The Cincinnati Bengals have missed the playoffs for two straight seasons, going 9-8 in both 2023 and 2024. Last season, the offense ranked sixth in points and ninth in yards, comparable to their rankings when they made it to the AFC title game in 2022 when they finished seventh and eighth in those categories.

In the latest NFL Mock Draft from 33rd Team, they have the Bengals addressing a couple of key areas in the upcoming NFL Draft. With their first round selection, they have the Bengals taking James Pearce Jr., an edge rusher out of Tennessee.

The reasoning they provide for the pick is that Pearce will either replace Trey Hendrickson, or serve as a nice complementary piece. It’s also worth noting that the Bengals ranked 25th in both points and yards allowed last season, so an upgrade on the defensive front is a great way to go with the first pick.

In the second round, they have Joe Burrow getting another weapon in Stanford wide out Elic Ayomanor. Their reasoning: “Regardless of whether or not the Bengals can get something done with Tee Higgins, this is an enticing fit of size and ball skills to pair with Joe Burrow.”

According to Cincinnati Bengals on SI, the team plans to use the non-exclusive franchise tag on Higgins for the second straight year with the window to do so opening up today.

If both Ja’Marr Chase and Higgins are with the Bengals, Ayomanor would have exactly what he would need to find success immediately: Someone to take some of the coverage off him, and a quarterback that can get him the ball.

With Stanford, Ayomanor sometimes seemed like a big fish in a small pond, and because of that, he was the focal point of opposing defenses most games. He still managed to haul in 62 and then 63 passes the past two years, finishing with a combined 1,844 yards receiving and 12 touchdowns in his two seasons in college.

Even with the production, it still felt like there was a lot of potential that was left untouched in 2024, which is why landing with Cincinnati would be a great fit for him. Stanford’s offensive line struggled immensely throughout the course of the season, leaving quarterback Ashton Daniels to scramble consistently. It was just hard for the offense to find a consistent rhythm.

Ayomanor hasn’t had a QB that has been able to just sit in the pocket and deliver the ball, and with Chase and Higgins drawing coverage, he could do some real damage and potentially even give the Bengals a top-5 offense in the game.

We still have the NFL Combine coming up, and Ayomanor could see his stock rise or fall depending on how he performs in those trials. Whether or not he’ll be available to Cincinnati with the No. 49 overall pick isn’t entirely certain at this point.