Bowl NCAA college football game in Arlington, Texas, Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2020. (AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth)

Credit: Michael Ainsworth

Credit: Michael Ainsworth

Florida punter Jacob Finn (18) holds as Evan McPherson (19) kicks a field goal against Oklahoma during the first half of the Cotton Bowl NCAA college football game in Arlington, Texas, Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2020. (AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth)

The Cincinnati Bengals selected a kicker in the fifth round of the NFL Draft on Saturday after addressing their three biggest needs with six picks over the first four rounds.

Florida’s Evan McPherson became the first kicker to go off the draft board when the Bengals took him with the 149th pick overall, fifth pick of the fifth round.

McPherson took over the starting job for the Gators as a true freshman in 2018, tying for sixth in the FBS in field goal percentage and leading Florida with 101 points scored. In his most recent season in 2020, he finished 52-of-52 on extra points and 17 of 22 on field goals (77.3 percent) with four conversions over 50 yards and a long of 55, and he also had 40 touchbacks on 80 kickoffs.

The Bengals parted ways with kicker Randy Bullock this offseason as he departed in free agency, but Austin Seibert remains on the roster as one who will compete with McPherson for the job in training camp.

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