It’s early, yes. But this is still worth discussing.
The Cincinnati Bengals are one of the very best teams at drafting receivers.
And that has never been more true than it is right now when the Bengals have Ja’Marr Chase — who could end up being the absolute best in franchise history — and Tee Higgins, who has had as many memorable moments as a lot of the all-time Bengal greats.
Not only that, but they have added a lot of potential in Alabama Crimson Tide receiver Jermaine Burton, who Cincinnati took in the third round of the most recent Draft.
And there are already a lot of complementary pieces in place, like Trenton Irwin and Andrei Iosivas.
Still, ESPN NFL Draft analyst Matt Miller has the Bengals taking a receiver in the first round of the 2025 Draft, specifically Texas Longhorns pass catcher Isaiah Bond.
The reasoning the author gives is that the Bengals still have yet to find a long-term solution for the inevitable departure of Tee Higgins. And Burton, as talented as he is, is more of a Tyler Boyd replacement in Miller’s eyes.
Meanwhile, Miller predicts Bond is going to have a phenomenal junior year:
Bond, a transfer from Alabama, will fill the Xavier Worthy role in the Texas offense with his elite downfield speed. He averaged 13.9 yards per catch with four touchdowns last season, even as the Alabama offense struggled to find consistency in the pass game. And in Steve Sarkisian’s system, Bond has huge potential.
To the analyst’s credit, the Bengals have made an attempt to retain Higgins, knowing full well they will likely have to reset the wide receiver market when Chase officially hits free agency. So, the franchise does value elite receivers.
There’s still a lot of time before the next Draft, but this is an interesting take from an expert in the field.
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