The Cincinnati Bengals send their second-round pick this season and a fourth next season to move up 8 spots with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and select Oregon cornerback Christian Gonzalez to serve as a boundary cornerback to sure up a secondary that occasionally struggles against the AFC’s elite. With truly incendiary speed, Gonzalez can be trusted to shadow the top receivers in the NFL, especially with the elite safety play that the Bengals possess.
The Las Vegas Raiders pick up another first-round pick after sending quarterback Derek Carr up north to the Seattle Seahawks, and Las Vegas continues to bolster their defense with South Carolina cornerback Cam Smith. One of the most instinctive defensive backs in this year’s draft, Smith should be able to disrupt opposing passes as the team’s number one cornerback.
The Los Angeles Chargers sure up their run defense with Baylor nose tackle Siaki Ika, who is not only an elite run stuffer but creates surprising pressure for a player his size. At 6’4″ and nearly 360 lbs, Ika will demand double teams from the interior of the offensive line, creating one on one opportunities for his teammates in Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack.
With their original pick in the first round, the Baltimore Ravens continue to overhaul their secondary with Georgia’s Kelee Ringo, who is a battle-tested receiver from the SEC. With Marcus Peters potentially entering free agency, Ringo could serve well as a boundary cornerback opposite Marlon Humphrey and has the size to compete on the perimeter for almost every throw.