Cincinnati Bengals

Can the Cleveland Browns finally get over the top and capture the AFC North for the first time in the division's 20-year existence? Can the Baltimore Ravens bounce back and retake the division from the Pittsburgh Steelers? Those two teams have taken turns winning the North in each of the last five seasons, and it's easy to see why the consensus is that both will fight with the upstart Browns for supremacy in 2021. 

The odds at DraftKings give Baltimore a slight edge over Cleveland and a sizeable but not overwhelming advantage over the aging Steelers. 

Barely considered are the Cincinnati Bengals, who spend more time under the radar than practically any other team in the NFL, and often for good reason. 

The notoriously frugal and far-from-nationally-popular Bengals have actually won nearly as many AFC North titles (four) as the Ravens (six) and have experienced wild success in comparison to the Browns, but they're coming off five consecutive losing seasons and they haven't won a playoff game since Vanilla Ice's "To the Extreme" was the top-selling album in America. 

But the truth is we're overlooking the Bengals, and we might regret it. 

Cincinnati lost its quarterback, 2020 No. 1 overall pick Joe Burrow, to a season-ending knee injury in November. But prior to that, Burrow looked like the real deal and the Bengals were generally competitive. 

They were blown out in road games against Baltimore and Pittsburgh, but in the seven other games that Burrow played in fully, they actually outscored their opponents by four points. 

That stretch included a one-score loss in Cleveland despite a 30-point output, a one-score loss to the Indianapolis Colts on the road despite scoring 27 points, a field-goal loss to the Browns despite scoring 34 points, a 23-23 tie with the Philadelphia Eagles and a resounding 11-point victory over the playoff-bound Tennessee Titans. 

Their record didn't show it then or at the end of the season, but the Burrow-led Bengals were often respectable in 2020.

Now, Burrow's healthy again. 

"He's on track for full go for start of the season," Dr. Neal ElAttrache, who repaired the torn ACL and MCL in Burrow's left knee in December, wrote in a text message to ESPN's Adam Schefter earlier this month. "He's doing all the work. He's worked his tail off and been an amazingly mature participant in his recovery. He's focused and great to work with."

The 24-year-old phenom from LSU was on the field for Cincinnati's organized team activities this week, and veteran wide receiver Tyler Boyd liked what he saw. 

"He's going to lead us to the Promised Land," Boyd said of Burrow, per Geoff Hobson of the team's official website. "Joe looks great. He looks like he's ready to play a game right now. I'm not worried about Joe. He makes magic when his number's called."

He did exactly that with limited support from a weak offensive line and a pass-catching corps in transition in 2020, completing 65.3 percent of his passes while posting a 13-to-5 touchdown-to-interception ratio in 10 starts. He also added 142 yards and three scores as a rusher. This even though nearly five percent of the passes he threw were dropped and he was sacked on more than seven percent of his dropbacks, the 10th-highest mark in the league.

But now? He and his teammates should benefit from more quality time together in a much more normal offseason, and his supporting cast is stronger. 

That starts with Bengals No. 5 overall pick Ja'Marr Chase, who made magic with Burrow during LSU's historic 2019 season. 

Burrow completed 76.3 percent of his passes for 5,671 yards and 60 touchdowns to just six interceptions during that Heisman-winning campaign, and Chase accounted for nearly one-third of those yards and exactly one-third of those touchdowns as a receiver. 

He opted out in 2020 but was a unanimous All-American, a first-team All-SEC wideout and the winner of the Fred Biletnikoff Award before Burrow went pro.

Welcome to the Bengals’ future

Joe Burrow 🎯 Ja’Marr Chase

(via @TheTylerDragon)

pic.twitter.com/czEJX3HDYz

— PFF College (@PFF_College) May 25, 2021

"Obviously me and Ja'Marr have a good rapport, (we're) good friends, teammates," Burrow told the media this week. "I think he's going to bring an explosiveness to our offense."

Combine that with the steady Boyd (who's coming off three consecutive 800-plus-yard seasons) in the slot and sophomore second-round sensation Tee Higgins (who went over 900 yards with six touchdowns as a rookie) out wide, and throw in Joe Mixon's talent at running back, and it's easy to imagine the Cincy offense exploding in 2021. 

