Who Dey Draft 2016

After the most heartbreaking postseason defeat that I have ever seen and an offseason filled with players departing from the Queen City, the Bengals went into the 2016 NFL Draft with roster holes that needed to be filled in order to build a team that can hopefully win in the playoffs. So who did my beloved Bengals add to their roster, and how will these rookies fit in with the team? Allow me to explain.

In the first round, the Bengals drafted William Jackson with the 24th pick of the NFL Draft. Jackson is a cornerback out of Houston and was one of the best collegiate defenders in the country. Adam Jones is entering the twilight years of his career and Darqueze Dennard will be coming off a major injury, so it seems that Jackson was drafted as a way to both prepare for the future once Pac-Man is gone and to serve as a backup if Dennard is not ready to go.

In round 2, the Bengals selected Tyler Boyd, a wide receiver out of the University of Pittsburgh. With Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu leaving the Bengals via free agency, the Bengals were in desperate need of a wide receiver. Boyd should help fill the void nicely and be a great addition to the offense.

The Bengals drafted Nick Vigil in the third round. Vigil is a linebacker out of Utah State. With Burfict being suspended for the first four games, this could be his last chance with the Bengals. Vigil could get some significant playing time during the first four games this season due to Burfict’s playoff actions, and should the Bengals part ways with Burfict, they have Vigil to take his place.

Andrew Billings was the four draft pick of the Bengals. He is a defensive tackle out of Baylor. The defensive line of the Bengals last year was incredible. Carlos Dunlap and Geno Atkins among others were a force to be reckoned with and were great at rushing the quarterback. Wallace Gilberry, however, left during the offseason so Billings could take his place on the defensive line.

The fifth pick of the Bengals was Christian Westerman. He is an offensive lineman out of Arizona State University. The Bengals parted ways with Andre Smith during the offseason and Andrew Whitworth is in the final years of his playing career. Cedric Ogbuehi will most like take over for Smith and Westerman could serve as a backup before potentially taking over for Whitworth.

Cody Core was selected in the sixth round, and he is a wide receiver out of Ole Miss. As I said earlier, the Bengals are in desperate need of a wide receiver and Core will be competing for one of the starting positions.

Clayton Fejedelem was the final draft pick for the Bengals. He is a safety out of the University of Illinois. Reggie Nelson had a great career as a Bengal and his fantastic season last year put him out of the Bengals price range. Fejedelem could take the place of Nelson and help bolster the defense.

In conclusion, the Bengals addressed their needs for the most part, and hopefully these draft selections are the pieces needed to get the Bengals over the hump in the postseason. I’m especially interested to see how Boyd will fit in with the offense. He has big shoes to fill, but I think he can do it. With the Reds tanking this season, I cannot wait for the Bengals to take the field!

Who Dey!