{"id":11584,"date":"2025-01-23T12:29:00","date_gmt":"2025-01-23T12:29:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/breakingnews.azontree.com\/?p=11584"},"modified":"2025-01-23T12:29:00","modified_gmt":"2025-01-23T12:29:00","slug":"news-bengals-go-defense-in-first-mel-kiper-mock-draft-at-espn","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/breakingnews.azontree.com\/?p=11584","title":{"rendered":"NEWS: Bengals go defense in first Mel Kiper mock draft at ESPN"},"content":{"rendered":"

Interesting pick.<\/p>\n

\"COLLEGE<\/p>\n

Photo by Sarah Robbins\/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images<\/p>\n

There is no doubt that the Cincinnati Bengals’ defense needs help this offseason. With new defensive coordinator Al Golden now in place, the team can look toward how they can improve the defensive unit through free agency and the NFL draft.<\/p>\n

In his latest mock draft, ESPN\u2019s Mel Kiper Jr. has the Bengals selecting linebacker Jihaad Campbell from the Alabama Crimson Tide.<\/p>\n

\n

How contract situations play out for Tee Higgins and Ja\u2019Marr Chase could pivot the calculus, but it\u2019d be nearly impossible for Cincinnati to ignore the defense. Without a doubt, that unit kept the Bengals from the playoffs this season, allowing 25.5 points per game (25th). So I\u2019m matching them with a prospect who does a little bit of everything on that side of the ball. Campbell had 112 tackles, 5 sacks, 12 run stops and an interception this season. He\u2019s instinctive and explosive.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Linebacker is sort of a surprising pick for the Bengals, at least at pick 17. With Logan Wilson and Germaine Pratt both under contract for 2025, it would honestly be surprising to see the Bengals pounce on a linebacker this early.<\/p>\n

Then again, Wilson and Pratt were the two linebackers in Lou Anarumo\u2019s scheme. Golden could be interested in adding another linebacker to the mix.<\/p>\n

Most fans would likely want another edge rusher in this spot, but Kiper has them going in another direction.<\/p>\n

\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Interesting pick.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":11585,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11584","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cincinnati-bengals"],"yoast_head":"\nNEWS: Bengals go defense in first Mel Kiper mock draft at ESPN - Breaking News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/breakingnews.azontree.com\/?p=11584\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"NEWS: Bengals go defense in first Mel Kiper mock draft at ESPN - Breaking News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Interesting pick.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/breakingnews.azontree.com\/?p=11584\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Breaking News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-01-23T12:29:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/breakingnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Y6T5GRH.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1080\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1080\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"MrKen\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"MrKen\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"2 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/breakingnews.azontree.com\/?p=11584\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/breakingnews.azontree.com\/?p=11584\",\"name\":\"NEWS: Bengals go defense in first Mel Kiper mock draft at ESPN - 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