The line remains a question mark, but left tackle Jonah Williams has All-Pro potential as a third-year first-round pick. There's no denying his talent, and this could be a breakout year after he missed his rookie campaign due to a shoulder injury and was forced to catch up during a 2020 offseason that was severely limited by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Still, he surrendered just three sacks and took just two penalties as a sophomore, according to Pro Football Focus. 

"Really, last year was his rookie year," new offensive line coach Frank Pollack said, according to Hobson. "It's always a learning curve for every rookie. I'm real excited about teaching him some new things that he can add to his tool box. He's a smart player. He's very technique aware. He takes pride in being a technician. He's got great feet, great balance. He can use his hands independently. He's got a lot of tools to work with. His better day are ahead. Nothing but up for Jonah Williams."

The Bengals also brought in reliable veteran Riley Reiff to take over at right tackle and invested a second-round pick in interior offensive lineman Jackson Carman, so there's a heck of a lot more there than there was in 2020. 

"In my opinion," Pollack said, "we'll make some people proud."

The defense was a problem last year as well, but that unit should also be better. They lost veterans Carl Lawson and William Jackson III on the edge and at cornerback, respectively, but new pass-rusher Trey Hendrickson broke out with 13.5 sacks last year with the New Orleans Saints, incoming rookie edge Joseph Ossai was a massive steal in Round 3, Chidobe Awuzie is a couple of years younger with a similar ceiling as Jackson and they upgraded by adding former Steelers cover man Mike Hilton in the slot. 

They also stole Larry Ogunjobi from the division-rival Browns up front, and 24-year-old safety Jessie Bates III looks as though he's becoming a star before our eyes. 

Of course, it still comes down to Burrow. But the stars are starting to look quite aligned, and there's been something about second-year quarterbacks of late.

MVP honors went to sophomore signal-callers in 2018 (Patrick Mahomes) and 2019 (Lamar Jackson), and Kyler Murray became a Pro Bowler as a second-year starter in 2020. Carson Wentz was also an MVP candidate when the Eagles won the Super Bowl in his second season, and Jared Goff broke out in a Pro Bowl sophomore campaign that same year. 

That could be a good omen for Justin Herbert with the Los Angeles Chargers or Tua Tagovailoa of the Miami Dolphins, but Burrow looks like a good bet. 

Speaking of bets, is that enough to take +2000 odds and pick the Bengals to shock the world and win the North? Maybe, maybe not. But keep in mind that the playoff field includes about a handful of surprises every year, that said field has expanded to 14 and that the young Bengals could benefit from that and an extended regular season. 

Yet the odds are still heavily stacked against them making the postseason. 

It's something to keep in mind. 

     

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Brad Gagnon has covered the NFL for Bleacher Report since 2012. Follow him on Twitter: @Brad_Gagnon.

Joe Burrow's still working his way back from a torn ACL, but he's already excited about Ja'Marr Chase bringing a new dynamic to the Cincinnati Bengals offense. 

“He’s going to bring some explosiveness to our offense… You get the ball in his hands, and he’s a big, strong receiver. We have some great weapons at our disposal," Burrow told reporters Tuesday. 

The Bengals selected Chase with the No. 5 overall pick in April's draft, reuniting the former LSU teammates.

Burrow and Chase were one of the most dynamic quarterback-receiver duos in college football history. Burrow rewrote the college passing record book in 2019, throwing for 5,671 yards and 60 touchdowns against six interceptions on his way to a Heisman Trophy, while Chase hauled in 84 passes for 1,780 yards and 20 scores on his way to a Biletnikoff Award. 

Burrow offered praise of Chase behind the scenes during the predraft process.

"You could tell that he had a great fondness for Ja'Marr," Bengals head coach Zac Taylor told reporters. "He would be excited to play with him again if that's the direction we headed. But that's not really Joe's style to come up and say, 'We need to be taking this guy.' That didn't happen at all."

The Bengals have equipped Burrow with a strong core of receivers, with Chase joining Tyler Boyd and 2020 second-round pick Tee Higgins on the depth chart. While the offensive line remains a huge question mark and was arguably a more pressing need than receiver, Cincinnati's well on its way to building a playoff-caliber offense. 

