Based on top-30 visits and meetings who is in play for the Bengals at pick No. 21?

At the beginning of the offseason everything seemed so simple for the Bengals. Take the best tackle in the draft at pick No. 12. Instead, the Bengals pulled off a trade for Cordy Glenn that moved the team back to pick No. 21 and gave the Bills the ammunition to possibly get their quarterback.

The move back for the Bengals did two things. It erased their biggest need at left tackle and took them out of what essentially became no mans land at the 12th pick. It started to become clearer and clearer that the Bengals were going to be either stuck selecting a best player available at a position the team didn’t need a ton of help at, or they would be forced to reach for a player at a position of need.

Now, selecting with pick No. 21, the team can justify selecting a tackle like Mike McGlinchey or even one of the top interior offensive linemen who would have been too much of a reach to justify selecting over the available players at pick No. 12. They did this while also getting Glenn obviously, so it really was quite the move.

However, now we are sitting here wondering what the Bengals could possibly do with the 21st overall selection. They look to be in a position where they could still end up be staring at a top player who falls to them, some of the best interior linemen or even an offensive tackle. They could really go any direction given how deep some of their positions of need are as well.

If we look at some of the players the Bengals had visit, we can get a clearer idea of who is on their list at this point. Please keep in mind this isn’t a definitive list of the players the Bengals will be choosing from, but because the team brought them in for a visit, it gives us reason to believe they’d be interested in taking that player.

Here are a few of the players the Bengals may be most interested in selecting.

Vita Vea, Defensive tackle, Washington

Vea is seen as one of the best defensive tackles in this draft and was in play for pick No. 12 when the Bengals had it. The Bengals clearly want to be prepared in case he does fall to them at pick No. 21 and had him in for a visit even after the trade. And if he does fall, Vea could help plug up the middle of the defensive line. He would be a huge upgrade over how Andrew Billings played last season and help improve a run defense that was atrocious. The Bengals did also sign Chris Baker to a one-year deal this offseason, but they may embrace the idea of competition to see who will line up next to Geno Atkins next season.

James Daniels, Center, Iowa

Daniels is one of the top centers in the draft and the Bengals brought him in for an official visit. They also met with Billy Price at the Scouting Combine and his pro day and had Frank Ragnow in for an official visit as well. Center is a big a hole after Russell Bodine left for the Bills. The Bengals may be content to wait to draft a center — like they did with Bodine — but if they want a good one, Daniels will likely be waiting for them at pick No. 21. With that said, don’t count out either Price or Ragnow for pick No. 21 and certainly don’t count them out for pick No. 46 if they’re available there.

Mike McGlinchey, Offensive tackle, Notre Dame

If you go back as far as when the Bengals were selecting at 12 it seemed like the team had some real interest in McGlinchey. After Orlando Brown bombed the combine, it became clear that McGlinchey was probably going to take Brown’s spot as the top prospect at the position. The Bengals have met with McGlinchey at least three times now, which shows just how interested they are in him.

Even with the Bengals set to have at least three players competing for the right tackle spot, the addition of McGlinchey would end that while giving the team options for the future with Glenn already turning 29 in September. That said, he’s unlikely to be available at pick No. 21, and if he is, the Bengals will likely jump.

Da’Ron Payne, Defensive tackle, Alabama

Back to the theme of run stuffers, the Bengsls made sure to bring in Payne for a visit. Payne may not be a disruptive pass rushing force, but he still forces teams to double team him based on size alone. The idea that Atkins could only have one guy blocking him consistently is a very scary thought for other teams. And, we know the Bengals love Alabama players, making Payne a notable player to watch for if some of the top offensive linemen are off-the-board when the Bengals are making their first round pick.

Rashaan Evans, Linebacker, Alabama

Evans is one of the highest ranked linebackers the Bengals have brought in for a visit. They didn’t visit with Roquan Smith or Tremaine Edmunds most likely due to to the realization they probably won’t be available at pick No. 21.

Evans is the type of athletic linebacker the Bengals desperately need. The team was too often burned by faster backs breaking runs to the outside. Although Evans is more of a pass rusher than coverage linebacker, he does have the tools to possibly improve that though. Again, Alabama player in the first round... don’t count him out.