As the NFL offseason continues, mock draft season is just getting started.
ESPN's Todd McShay has updated his mock, and he has the Bengals taking a name few linked to Cincinnati early on in mock season. That's Clemson All-American pass-rusher Vic Beasley.
The 6'3", 235 pound Beasley registered 37 tackles, 21.5 tackles for loss, a team-high 12 sacks, nine quarterback pressures, three pass breakups and two forced fumbles this past season for the Tigers. He would be a welcome addition to a Bengals defense that struggled mightily in rushing the passer this past season.
Analysis: Beasley is an undersized edge player with really good burst, bend and instincts. He was very productive at Clemson, racking up 44.5 tackles for loss and 25 sacks the past two seasons. He's a great fit for the Bengals' defense as a 4-3 outside linebacker, and he will help upgrade a pass rush that ranked 27th in the NFL last season in sacks per attempt.
For what it's worth, here's McShay's top 10 in his latest mock:
# | TEAM | PICK | POS | SCHOOL |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Tampa Bay | Jameis Winston | QB | Florida St. |
2 | Tennessee | Leonard Williams | DL | USC |
3 | Jacksonville | Randy Gregory | DE | Nebraska |
4 | Oakland | Amari Cooper | WR | Alabama |
5 | Washington | Shane Ray | DE | Missouri |
6 | New York Jets | Marcus Mariota | QB | Oregon |
7 | Chicago | Danny Shelton | DT | Washington |
8 | Atlanta | Arik Armstead | DE | Oregon |
9 | New York Giants | Brandon Scherff | OT | Iowa |
10 | St. Louis Rams | Kevin White | WR | West Virginia |
Yes, McShay actually has Oregon's Marcus Mariota falling out of the top five, while many are pegging him to go No. 1 to Tampa Bay. Neither Missouri's Shany Ray nor Washington's Danny Shelton are projected by most to go in the top 10, let along the top seven.
It's also worth noting that Kevin White has been mocked to the Bengals at pick No. 21, and it's hard to see him going in the top 10.