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow said Tuesday his left knee is at about 85 percent as he recovers from the injury that ended his rookie season, per Tyler Dragon of the Enquirer.

Burrow suffered a torn ACL and MCL plus other structural issues Nov. 22 and had surgery Dec. 2, with an estimated recovery time of eight to nine months. The 24-year-old said Tuesday he hopes to be cleared after nine months, which would put him on track to play by Week 1.

Even if he isn't cleared by training camp, he said he could take part in practices.

"I should be full go in camp," Burrow said. "That's my goal. Maybe a little limited."

He was already on the field for organized team activities, which the team showed off on social media:

Look who's clocking in... 👀 pic.twitter.com/fg83SJauDr

— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) May 25, 2021

Ohio Grit: QB1 😤 pic.twitter.com/Ud9DPkIvsW

— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) May 25, 2021

Burrow also didn't rule out playing in the preseason.

"I definitely want to play, I just don’t know if it’s the best thing for my knee," he told reporters. "Hopefully I can get a couple series in there to shake the rust off, we’ll see."

The 2020 No. 1 overall pick showed a lot of promise during his first season, totaling 2,688 passing yards with 13 touchdowns and five interceptions in 10 games. He also rushed for 142 yards and three touchdowns on 37 carries.

With a receiving corps that now includes Burrow's former LSU teammate and No. 5 pick Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd, the Bengals should field an exciting passing attack.

The Cincinnati Bengals can expect to have Joe Burrow back at quarterback when they open the 2021 regular season. 

Dr. Neal ElAttrache, who performed Burrow's knee surgery in December, told ESPN's Adam Schefter in a text that the Bengals star should be "all systems go" for Week 1. 

"He's on track for full go for start of the season," ElAttrache wrote. "He's doing all the work. He's worked his tail off and been an amazingly mature participant in his recovery. He's focused and great to work with."

Burrow suffered a torn ACL and MCL in Cincinnati's Week 11 loss to the Washington Football Team. 

The Bengals announced on Dec. 3 that Burrow underwent successful surgery, but they didn't include a potential return timetable in their initial statement. 

During an appearance on the Pro Football Focus podcast with Cris Collinsworth (h/t Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com) last month, Burrow said he was "very optimistic about where I'm at" in the recovery process. 

The No. 1 pick in last year's NFL draft also said in that interview he is "expecting to be there on the first snap of 2021."

Prior to the injury, Burrow was having a terrific rookie season. The 24-year-old threw for 2,688 yards with 13 touchdowns and five interceptions and a 65.3 completion percentage in 10 starts. 

There will be questions about Cincinnati's ability to protect Burrow. He was sacked 32 times in those 10 games last year. The team did sign veteran tackle Riley Reiff as a free agent and selected Clemson's Jackson Carman in the second round of the 2021 draft to play guard. 

One thing Burrow won't have to worry about his building a rapport with his receiving corps. The Bengals drafted former LSU teammate Ja'Marr Chase with the fifth overall pick. They also have Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd coming back. 

Cincinnati will open the 2021 season on Sept. 12 at home against the Minnesota Vikings. 

The Cincinnati Bengals and wide receiver Trent Taylor reportedly agreed to a contract Monday, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network.

Taylor spent his first four NFL seasons with the San Francisco 49ers as a slot receiver and punt returner.

The Bengals hosted Taylor over the weekend as part of their rookie minicamp tryouts. He clearly impressed enough to garner a contract offer, though no terms of the deal were made available.

Alex Erickson, who primarily handled punt returns the last five seasons in Cincinnati, left for the Houston Texans this offseason. 

It's unlikely Taylor will do much as a receiver with the Bengals, barring injury. The team used its first-round pick on Ja'Marr Chase and already has Tyler Boyd and Tee Higgins on the depth chart. Boyd will handle the bulk of the snaps from the slot next season, leaving Taylor on the depth chart as a potential backup.

Taylor recorded 43 receptions for 430 yards and two touchdowns as a rookie in 2017 but never reached those heights again as a receiver. He's combined for just 36 grabs for 301 yards and a touchdown over the last three seasons.

As a returner, Taylor likewise has not done much since the 2017 season, returning 19 total punts in three years. 

Let's try this again.

