Mike Mayock NFL mock draft: Only mock of season has Bengals taking Frank Ragnow

Frank Ragnow is the new trendy name you’ll see in mock drafts to the Bengals. That was not the case prior to Tuesday when only three of the 80+ mock drafts I’ve tracked had Ragnow to the Bengals.

Now, Dave Lapham has predicted Ragnow as the Bengals’ first round draft pick and others are following suit. Lapham has correctly picked the Bengals’ first round selection in four of the last five years. And not going to lie, I’m hoping this year makes it five of the last six.

Mike Mayock has started only doing one mock draft a year and it comes on the night before Round 1 of the NFL Draft. His pick for the Bengals is none other then the Arkansas center, Ragnow.

The mock starts with Sam Darnold to the Browns, followed by Saquon Barkley to the Giants, Baker Mayfield to the Jets and Bradley Chubb to the Browns. Mike McGlinchey goes off the board at pick No. 12 to the Raiders. Vita Vea is gone at pick No. 13 to the Redskins and Lamar Jackson to the Ravens at 16.

Ragnow is the first center off-the-board but not the first offensive lineman; that honor goes to Quenton Nelson at pick No. 5 to the Broncos.

Pro Football Focus is extremely high on Ragnow and graded him as the highest rated center over the course of a full season since the service started tracking grades in 2006. Sam Monson of PFF refers to him as the forgotten superstar of the 2018 NFL Draft and he may just become one of the most beloved names in Cincinnati if he can provide the Bengals with a top-talent center. PFF gave Ragnow a grade of 93.7 or better in back-to-back seasons, partially due to surrendering zero sacks in his entire college career.

In 2017, Ragnow surrendered one hurry from the center position and two when playing right guard. Oh yeah, he has experience at guard, too. Versatility. Something the Bengals love.

It’s safe to say Ragnow is very much in play at pick No. 21 and may just be receiving a phone call from the Bengals on Thursday night.

Mike Mayock’s entire 2018 Mock Draft:

1. Cleveland Browns – Sam Darnold, QB (USC)

2. New York Giants – Saquon Barkley, RB (Penn State)

3. New York Jets – Baker Mayfield, QB (Oklahoma)

4. Cleveland Browns – Bradley Chubb, DE (N.C. State)

5. Denver Broncos – Quenton Nelson, G (Notre Dame)

6. Buffalo Bills (trade with Indianapolis Colts) – Josh Allen, QB (Wyoming

7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Derwin James, S (Florida State)

8. Chicago Bears – Roquan Smith, LB (Georgia)

9. San Francisco 49ers – Denzel Ward, CB (Ohio State)

10. Oakland Raiders – Mike McGlinchey, OT (Notre Dame)

11. Miami Dolphins – Tremaine Edmunds, LB (Virginia Tech)

12. Indianapolis Colts (trade with Buffalo Bills) – Minkah Fitzpatrick, S (Alabama)

13. Washington Redskins – Vita Vea, DT (Washington)

14. Green Bay Packers – Jaire Alexander, CB (Louisville)

15. Arizona Cardinals – Josh Rosen, QB (UCLA)

16. Baltimore Ravens – Lamar Jackson, QB (Louisville)

17. Los Angeles Chargers – Da’Ron Payne, DT (Alabama)

18. Seattle Seahawks – Marcus Davenport, DE (UTSA)

19. Dallas Cowboys – Courtland Sutton, WR (SMU)

20. Detroit Lions – Harold Landry, DE (Boston College)

21. Cincinnati Bengals – Frank Ragnow, C (Arkansas)

22. Indianapolis Colts (trade with Buffalo Bills) – Isaiah Wynn, OT (Georgia)

23. New England Patriots – Kolton Miller, OT (UCLA)

24. Carolina Panthers – Calvin Ridley, WR (Alabama)

25. Tennessee Titans – Rashaan Evans, LB (Alabama)

26. Atlanta Falcons – Taven Bryan, DT (Florida)

27. New Orleans Saints – DJ Moore, WR (Maryland)

28. Pittsburgh Steelers – Sony Michel, RB (Georgia)

29. Jacksonville Jaguars – Hayden Hurst, TE (South Carolina)

30. Minnesota Vikings – Will Hernandez, G (UTEP)

31. New England Patriots – James Daniels, C (Iowa)

32. Philadelphia Eagles – Derrius Guice, RB (LSU)