Bengals' Top 2021 NFL Draft Targets

The Cincinnati Bengals found their franchise quarterback in the 2020 NFL draft, and now they'll turn to the 2021 event to surround him with the talent he needs to thrive. 

The Bengals are in a strong position to improve through the draft once again. Following a 4-11-1 campaign in Joe Burrow's first season, they will have the fifth selection to ensure last year's No. 1 pick has what he needs to stay on the field and be successful. 

In the current order, the Bengals are the first team set to pick that can rule out taking a quarterback. The first three are definite candidates and the Falcons, who pick fourth, could decide to take Matt Ryan's successor or trade back to a quarterback-needy team. 

That theoretically gives the Bengals the opportunity to take the best non-quarterback at No. 5. Here's a look at two of the top candidates they'll have to decide between and a top target for the 38th pick where they could add another impact player. 

Joe Burrow missed the final six weeks of his rookie season after suffering a torn ACL and MCL with additional damage done to his PCL and meniscus. Combining sacks and hits, he absorbed 79 shots in six games. That's a number that has to go down if they want to get the most out of their young quarterback. 

Whether it happens in the first or second round, the Bengals have to find a quality tackle to partner with Jonah Williams. The addition of Riley Reiff in free agency is a good short-term solution, but he's 32 years old and on a one-year deal. 

The easiest fix would be to take Oregon's Penei Sewell. The 6'6" 325-pound tackle brings elite athleticism to the position and translates it to his play style. According to PFF, he allowed one sack and three quarterback hits in 706 passing snaps in his 2018 and 2019 seasons. 

Sewell isn't perfect. He's produced in his time at Oregon but opted out of the 2020 season and hasn't turned 21 years old yet. There could be a learning curve. 

That's where Reiff comes in as far as his fit with the Bengals is concerned. He could play guard this season while Sewell adjusts to the speed of the NFL after a year out and takes his rightful spot at tackle in 2022. 

Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase dominated college football in 2019. The Bengals could be looking to reunite the pairing and hope for the same results in the NFL. 

Before DeVonta Smith put up Heisman-winning numbers at Alabama, Chase was shattering SEC secondaries to the tune of 1,780 yards and 20 touchdowns as LSU won the national championship.

The 21-year-old also opted out of the 2020 season, but the production is already there. He is a do-it-all receiver whose game translates to the NFL and already has obvious chemistry with the signal-caller. 

Adding him to the fold would give Burrow an array of targets that would include Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd and Chase with Joe Mixon running the ball, with all the receivers on affordable contracts for multiple seasons. 

That's a promising group of skill players. If the Bengals are confident they can find adequate protection for Burrow outside of the first round, then Chase makes sense as a player who can take their offense to the next level. 

Should the Bengals decide to go the Ja'Marr Chase route with the fifth pick, Alex Leatherwood would make sense as a second-round target.

The Alabama product started three seasons for the Crimson Tide and demonstrated the skills and traits it takes to succeed in the NFL. 

Leatherwood played his final two seasons at Alabama as a left tackle but started his career as a starter in 2018 as a right guard. Making the transition to the NFL, he could start at guard and kick out to tackle when Riley Reiff's time with the Bengals comes to an end. 

He looked like a surefire first-rounder after the 2019 season. After making the transition to left tackle, he gave up no sacks and just one hit in his first season protecting for Tua Tagovailoa. 

This year showed some holes in the 22-year-old's game as he was beaten for three sacks and four hits, per PFF data. 

Essentially, Leatherwood showcased his ceiling in 2019 but we may have seen his floor in 2020. The questionable play he put on tape could mean the Bengals are getting a discount on a prospect who has the potential of a first-rounder.