The 2016 NFL draft is now over, but the journey for some NFL prospects is just beginning. The Bengals are now transitioning from the process of selecting players in each round to evaluating who the best prospects remaining are who didn't get drafted.
The most recent addition is reportedly Mississippi State defensive lineman Ryan Brown.
Ryan Brown headed to the Bengals. One of the best guys I got to talk to at MSU. He'll be fine in Cinci. https://t.co/xnLqSg4mJk
— Michael Bonner (@MikeBBonner) April 30, 2016
An 'A+' player and student at Mississippi State, Brown is the kind of player who proves that hard work can pay off in the end. He was a strong defensive end in college with the ability to eat up the screen pass and attack the ball with speed and fearlessness. Unfortunately, he's much better at running around blockers than powering through them. He really didn't have much of a chance once linemen got ahold of him, and it's probably why he didn't get drafted.
Still, the Bengals probably really like his work ethic. On top of that, they've got to like his upstanding personality and special teams potential. There's no guarantee that he'll be able to handle the speed and strength of NFL offensive linemen, but the team likes him enough that they're giving him a shot at making it on their roster.