Last season was supposed to mark the start of a new era for the Cincinnati Bengals after they selected Joe Burrow with the No. 1 overall pick of the 2020 NFL draft, but the quarterback suffered a torn ACL and MCL in a November loss to the Washington Football Team.

That put the future on temporary hold, but the AFC North team has its franchise signal-caller back with eyes on competing in a difficult division that featured three playoff teams last season.

Here is a look at the slate Burrow and Co. will have to navigate this season.

             

Bengals 2021 Schedule

IT'S HERE! 💥 The Legends Pack - 2021 Schedule Edition

NO FEES on single game tickets: https://t.co/6cOJ2vIIDz pic.twitter.com/dPKZen2Cay

— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) May 12, 2021

Full #Bengals regular and preseason schedule. pic.twitter.com/r6NFggg0iB

— Paul Dehner Jr. (@pauldehnerjr) May 12, 2021

          

Analysis

Things could have been much worse for the Bengals when it comes to their cross-conference slate.

The AFC North will face the NFC North this season, which means four games against a division that featured just one team with a winning record during the 2020 campaign. The Green Bay Packers were the only team in the entire NFC North to finish above .500, and Cincinnati will have the chance to pad its record against the Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings.

Cincinnati has a similar situation with games against the AFC West as well.

While the Kansas City Chiefs will be a daunting opponent, they were the only team in their division to finish above .500 in 2020. Like with the NFC North, that will give the Bengals a handful of chances in winnable games to bolster their record.

How they fare in those contests may ultimately decide their playoff—or draft—fate because divisional games against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns will be quite challenging.

              

Pivotal Matchups

Divisional games are pivotal for every team in the NFL but perhaps even more so for the Bengals.

After all, they were 4-11-1 last year while the Steelers, Ravens and Browns all made the playoffs with a combined record of 34-14. The only way for Cincinnati to make up any ground is faring better in the head-to-head contests within the AFC North than its 1-5 mark in 2020.

Elsewhere, games against the Los Angeles Chargers and Las Vegas Raiders stand out.

Considering Patrick Mahomes is standing in their way in the AFC West, the best chance for the Raiders and Chargers to make the playoffs is as wild-card teams. Cincinnati is in a similar position with the Steelers and Ravens in their division, which means head-to-head games against other potential wild-card contenders could carry plenty of weight.

Keeping Burrow healthy and defeating some of these AFC teams will be key for the Bengals if they are going to bounce back and have a successful season.

The Cincinnati Bengals got it wrong with this year's fifth overall pick. 

Ja'Marr Chase is an exceptional talent. He was clearly WR1 heading into the 2021 NFL draft. But Oregon offensive tackle Penei Sewell should have been the selection to protect quarterback Joe Burrow. 

The decision became an extension of last offseason's missteps.

Following the 2020 NFL draft, I wrote of the Bengals' class other than their No. 1 overall pick: "Previous ills can be forgiven with a smart approach. With Burrow already in tow, the Bengals should have done everything in their power to properly protect the quarterback. They didn't."

Cincinnati then made no significant investments in its offensive line in free agency or the draft. The team moved forward with the likes of Michael Jordan, Billy Price, Alex Redmond, Fred Johnson, Xavier Su'a-Filo and Bobby Hart.

It continues to repeat its mistakes. 

A year later with the opportunity to finally make a statement in the draft, the Bengals chose a lesser talent at a lesser position at less of a need in the context of what was available to them. 

Some will argue Chase was the better overall prospect, though Bleacher Report's scouting department graded Sewell as the fourth-best talent in the class and noted his All-Pro potential. In comparison, Chase ranked 10th with a grade that fell one tier below. 

Some within the NFL viewed Sewell even more favorably. 

"If I could pick one player in this draft who's got the best chance to go to the Hall of Fame, it's Penei Sewell," one coach told NBC Sports' Peter King. 

An NFL head coach told ESPN's Adam Schefter that the 2019 Outland Trophy winner is the "one surefire Hall of Famer in this draft class." Another told ESPN's Dianna Russini the same. 

Pro Football Focus graded Sewell as the best overall offensive tackle prospect since the site began doing so for collegiate players seven years ago. 

To be clear, Sewell may not ultimately fall into the same category as all-time greats like Jonathan Ogden, Orlando Pace and Walter Jones. He does need to refine his technique. Because of his age, 20, and his decision to opt out of last season, his floor is much lower than a typical top tackle's would be. 

