Cincinnati Bengals Draft Grades

How did the Bengals do in the 2021 NFL Draft? We assign the Cincinnati Bengals draft grades for every pick they made.

Round 1, Pick No. 5: Ja’Marr Chase, WR, LSU

Passed up a generational talent at offensive tackle in order to draft a receiver. Ja’Marr Chase is great, but the Bengals needed an offensive tackle. They also don’t have a big need at receiver as they have Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd, two young talented receivers. Oh and franchise quarterback Joe Burrow is coming off serious knee surgery. Probably should protect that investment. Grade: C-

Round 2, Pick No. 46: Jackson Carman, OT, Clemson

Carman is huge but needs to work on his consistency. He’s also got very short arms, not sure if he’ll be able to play tackle in the NFL with those 32.5 inch arms. I believe the Bengals will play him at guard. There were other offensive tackles I liked more at this point, and let’s say the Bengals take Sewell in the first, they could have had Terrace Marshall Jr. here if they really wanted a receiver. I know which pair I’d rather have. Grade: C

Round 3, Pick No. 69: Joseph Ossai, EDGE, Texas

Insanely explosive athlete with freakish broad and vertical jump numbers. Also a very fast 40 yard dash. The Bengals ends are used like 3-4 outside linebackers, which is the ideal situation for Ossai. I like this pick, good value and good fit. Grade: A-

Round 4, Pick No. 111: Cameron Sample, EDGE, Tulane

Sample was a sleeper I had my eyes on during this draft. He’s a stud against both the run and the pass. I did expect him to go later, but I’m fine with teams drafting a sleeper they love early. Sample is a bigger edge than Ossai, so he’ll probably be a hand on the ground defensive end. His level of competition could be a worry, but he also looked great at the Senior Bowl. Grade: B+

Round 4, Pick No. 122: Tyler Shelvin, DT, LSU

Huge defensive tackle, 350 lb. huge. Shockingly quick first step for someone that big. He does only have one year of starting experience, so he could use a little seasoning. Seems like a rotational defensive tackle now, clearly valuable on running downs. Grade: B

Round 4, Pick No. 139: D’Ante Smith, OT, East Carolina

D’Ante Smith has great length, he engages the defender early. He’s also a heavyweight wrestler, which makes me believe in his feet and hand usage. Smith is also pretty small for a tackle weighing in at 305 lbs. He has had a couple of injuries which is concerning, but he also played great at the Senior Bowl which is encouraging. He’s a good prospect, have him bulk up for a year and provide important depth. Grade: A-

Round 5, Pick No. 149: Evan McPherson, K, Florida

Come on man, you never take a kicker. McPherson is obviously a very talented kicker, but how many times have I seen drafted kickers fail? Plenty. Drafted kickers don’t have a better success rate than undrafted kickers. Let’s hope he’s one of the successful ones. Grade: C

Round 6, Pick No. 190: Trey Hill, C, Georgia

Another big man for the Bengals, one of the tallest and heaviest centers in the draft. Played well at Georgia even though he was in significant pain. The bad part of that is he had to have surgery on both of his knees. He could have benefited from another year at school, but a good project on the offensive line. He can also play either center or guard. Grade: B

Round 6, Pick No. 202: Chris Evans, RB, Michigan

If his nickname isn’t Captain America, then fire the Bengals marketing staff. Evans didn’t go to Michigan to play school, as he was suspended in 2019 for academics. His career is pretty insane, he didn’t get to 100 carries in college. He’s inexperienced, but also hasn’t absorbed the punishment other running backs have. He looked good at the Senior Bowl and is a gifted athlete. Evans is obviously a huge question mark at this point. Grade: B-

Round 7, Pick No. 235: Wyatt Hubert, DE, Kansas State

Hubert was extremely productive at Kansas State, he’s a gamer with a non stop motor. He’s quick and plays strong, but needs to develop pass rushing moves. He also over pursues at times. Coach up those pass rushing moves and Hubert could end up as an interesting player. Grade: B+