Mock draft season is in full swing and everyone has their own opinion to what the Cincinnati Bengals should do with their 18th-overall pick. Two of the biggest names in the mock draft business in Daniel Jeremiah (NFL Network) and Mel Kiper (ESPN) have the Bengals picking monster offensive tackle JC Latham out of Alabama. NFLMockDraftDatabase has Keon Coleman as the single-most popular pick among its database (15.6% of mocks) while Latham is second (11.8%).
Bucky Brooks, also of the NFL Network, has the Bengals going a different route. With the 18th pick, Brooks has Cincinnati selecting Brian Thomas, Jr., a wide receiver out of LSU.
Still on the board: Amarius Mims, Jackson Powers-Johnson, Nate Wiggins, Troy Fautanu, Tyler Guyton, Kool-Aid McKinstry, Quinyon Mitchell
Bucky Brooks’ Mock Draft 1.0 Has the Bengals Picking Brian Thomas, Jr.
Another first-round receiver? It could happen! While it feels like a foregone conclusion that the Bengals will keep Tee Higgins around via the Franchise Tag, there is still a non-zero chance they let him walk if they can’t work out an extension. Add in the likelihood that Tyler Boyd also walks, and the Bengals suddenly need some receiver help.
It’s possible that the team has done what it usually does and drafted a year ahead. Last year, they drafted Charlie Jones and Andrei Iosivas. Both showed that they are still raw but can make plays for this Bengals offense. However, adding another weapon couldn’t hurt.
Brian Thomas Jr. > Keon Coleman btw. pic.twitter.com/xL7wu5qCT2
— Christian Williams (@CWilliamsNFL) January 3, 2024
Brian Thomas, Jr. at LSU
Being a WR2 is not an unfamiliar feeling for Thomas. Over the last few years — 2023 especially — Thomas played second-fiddle to eventual top-10 pick, Malik Nabers. Even then, he had a massive breakout campaign for the Bayou Bengals.
In his first two years with LSU, Thomas amassed 720 yards and seven touchdowns off of 59 receptions. He was part of the receiver rotation as the sixth-leading receiver in 2021 and fourth-leading in 2022. Then, he kicked it up a notch as a starter last year, adding 68 catches for 1,177 yards and and FBS-leading 17 touchdowns.
All he did was score touchdowns. In 13 games, Thomas scored at least once in 10 games and scored more than once six times. And, despite playing alongside one of the best receivers in the nation, Thomas led the way in receiving six times. If there’s any concern that he couldn’t handle playing alongside a player like Ja’Marr Chase, it should be dispelled.
Thomas was a fantastic second option to Nabers and would be fantastic alongside Chase.
Full Brian Thomas, Jr. Scouting Report
What He Brings
Regardless of whether Higgins is on the team or not, Thomas is talented enough to play from the jump.
In Thomas, the Bengals would not be getting a Higgins clone or a one-for-one replacement. Higgins is an elite WR1 in his own right and does things better than Thomas. At the same time, Thomas provides a few things that are not Higgins’ strengths.
Thomas is not nearly as strong at the point of attack. He’s not nearly as good at contested catches as his size would suggest. As Cincinnati has seen over the last few years, that is one of Higgins’ strengths. However, Higgins isn’t a burner and is not viewed as nor utilized as a deep threat. That’s where Thomas comes in.
As Chad Johnson always put it “slow feet don’t eat,” and Thomas feasts at the line of scrimmage. He’s adept at getting a fast release with his footwork and is incredibly fluid in the open field. On top of that, he can track the ball when taking the top off the defense. If the Bengals are looking for another player who can get chunks of YAC, Thomas is their guy.
So Many Toys
If this is the route the Bengals go, the offense might be legendary. A healthy Joe Burrow can make anyone look good but having this kind of talent sure doesn’t hurt.
Hopefully, the Bengals work out an extension with both Chase and Higgins so this trio of receivers ends up as the new Three Amigos. Even then, if Higgins is just tagged and Cincinnati gets the trio for just 2024, it’ll give Jones and Iosivas another year to fully develop for 2025 and beyond.
If Thomas is the best player available at 18 and/or the Bengals successfully address the trenches in free agency, this could be a nice and spicy pick. There’s still work to be done as the offseason hasn’t officially even kicked off yet. However, that’s not going to stop fans from daydreaming of the possibility of number 11 lining up with Chase and Higgins in a ridiculous bunch formation about to give defenses a migraine.
Main Image: Matthew Hinton-USA TODAY Sports
