Bengals to host Nevada OL Austin Corbett for private workout

It’s been very clear from the Bengals’ moves so far during this offseason that fixing the offensive line will be a major priority between now and the start of the 2018 season. The team traded for left tackle Cordy Glenn by moving nine spots back in the first round. With Russell Bodine still un-signed that leaves the center and right guard positions up for grabs. And the right tackle position could have an open competition too with Cedric Ogbuehi, Jake Fisher and a potential draft pick. One of the open spots could be filled by an offensive lineman out of Nevada, Austin Corbett.

Corbett played tackle the entire time he was at Nevada, but he lacks the length to play that position in the NFL. This means he will likely move inside. How far? It probably depends on the team that drafts him. The Bengals won’t mind moving him to guard or center with holes that need to be filled at both spots. This is likely why the Bengals are bringing him in for a workout, according to Tony Pauline of Draft Analyst. The Buccaneers, Cowboys and Titans are also hosting workouts with Corbett this week as he’s getting a lot of pre-draft attention.

Corbett has shown he can be a talented guard or center. At his pro day he didn’t repeat the drills he did at the Scouting Combine. Instead he opted to run through position drills, which Pauline says he “looked solid” doing.

The position drills for Corbett were done on a little turf area inside the school’s weight facility. Corbett was run through about 30 minutes of drills and looked solid. The college tackle is projected to guard or center at the next level; we presently grade Corbett as our No. 4 offensive guard.

That is probably the running theme with Corbett as a player. He doesn’t do anything extraordinary. His highlight film won’t blow you out of your seat. He is an incredibly smart player though, and he knows where he needs to be. He will need to get a little bit stronger to really handle the bigger interior linemen that he will face in the NFL, but that isn’t the biggest deal.

Corbett is viewed as a borderline Day 2 or 3 pick. Considering the Bengals have a compensatory selection near the end of the third round, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Bengals decided to pull the trigger on Corbett there. Though, that will depend on what the Bengals’ prior picks were used on as the team could opt to draft offensive linemen in Rounds 1 and/or 2.

Corbett could either compete with Trey Hopkins (and others) at right guard or takeover the center position if Russell Bodine sign somewhere else in free agency. He may take a year to really grow into the player he has the potential to be, but even with his current level of talent he would likely be an upgrade at either of those positions, considering how bad the play was at each at points last season. At worst, Corbett provides a nice backup presence, and he could push T.J. Johnson off the roster.

Here’s an excerpt from Corbett’s NFL.com draft profile:

While there will be several “adequates” on the checklist, teams may be looking for a more definitive strength to his game. Corbett is definitely sharp enough to move inside to guard or center and has good technique, but his average play strength and lack of length may be a concern. He has the size and talent to compete for a guard/center spot.