The options for the Cincinnati Bengals with the 18th pick in this year’s NFL Draft are endless after their recent work in free agency. The orange and black signed six players they hope can pay immediate dividends and help them return to the top of the AFC North for the third time in four seasons. With several ways the Bengals could decide to go, they may end up surprising many around the league if they decided to take a skill-position player in the form of Brian Thomas Jr. of LSU. The former Bayou Tiger had a stellar career in Baton Rouge where he was a threat every time he touched the ball. He appeared in 38 games in three years with 127 career receptions for 1,897 yards and 24 touchdowns which ties Justin Jefferson for third all-time in the program’s history.
This First-Round Draft Pick Could Turn Heads for the Cincinnati Bengals
Wide Receiver University
If you are a wide receiver out of high school and want to play professionally, the LSU football factory is likely your golden ticket to life in the NFL. Cincinnati is well aware after watching Joe Burrow throw to Ja’Marr Chase, Terrance Marshall Jr., and Jefferson for two years. The purple and gold have produced some of the league’s best in recent memory including, Odell Beckham Jr., Jarvis Landry, Brandon LaFell, Dwayne Bowe, soon-to-be top-five pick, Malik Nabers, and the Bengals’ potential target of Thomas.
Tee Higgins 2.0
With Tee Higgins’s future cloudy in 2025, the Bengals could pull the trigger on the player he’s compared to quite frequently in the scouting process in Thomas. Higgins is an inch taller at 6’4″ compared to Thomas at 6’3″, but their long body types, the way they run routes, and highpoint the ball on 50-50 throws are eerily similar. The Bengals would be a matchup nightmare for teams to prepare for with Chase, Higgins, and Thomas simultaneously on the field, and, if the worst-case scenario does come to fruition, Thomas could slide in as the heir apparent to Higgins down the road.
Football Junkie
What often separates good from great players at the next level is their dedication to the game. It’s why Burrow has so much pull within the Bengals organization and respect from his teammates. He only knows one way and it’s 100 percent all-in, all the time. This will carry you far in sports and it’s a trait he shares with Thomas as he was noted as saying, “Football, to me, is bigger than a sport, it’s something that I love to do, and it’s been there for me. If I’m going through something, going out to practice, I get to clear my mind. I’ve always loved football the most.” Cincinnati has a rich history of drafting fantastic wide receivers and Thomas might be the next great one. His football junkie mindset would certainly endear him to the most important player in the organization in Burrow and that’s a great place to start.
Main Photo: Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer-USA TODAY NETWORK
