The Cincinnati Bengals entered the 2024 NFL Draft on April 25 with 10 picks over the three-day draft.
On Thursday, the Bengals made Georgia offensive tackle Amarius Mims their first pick with the No. 18 selection. At 6-7, 340 pounds, Mims fits the mold of giant offensive tackle the Bengals have preferred. He’s raw with limited starts at Georgia, but won’t necessarily have to make an immediate impact with Orlando Brown Jr. at left tackle and newly signed veteran Trent Brown on the right side. Cincinnati hopes Mims can protect quarterback Joe Burrow for years to come.
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Friday’s Day 2 saw the Bengals address some needs. They took Michigan defensive tackle Kris Jenkins with pick No. 49 and the national champion Wolverine could fill the void left by D.J. Reader’s exit in free agency. In the third round, they selected Alabama wide receiver Jermaine Burton with the No. 80 pick. The speedster should offer a vertical threat for a team in need of explosive plays. They swung back to defense at pick No. 97 to take Texas A&M defensive tackle McKinnley Jackson. That was much earlier than Jackson’s draft projections but Cincinnati wanted to double down after failing to address the position enough in free agency.
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Saturday began with the Bengals adding to the offensive with Iowa tight end Erick All. The Fairfield High School product comes from a program that’s produced top tight ends in recent years including George Kittle, T.J. Hockenson and Sam LaPorta. The big question with All will be whether he can get and stay healthy. With their next pick at No. 149, they added to the secondary with TCU cornerback Josh Newton and then went back to tight end at pick No. 194 with Arizona’s Tanner McLachlan. They rounded out the draft with defensive end Cedric Johnson and safety Daijahn Anthony, both of Mississippi and center Matt Lee from Miami (Fla.).
NFL Draft 2024 tracker: Live blog, picks and analysis
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Draft pick grades: Round 1 | Rounds 2-3
Full draft order: Team picks for all 257 selections
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Round 1
No. 18: Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia
How he fits
Mims might be the freakiest athlete in the entire draft. The 6-foot-7, 340-pounder has 36 ⅛-inch arms and a near 87-inch wingspan (and 11 ¼-inch hands). A massive human, Mims also runs like a tight end and can deliver a punch that will de-cleat anybody. His ceiling is more or less out of this world. His floor, however? That’s another conversation. Mims only started eight games during his three years at Georgia, missing six last year with an ankle injury. A right tackle only in college, Mims still makes a ton of youthful mistakes with his eyes and feet and will fall off blocks far too easily. However, with time in an NFL system and the right offensive line coach, he could develop into a true star in front of Joe Burrow. — Nick Baumgardner
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Dane Brugler analysis
Mims isn’t as far along fundamentally (especially in the run game) as other tackles in the class, but he is a natural in pass protection with above-average length, footwork and body twitch to handle different types of edge rushers. Though there is projection involved with his draft grade, his best football is ahead of him, and he has the talent to become a long-term starter at left or right tackle.
Paul Dehner Jr.’s analysis
Bengals draft Amarius Mims: How he fits, pick grade and scouting intel
Nick Baumgardner’s grade: B+
NFL Draft 2024 grades for all 32 picks in Round 1: Williams an A, Penix earns a C
Round 2
No. 49: Kris Jenkins, DT, Michigan
How he fits
The Bengals were in desperate need of help stopping the run. DJ Reader left for Detroit. Sheldon Rankins is more of a pass-rushing acquisition. The fact Jenkins was available at 49 was an ideal fit for the fabric of this team and coordinator Lou Anarumo’s defense. The two-time captain brings elite character/leadership, NFL bloodlines as the son and nephew of former pros and among the freakiest athletic traits in the draft. He ranked in the 99th percentile for run stop percentage, via PFF. — Paul Dehner Jr.
Dane Brugler analysis
Jenkins might never be a high-production interior player, but he is light on his feet and heavy with his hands with the “do my job” mentality that NFL defensive coordinators appreciate. He projects as an NFL starter as a one-gapping tackle on the interior or two-gapping strongside defensive end.
Paul Dehner Jr.’s analysis
Bengals draft Kris Jenkins: How he fits, pick grade and scouting intel
Scott Dochterman’s grade: A
NFL Draft Rounds 2 and 3 grades: Patriots reach for Fiske, Eagles earn A for DeJean
Round 3
No. 80: Jermaine Burton, WR, Alabama
How he fits
One of the more improved receivers in this class over the last two seasons, Burton blossomed into a big-time ball-tracker in the air who made a ton of big plays with Jalen Milroe (and Bryce Young). Burton didn’t have the type of college career people expected (transferred from Georgia to Alabama early on), but finished better than he started and has room to grow if he maintains that track. — Nick Baumgardner
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Dane Brugler analysis
Burton underperformed in college and still has maturing to do, but he has NFL-level athleticism and ball skills, which make him worth the gamble on draft weekend. He will be a better pro than college player — if he stays football-focused.
