Bengals attend Virginia Tech pro day; eyeing Bucky Hodges

The Bengals continued their pro day excursions with a trip to Virginia Tech on Wednesday.

There, representatives of the team put tight end Bucky Hodges through a workout and drills as he showcased his talents. Hodges is regarded as one of the top tight end prospects in this year’s NFL Draft, but he’s also someone expected to be drafted in the Round 2-3 range, according to CBS Sports.

With Tyler Eifert entering the final year of his rookie contract after missing much of his early career due to injuries, the Bengals may want to bolster that position with a mid-round selection this year.

At 6’7” and 245 pounds, Hodges certainly has the frame of a big wide receiver, which is how he was used a lot in college. He’s actually a converted quarterback who racked up 133 catches for 1,747 yards (13.1 avg.) and 20 scores across 39 career games.

Hodges isn’t the only Hokies pass-catcher that Cincinnati could be looking at. Isaiah Ford was a great college wide receiver who caught 154 balls for 2,258 yards and 18 scores across 26 games over the past two seasons.

Ford is projected as a Round 3-4 prospect who could have caught the Bengals’ eye. With James Wright being waived this week, there’s already one open receiver spot on the 53-man roster.

One other Hokie to watch out for is quarterback Jerod Evans. A one-year college starter after beginning his career in the junior college ranks, Evans burst onto the scene in 2016 with 3,546 yards and 29 touchdowns vs just eight interceptions on 268-of-422 passing (63.5%).

But Evans was a dual-threat guy who also ran for 846 yards and 12 scores. Even with great production in a Power 5 conference, Evans is someone projected to be drafted sometime in the Round 5-6 range, so he could be a nice developmental guy for the Bengals if they trade away AJ McCarron.

Which of these Hokies are you interested in for the Bengals?