Riggo's Rag
FanSided

NFL Mock Draft 9.0: Quarterbacks push defensive prospects down board

By Jacob Camenker

ATLANTA, GA - JANUARY 08: Roquan Smith #3 of the Georgia Bulldogs walks in to the locker room prior to the CFP National Championship presented by AT&T at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 8, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - JANUARY 08: Roquan Smith #3 of the Georgia Bulldogs walks in to the locker room prior to the CFP National Championship presented by AT&T at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 8, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
22 of 33
Next
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – MARCH 01: Iowa offensive lineman James Daniels speaks to the media during NFL Combine press conferences at the Indiana Convention Center on March 1, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – MARCH 01: Iowa offensive lineman James Daniels speaks to the media during NFL Combine press conferences at the Indiana Convention Center on March 1, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

56. . Guard/Center. Iowa. James Daniels. 21. player

The Bengals acquired Cordy Glenn in their trade down with the Bills, but they still need help on their offensive line. They let their center Russell Bodine walk in free agency, but he wasn’t all that great anyway. They should try to add a center in the first two rounds of the draft, and James Daniels is a sensible option here.

Daniels had a very impressive performance at the NFL Combine, and he was one of the smoothest offensive linemen on the field. Daniels’ ability to move laterally and his footwork were elite level skills, and it’s probable that he will become a strong interior lineman for the Bengals.

The best part about Daniels is that he has the versatility to play guard or center. So, in the event that the Bengals add a quality center at some point, they will be able to move Daniels to another position. But as it stands, adding Daniels would give the Bengals three quality linemen in Glenn, Daniels, and left guard Clint Boling. And that will do a lot to improve Andy Dalton’s protection after a dismal 2017 campaign.

In the event that the team wants to go with another position here, they could target Arkansas center Frank Ragnow with their early second round pick and grab a defensive tackle like Taven Bryan here. But for now, Daniels seems like the better option.

Home/Commanders Draft News