Still, he warranted being the first offensive tackle selected in a good offensive line class and probably would have been last year if eligible. 

"You'd be really happy with having Sewell," an executive told The Athletic's Bob McGinn. "He will trend toward being a Pro Bowl-level player if not competing to be one of the best tackles in the league."

Granted, grades vary by team. But no one can deny Sewell's ability any more than they can Chase's. 

To be completely fair, another evaluator called Chase the "best wide receiver prospect since Julio [Jones]," according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. And that's fair. After all, the short list of top-five wide receivers selected since 2012 includes Corey Davis, Amari Cooper, Sammy Watkins and Justin Blackmon.

Then again, being the best since Jones doesn't mean Chase is the same caliber of prospect the future Hall of Fame receiver was at the time. It simply means he's the next best. 

Coincidentally, Cooper is the last wide receiver, among those to come off the board first, to surpass 1,000 yards as a rookie since the Bengals chose A.J. Green over Jones 10 years ago. 

Which way will Chase lean? It's interesting because, typically, the top prospects at the position haven't done well in recent years. The following is a list of the first wide receiver prospects chosen first in their respective classes since Green and Jones came into the league: 

Year	Player	Receptions	Yards	Touchdowns
2020	Henry Ruggs III	26	452	2
2019	Marquise Brown	46	584	7
2018	DJ Moore	55	788	2
2017	Corey Davis	34	375	0
2016	Corey Coleman	33	413	3
2015	Amari Cooper	72	1,070	6
2014	Sammy Watkins	65	982	6
2013	Tavon Austin	40	418	4
2012	Justin Blackmon	64	865	5
	Average:	48.3	660.8	3.9

Situations differ, and those previous numbers don't necessarily reflect what Chase can eventually do in the Bengals offense alongside Burrow. But a history exists that says top wide receiver prospects don't generally produce at the highest level at the onset. 

Knowing the hit rate of that group, understanding where Chase stands among the hierarchy that followed Jones and then factoring in the value of his position, the Bengals chose not to build their roster properly. 

Generally speaking, offensive tackle is considered a premium position, while wide receiver isn't.

Yes, today's NFL is wide-open and a pass-first league. Offenses must create explosive plays. At the same time, the wide receiver position has had two consecutive historically good classes from a depth perspective. When both tackle and receiver present quality depth—and both did this year—the logical approach is to select the premium prospect first, especially when it's an area of need. 

The Bengals offensive line ranked among the league's worst last season. They finished among the bottom three in overall performance, according to PFF. Injuries played a role, but Cincinnati never featured a complete front five and the unit lacked quality depth. Defenders hit, hurried or sacked Burrow more than the vast majority of quarterbacks. 

Ultimately, Burrow suffered a season-ending knee injury. 

Going into this offseason, the Bengals had two competent-to-good starting options already in place. Jonah Williams, whom the team selected 11th overall two years ago, should be fine at left tackle. Trey Hopkins is another solid performer at center. From there, a lot of work needed to be done and didn't exactly happen. 

Frank Pollack's rehiring as offensive line coach after spending the last two seasons with the New York Jets is a definite step in the right direction, but he's still reliant on the talent available to him. In terms of free agency, the Bengals signed nine-year veteran Riley Reiff. That's it. 

Reiff, who's expected to play right tackle, agreed to a one-year, $7.5 million contract. Due to his age (32) and contractual status, his presence should have had no bearing whatsoever on Cincinnati's initial draft selection. If anything, Sewell's potential selection could have created a positive ripple effect throughout the unit. The rookie could have slid into either tackle spot and improved the tandem overall. From there, Reiff could have moved to guard, which was a possibility dating back to his days with the Minnesota Vikings. 

Instead, the Bengals waited to address their biggest weakness and went with another need. Make no mistake, wide receiver became a significant area of concern after Green left in free agency. The team needed someone who can be an X-receiver and create separation to make life easier on last year's No. 1 overall pick. 

Nevertheless, the roster already featured Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd. Furthermore, the offensive line didn't necessarily get significantly better with the draft additions of Jackson Carman, Trey Hill and D'Ante Smith. Each has potential, and Carman will likely take over one of the guard spots. But they're significant downgrades from what the team could have added up front.