Paul Dehner Jr.’s analysis
The Bengals go with a wide receiver with plenty of speed to burn, but questions about his background. His skills are those deserving of being much higher up the board. Burton led the SEC in yards per reception in 2023 and he’s an explosive downfield threat, and the Bengals are a team in need of more explosive plays. The rest of it is the question. Cincinnati has WR coach Troy Walters, one of the best in the business. There’s plenty on him with this pick.
Nick Baumgardner’s grade: B
NFL Draft Rounds 2 and 3 grades: Patriots reach for Fiske, Eagles earn A for DeJean
No. 97 (compensatory): McKinnley Jackson, DT, Texas A&M
How he fits
The Bengals have made it abundantly clear they plan to bulk up in the trenches in this draft. By adding Texas A&M’s McKinnley Jackson, Cincinnati has added a defensive tackle who will eat up space and spell the starters for a few years. Jackson (6-1 ½, 326) was projected as a sixth-rounder, so this is a reach. But he might help keep the starters fresh for a series each half. — Scott Dochterman
Dane Brugler analysis
Jackson has a desirable nose tackle body type with his arm length, low center and raw power, but his disjointed hand usage and positional instincts are concerns for his next-level transition. He is a candidate to provide depth as a shade in a 4-3 front.
Paul Dehner Jr.’s analysis
The biggest error — or plan that went awry — for the Bengals during free agency was failing to accomplish what they wanted at DT. They use two of their first four picks to right that wrong. Second-round pick Kris Jenkins is the versatile, rotational piece as a run-stopper in the middle. McKinnley Jackson would be the new Josh Tupou: big body, nose tackle, run stopper.
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The Bengals took Jackson earlier than his draft projection because they could not afford to miss at this spot. Doing so for one of the few big bodies who could do the job in their mind is paying the price for free agency.
Scott Dochterman’s grade: C-
NFL Draft Rounds 2 and 3 grades: Patriots reach for Fiske, Eagles earn A for DeJean
Round 4
No. 115: Erick All, TE, Iowa
How he fits
You can rarely go wrong with Iowa tight ends. The big question with All, a local product who attended Fairfield High School, will be health. Underwent “life-changing spinal surgery,” in 2022, according to Dane Brugler. He then tore his ACL last season. But yes, if healthy, he looks the part.
Offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher points out All was a captain at Michigan before his transfer to Iowa and was “having a hell of a season before his unfortunate injury (ACL)” for the Hawkeyes. Pitcher says he’s extremely versatile to be used throughout the offense. — Paul Dehner Jr.
Dane Brugler’s analysis
A one-year starter at Iowa, All was a “move” tight end in former offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz’s pro-style spread scheme (56.2 percent of his snaps in the slot, 41.3 percent inline). After four years in Ann Arbor, he needed a fresh start following his 2022 back injury. He then led Iowa in receiving yards and receiving touchdowns in 2023, despite missing the final seven games (ACL tear).
A promising pass catcher, All shows athletic movements up and down the field with natural tracking skills, although he needs to cut back on focus drops. Though he is more strong than powerful, All is competent as a blocker with his ability to locate and hook defenders from the backfield or wing.
Overall, All needs to continue developing his consistency, but he is solid across the board with his athletic receiving traits and willingness as a blocker. If healthy (a big “if”), he projects as a No. 2 tight end on an NFL depth chart, as an F tight end or H-back.
Round 5
No. 149: Josh Newton, CB, TCU
How he fits
Defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo says they will see what Newton’s role will be, but added he can handle both slot and outside corner. Anarumo complimented his instincts, tackling and ball-hawking. — Paul Dehner Jr.
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Dane Brugler analysis
A two-year starter at TCU, Newton was primarily an outside cornerback in defensive coordinator Joe Gillespie’s 3-3-5 scheme (with packages of two-high and one-high looks). After four seasons at Louisiana-Monroe, he transferred to Fort Worth and led the Horned Frogs with 24 combined passes defended over the last two seasons.
Whether in bump-and-run or zone coverage, Newton plays both alert and smooth to diagnose route combinations and outcompete receivers to the catch point. However, he struggles to recover after coverage missteps — he had a tough time keeping up with Texas’ talented wide receivers in 2023 (allowed nine catches for 131 yards and one touchdown in that game and was flagged for holding twice).
