Houston DL Logan Hall visits with Bengals

The number of top-30 visits the Cincinnati Bengals have left to use is dwindling. Less than two weeks remain until the NFL Draft, and the team is finalizing their plans on how to attack it.

Those plans may involve drafting Houston DL Logan Hall with the 31st overall selection. Hall was brought in Friday for a visit, per Underdog Fantasy NFL analyst Josh Norris.

Hall, who turns 22 in a week, is one of the more intriguing prospects in this class. Standing at 6-6 with a weight of 283 pounds, his size is that of a classic Bengals defensive end, but he’s made his mark as an interior lineman during his four years at Houston. Some analysts project him to play on the outside in the NFL, but the tape of him inside is very solid. He finished his last two years with Pro Football Focus grades of 85.6 and 83.4.

From a Bengals’ perspective, Hall would fill multiple needs. He would be B.J. Hill’s backup at 3-technique, and he’d be the favorite to fill in the 5-technique role Hill had last year when Larry Ogunjobi was the starting 3-tech. Hall’s frame, strength, and quickness make him a versatile option in the defensive fronts the Bengals deploy. They could use Hill and Hall in multiple ways when both are on the field.

Hall’s visit may also be necessary from a medical standpoint. He suffered an elbow injury late last season that caused him to miss Houston’s bowl game. He did have surgery and participated in the Senior Bowl, Scouting Combine, and Houston’s pro day. That said, getting an extra look at Hall doesn’t hurt if they’re interested in making him their first-round pick.

The Bengals haven’t selected a defensive player in the first round since William Jackson III back in 2016. Jackson also came from Houston, which is where tight ends coach James Casey was before the Bengals hired him in 2019. Casey’s last year as an assistant with Houston was Hall’s freshman season, so there is some crossover here.

Would Hall be a worthy pick at 31 for the Bengals? Let us know in the comments!