Some will undoubtedly argue Cincinnati could have selected Oklahoma State's Teven Jenkins, Notre Dame's Liam Eichenberg or Stanford's Walker Little in the second round and been much better off. Maybe, but the Bengals didn't go that route. The front office chose to trade down and ultimately select a local product, whereas nine more wide receivers came off the board before the end of the draft's second day. Bleacher Report's scouting staff had seven available receivers who still graded higher than Carman, and some of them significantly so. 

Issues with Cincinnati's choices are based on a macro point of view with regard to how an organization should prioritize building around an elite, young quarterback prospect. 

Their AFC North counterpart, the Cleveland Browns, tried the Bengals' approach two years ago. The Browns chose Baker Mayfield with the first overall pick in the 2018 draft. Then-general manager John Dorsey acquired star wide receivers Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham Jr. in back-to-back offseasons. The team improved, but it didn't start to reach its full potential until last season after current general manager Andrew Berry committed to improving the offensive line. He went out and signed the best available free-agent tackle in Jack Conklin and then doubled down by selecting Jedrick Wills Jr. with the 10th overall pick. 

The Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers did an exemplary job of rebuilding the entirety of their offensive lines in one offseason.

The Chiefs signed Joe Thuney, Kyle Long and Austin Blythe in free agency, traded for Orlando Brown Jr. and drafted Creed Humphrey in this year's second round. The Chargers, meanwhile, signed All-Pro center Corey Linsley and guards Matt Feiler and Oday Aboushi before drafting tackle Rashawn Slater with the 13th overall pick. 

Sure, they already had weapons in place, but they also had needs elsewhere. Those two franchises prioritized their fronts to protect their exciting young quarterbacks. 

Even the Miami Dolphins, who picked a wide receiver directly behind the Bengals with the sixth overall selection, waited a year before doing so. In 2020, the organization committed to rebuilding its offensive front to protect incoming rookie quarterback Tua Tagovailoa by selecting left tackle Austin Jackson in the first round, right tackle/guard Robert Hunt in the second and guard Solomon Kindley near the top of the fourth. 

Despite likely playing behind another middling-to-bad offensive front, Burrow is excited to play with Chase. He should be. The two made magic together at LSU, and every quarterback would be pumped to have his favorite target along for the ride. 

Instead of trying to make their quarterback happy by adding an offensive weapon, the Bengals should have done right by him. Hopefully, everyone gets to see the best version of Burrow post huge numbers while throwing to Chase. Unfortunately, Cincinnati's lack of commitment toward protecting its franchise investment casts doubt on whether the quarterback will ever realize his full potential. 

         

Brent Sobleski covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter, @brentsobleski.

HEIGHT: 5'8 5/8"

WEIGHT: 175

POSITIVES

—Good overall athlete with good balance and tight footwork. Plays with knee bend and a wide base that allows him to stop and start and maintain an athletic position. Consistently makes defenders miss in the open field with his change-of-direction ability.

—Above-average vision and tempo on a variety of run schemes. Understands to be patient on gap schemes with pullers. 

—Plays strong for his size, has some lower-body strength that allows him to fight through arm tackles. Not afraid to take defenders on.

—Above-average speed and can beat defenders to the edge when he looks to work outside. Pulls away from defenders once he gets by them.

—Good hands out of the backfield. Natural catcher of the ball, and that, paired with his feel for space and change-of-direction ability, makes him dynamic on screens.

—Above-average returner ability on kickoffs with production.

NEGATIVES

—Will look to bounce things too much to use his speed. 

—Poor weight and build for the RB position leads to durability concerns and, paired with inconsistency running between the tackles, will limit his possible role. 

—Will be extremely limited in pass protection because of size and lack of familiarity.

 —In 2018, Williams was arrested and charged with domestic battery, and he later agreed to a diversion agreement and was suspended for one game.

 

2020 STATISTICS

4 G, 51 att., 196 yards, 3.8 avg., 2 TD, 6 rec., 31 yards

OVERALL

Pooka Williams Jr. is a shifty RB who plays bigger than his size but will have durability and role concerns when he enters the NFL. Williams shows good foot quickness and change-of-direction ability throughout his game, consistently playing with a good, athletic base that allows him to stop and start when he’s setting up his blockers and also to make defenders miss in one-on-one situations. He shows good hands out of the backfield and also has some return chops that help add value to his role.