Overall, Newton has only average twitch and long speed for tight coverage versus NFL athletes, but he is instinctive and competitive with inside-outside experience. He projects best in a zone-heavy scheme, in which he can work short areas and play the ball in front of him.
Round 6
No. 194: Tanner McLachlan, TE, Arizona
How he fits
A surprising double-up on tight ends for the Bengals after taking Iowa’s Erick All in the fourth round. They take a shot with McLachlan which could help give recovery time to All (ACL). With 10 picks, they might as well take some shots at best player available and see what happens. Also of note, Dane Brugler actually ranks McLachlan (seventh TE) ahead of All (11th). — Paul Dehner Jr.
Dane Brugler’s analysis
A two-year starter at Arizona, McLachlan was a hybrid Y tight end in former head coach Jedd Fisch vertical/horizontal stretch offense (69.4 percent inline, 22.3 percent in the slot). After four years in the FCS, he walked on for Arizona (while rehabbing an ACL injury). Eventually, he passed Rob Gronkowski as the school’s all-time leader in receptions by a tight end (79 career catches to Gronkowski’s 75).
McLachlan is very smooth in his adjustments at the catch point to swallow the football and turn upfield (zero drops in 2023 and 81.8 percent of his targets resulted in a reception, No. 2 in the FBS among tight ends). He builds up his speed quickly to reach vacated zones but tends to drift and needs to become more detailed in his routes.
Overall, McLachlan is a good-sized athlete who can shine at the catch point with his strong ball skills, although his development with routes and run blocking will determine his NFL ceiling. He projects as a reserve tight end with a chance to be a long-term contributor.
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No. 214 (compensatory): Cedric Johnson, DE, Mississippi
Dane Brugler’s analysis
A three-year starter, Johnson lined up as a hand-on-the-ground edge rusher in defensive coordinator Pete Golding’s hybrid fronts. Though he was an offensive skill player most of his life, he put himself on the NFL map with his backfield numbers as a sophomore — but his production was sporadic the past two seasons.
He is inconsistent in timing the snap and doesn’t rush with dynamic elusiveness, but Johnson has NFL-quality movement skills to get around blockers and finish with the closing burst to seal the deal. Against the run, he has the body flexibility to wriggle free but needs to be more urgent with his hands to work off contact and more reliable breaking down to finish.
Overall, Johnson is still learning how to build an efficient rush sequence, but he has interesting athletic tools, and an NFL team should be able to coach more out of him. Although he might never reach three-down-starter status, he can develop into a serviceable subpackage rusher.
Round 7
No. 224 (from Texans): Daijahn Anthony, S, Mississippi
How he fits
In kind of a wild coincidence, the Bengals took a tenacious, instinctive, nearly undrafted slot corner out of Ole Miss to learn from their incumbent slot corner extraordinaire Mike Hilton, who fits that description and also played for the Rebels. — Paul Dehner Jr.
Dane Brugler’s analysis
A one-year starter at Ole Miss, Anthony played strong safety in defensive coordinator Pete Golding’s 4-2-5 base scheme. He has overcome a lot of adversity, including having to walk on at two different schools (Shepherd and Liberty), and put together a career year in his lone SEC season after moving to safety (primarily played cornerback and nickel his first five years in college).
An amped-up competitor, Anthony plays with an edge on every snap and delivers knockout blows as a tackler, although he needs to balance his aggressive nature with more sound finishing execution. In coverage, he is at his best keeping things in front of him to limit wasted movements, but his cornerback background serves him well.
Overall, Anthony doesn’t have top-tier speed or fluidity, but he is an aggressive athlete, and his physicality and ball skills really shine when he has an opportunity to go make a play. He projects best as a nickel defender who can work underneath and overlap responsibilities in the secondary.
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No. 237: Matt Lee, C, Miami (Fla.)
Dane Brugler’s analysis
A one-year starter at Miami, Lee was the starting center in offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson’s balanced run scheme. He outplayed his recruiting rankings during his four years at UCF and put together his best season after joining the Hurricanes in 2023, earning second-team All-ACC honors. In pass protection Lee was a boring study — and I mean that as a compliment, because he rarely allowed any pressures, thanks to his setup, mirror quickness and clamp-down hands. Though he can create stalemates in the run game, he isn’t a powerful drive blocker and will struggle to shield lanes at times.
Overall, Lee doesn’t have the power desired by most schemes, but he can handle surface blocks in the run game while staying stout in pass pro, thanks to his quickness and technique. In the right situation, he can secure a backup role and compete for NFL playing time.
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(Photo of Amarius Mims: Jordon Kelly / Getty Images)