Grade the pick: Bengals trade up to draft Cam Taylor-Britt

As the second round of the NFL Draft came to a close, the Cincinnati Bengals traded up three spots with the Buffalo Bills to select cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt out of The University of Nebraska.

Taylor-Britt is a very physical corner who was a three-year starter and team captain. He spent some time at safety in college as well, so the Bengals are sticking with versatile defensive backs early on in the draft.

This is the second defensive back Cincinnati has secured in as many days with a sub-4.4-second 40-yard dash speed, as Taylor-Britt possesses elite recovery speed. The speed is great, but Taylor-Britt seems to struggle in some areas as well.

Tackling may be the biggest concern he will need to work to address. He has been known to leave his feet instead of driving his legs through the tackle, resulting in more missed tackles after the catch than you’d like to see.

With that said, Taylor-Britt plays with aggression and is not the least bit afraid of contact. When you watch his tape, you won’t find many wasted steps. He’s not overly tall, standing 5’ 11’’, but his strength makes him a player who can make the 50/50 balls go his way.

He thrives in zone coverage, which Lou Anarumo will be fine with. When it comes to man coverage, he’s no slouch but does leave a bit to be desired on tape.

Another athletic, strong defensive back joins the room, this time with a bit higher of a risk/reward factor. If anyone can clean those things up, it may be Anarumo. After all, he is the “Mad Scientist.”

To make the trade, the Bengals gave up picks 63 and 209 (Round 6). So they effectively surrendered a sixth-round pick to ensure they got the guy they wanted. Hard to argue with that approach if they really believe Taylor-Britt will be a quality starter at a premium position in this league.

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