Jordan Evans had pre-draft visit with Bengals

The Bengals are keeping an eye on several linebacker prospects heading into the NFL Draft.

There continues to be much debate about whether the No. 9 overall pick should be used on Alabama's Reuben Foster, which would address that position right away. However, it's more likely that Cincinnati drafts multiple linebackers after Round 1, and one of them could be Oklahoma's Jordan Evans.

According to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle, Evans had a pre-draft visit with the Bengals this week.

The 6’2”, 233-pound Evans has been a full-time starter for the past three seasons with the Sooners. In 2014, Evans recorded 93 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, one interception and two forced fumbles in 13 games. In 2015, he racked up 78 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and four pass deflections in 10 games.

Evans saved his best for this past season, where he registered 98 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, four interceptions, eight pass deflections and one forced fumble in 13 games.

As his numbers indicate, Evans was better in pass coverage than most linebackers, and that speed was on display at his pro day, where he recorded a 4.5 in the 40-yard dash to go along with a 38.5-inch vertical jump.

Evans is currently projected as a Round 5 prospect by CBS Sports. The guys at Pro Football Focus gave Evans a favorable scouting report:

Position fit: Will linebacker

Stats to know: Cumulatively gave up a QB rating of just 66.5 between 2014 and 2016 while intercepting five passes and breaking up 11.

Player comparison: Zach Brown, Buffalo Bills

Brown lacks the physicality to be a consistently effective player against the run, but he offers some ability on the blitz and is a strong player in coverage. His best season in coverage was 2015 with Tennessee, when gave up a QB rating against of just 61.0.

The Bengals need to find another versatile weakside backer in this draft to have behind Vontaze Burfict in the event he leaves as a free agent in 2018. Burfict plays on the weakside, but he’s essentially a middle backer in nickel defenses in large part because of his coverage skills.

Evans certainly appears to excel in that area more than most linebackers, so perhaps he’d be a good backup behind Burfict this season. If nothing else, Evans could be a replacement for Marquis Flowers, who hasn’t shown much through his first three seasons, and he too is a free agent next year along with Burfict and Kevin Minter.