The Bengals select Connor Williams out of the University of Texas in Todd McShay's latest mock draft.
Williams dealt with injuries in 2017, only playing in five games. He skipped Texas' bowl game to prepare for the NFL Draft. Williams was a freshman All-American in 2015. He earned consensus first-team All-American and first-team All-Conference accolades after starting 11 of 12 games at left tackle in the 2016 season.
The Bengals need to address the offensive line, but there's no way I'd take Williams over Georgia LB Roquan Smith. Smith is available when the Bengals pick in McShay's latest mock draft.
I wrote about Smith and took him in mock draft 1.0. Ultimately, the Bengals need to take the best player available in the first round. Smith would meet that criteria. Williams fills a need, but it would feel like they're reaching to plug a hole.
A lot of fans are hoping for an offensive lineman in round one, but remember Cedric Ogbuehi and Jake Fisher were drafted in the first two rounds in 2015. McShay says the Bengals "should take the best offensive lineman available at No. 12." I hope the Bengals aren't thinking like McShay. Last season they needed to address a weak pass rush. They found defensive linemen later in the draft because they didn't want to reach. I hope they do the same thing with the offensive line this offseason.
I want them to get the pick right and add an impact player. It's great if that player is a lineman, but there's no way I want the Bengals to have tunnel vision with the 12th overall pick.
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