Williams plays with relatively good play strength and toughness but does not consistently run between the tackles and will look to use his athleticism to bounce runs when he doesn’t necessarily need to. He is best on gap schemes that utilize pullers and allow him to stretch defenders before hitting up inside. All of the playstyle negatives with Williams are related to his size, as he lacks the size to hold up in protection and will not be able to sustain repeated touches at the NFL level.

Overall, while Williams brings some dynamic playmaking ability, he will have to be a consistent producer on returns and in the passing game to justify a spot on an NFL roster, as his lack of size limits his ability for an every-down or even a third-down protection-based role.  

GRADE: 6.5/10 (6th-7th Round)

OVERALL RANK: 240/300

POSITION RANK: RB19

PRO COMPARISON: Donnel Pumphrey

Written by B/R NFL Scout Nate Tice

HEIGHT: 6'0 3/4"

WEIGHT: 248 lbs

     

POSITIVES

—Has good extension (near 34.5" arms) for a "shorter" defensive end prospect.

—His upside comes as a speed rusher on passing downs.

—Has penetration skills that translate and was very efficient on a per-snap basis as a pass-rusher in college football.

—Special teams could be a role where he makes a difference on the block teams.

     

NEGATIVES

—His size issues are not a fixable trait.

—For an NFL defensive end, especially for a speed rusher, his athleticism is average to below average.

—Early on, he will be a liability on run downs.

      

2020 STATISTICS

63 TKL, 9 TFL, 6.5 SK, 1 PBU, 1 FR, 1 FF

       

NOTES

—Academic issues kept him from attending college at a Power Five program.

—Initially was going to play linebacker at Marshall before moving to a pass-rushing position.

—First-team All-CUSA in 2020.

     

OVERALL

Darius Hodge has the background of a high school prospect who was supposed to play major college football but was forced to take a Group of Five scholarship, and he plays like it. He is fairly lengthy for a speed rusher but also lacks the overall size, strength and athleticism that most NFL defensive end prospects possess.

He needs to contribute on special teams while working on his play strength to crack into a pass-rushing rotation on a consistent basis, but he has an opportunity to stick around the league if he does so.

     

GRADE: 6.7/10 (Round 6)

OVERALL RANK: 213/300

POSITION RANK: EDGE28

PRO COMPARISON: John Simon

       

Written by B/R NFL Scout Justis Mosqueda

HEIGHT: 5'11"

WEIGHT: 211 lbs

       

POSITIVES

—Natural athlete and a smooth mover. Has a nice build for RB position.

—Good hands when the ball comes his way. Natural catcher of the football.

—Shows some route-running chops and can consistently split out and make defenders uncomfortable.

        

NEGATIVES

—Lacks quick-twitch and suddenness in his game. Oozes in and out when cutting and out of breaks on routes.

—Below-average contact balance and play strength. Goes down to any contact near his feet.

—Inconsistent showing true vision and anticipation at the RB position. Tries to bounce runs too much.

—Runs upright and lack of ability to make defenders miss in a small area leaves him open to hits when working inside.

          

2020 STATISTICS

6 G, 16 att., 73 yards, 4.6 avg., 1 TD, 9 rec., 87 yards

        

NOTES

— Missed the 2019 season due to academics.

      

OVERALL

Chris Evans is a good athlete with good size who is a bit of a tweener positionally, showing some route-running ability and smooth body control and hands but lacking the "real" RB traits like contact balance and vision. Evans will have to find the right team to utilize his traits, but he lacks natural feel in the run game, something that can be difficult to improve upon.

Evans has shown the ability to bounce around, which speaks to his football awareness, but will be likely limited to a passing down-only RB at the next level who will have to add value through special teams or in pass protection as well. If he can be consistent in pass protection, which he has shown flashes of, he has a path to see the field. 

        

GRADE: 6.4/10 (Round 7)

OVERALL RANK: 260/300

POSITION RANK: RB20

PRO COMPARISON: Ty Montgomery 

      

Written by B/R NFL Scout Nate Tice