The Senior Bowl had its best group of prospects in one of the best scouting and evaluation weeks of the NFL calendar. Several players on the National and American roster will be taken in the first round of this year’s NFL Draft. The Cincinnati Bengals are like many NFL teams who hold this event in high regard when it comes to drafting talent. Since Zac Taylor arrived in 2019, they have taken 12 players from the Senior Bowl, including Germaine Pratt, Logan Wilson, Cam Taylor-Britt, and last year’s draftees Andrei Iosivas and Chase Brown. This year was no different as Director of Player Personnel Duke Tobin and Director of Strategy and Engagement Elizabeth Blackburn were on hand scouting players. Secondary coach Charles Burks was also leading the National defensive backs. With these factors at hand let’s look at three players the Bengals could target.
Three Cincinnati Bengals Possible Targets From the Senior Bowl
Taliese Fuaga
Fuaga is an impressive player standing at 6’6″ and 330 pounds with great size, power, and movement skills. He is a mountain of a man who plays very balanced and gets to the second level with ease to displace anyone in his path.
The Man Mountain, that is Taliese Fuaga. One of my favorite prospects in this draft. Watch the 75th Anniversary of Reese's Senior Bowl on NFL Network on Saturday, February 3rd @ 12 p.m CT. #TheDraftStartsInMOBILE pic.twitter.com/oFvY2FmlqU
— Will Koshover (@Willko33) January 30, 2024
Some NFL evaluators and coaches might want to kick him inside to guard but we see him as a tackle, especially from the right side. This just happens to hit the Bengals in the sweet spot with the potential departure of Jonah Williams in free agency. Fuaga would likely be a day-one starter for Cincinnati and a player who has tremendous upside.
T’Vondre Sweat
Another prospect who moves fluidly for someone so massive is defensive tackle T’Vondre Sweat from Texas. He had a fantastic showing this week in Mobile, and it was wise for him to showcase his talents to the NFL masses. The Redshirt Senior is everything you look for in a DT. Strong, Powerful, Well-Built, Heavy-Handed, and just an all-around space eater. The Bengals were dreadful from the interior of their defensive line in 2023. Even with DJ Reader in the lineup, they simply weren’t good enough in stopping explosive runs up the middle. Sweat would look good in orange and black and even better playing next to Reader if he’s re-signed.
Quinyon Mitchell
It may be a coincidence that a Bengals DB coach was coaching Quinyon Mitchell this week or it might not. Let’s just say that Burks got a first-row seat to the most impressive player at the Senior Bowl. Mitchell was elite in the practices and was lights-out against everyone he faced with his length, speed, and recovery ability that was on display for all to see. Cincinnati loves drafting corners high that have rare ability and speed. In the NFL, you can never have enough defensive backs. No player saw their draft stock go higher than the former Toledo Rocket from competing at the Senior Bowl.
Main Photo: Lon Horwedel-USA TODAY Sports
