Todd McShay narrows Bengals’ first-round pick to Rueben Bain Jr. or a CB
Would you be happy if the first round played out this way?
Dec 21, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) runs past Tennessee Volunteers defensive back Jermod McCoy (3) during the first half of a College Football Playoff first round game at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Adam Cairns-Imagn Images | Adam Cairns-Imagn Images The NFL Draft is right around the corner, which means analysts like Mel Kiper and Todd McShay are working overtime as they play out every possible scenario leading up to the actual draft — at which point both will be turned off and put into storage. McShay, the host of “The McShay Show,” was recently breaking down the first round, and when he got to the No.
10 pick, he found himself stuck between two options—Miami (FL) edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. or a cornerback. The Bengals lost Trey Hendrickson, their only consistent pass rusher, to free agency.
They do have Myles Murphy, who showed some flashes when he got consistent playing time last season, and Shemar Stewart, last year’s first-round pick, but that combination only looks good on paper right now. Adding Bain has the potential to give the Bengals a trio of potential pass rushers that the Bengals could work with. He’s the defending ACC Defensive Player of the Year, and he would likely be a starter in his rookie season.
And then there are the cornerbacks the Bengals could use their first-round pick on. Mansoor Delane and Jermod McCoy are the two corners most analysts believe Cincinnati could take at No. 10.