Bengals work out Illinois edge defender Owen Carney Jr.

The Cincinnati Bengals protection may be very exhausting to outline.

You’d be flawed to name it a 4-3 or 3-4 protection regardless that we see them line up in these units at instances. You additionally might see 5 defensive linemen and two linebackers, and the crew will drop a defensive finish into protection. To run a protection with all of those a number of seems to be it takes some fairly particular abilities to suit sure molds.

The Bengals could have discovered a participant who might match into their protection fairly properly that needs to be accessible late within the draft.

Owen Carney Jr. was a reasonably productive edge defender who performed defensive finish virtually solely, however his prospects on the NFL are a bit extra blurry. Here’s what Tony Pauline of Professional Soccer Community needed to say about Carney:

Positives: Relentless school defensive finish with common dimension and velocity. Resilient, stays with performs, and simply adjustments path. Breaks down nicely, works exhausting as a cross rusher and run defender, and reveals good mobility. Sometimes stands over sort out and simply will get down the road of scrimmage in pursuit.

Negatives: Lacks energy in addition to bulk and will get pushed off the road by a single blocker. Lacks an explosive closing burst.

Evaluation: Carney was a strong defensive finish for Illinois, however he lacks the scale to remain on the place and doesn’t have the velocity to be moved to linebacker.

It looks as if Carney initiatives as a tweener which will have hassle becoming into both function solely. He measures out at 6-foot-3 and 275 kilos. The relentless trait is one which appears to be used continuously when describing Bengals defensive ends like Sam Hubbard and Trey Hendrickson. Carney’s top is a bit missing, however in any other case he suits that mildew of defensive finish for this protection.

The very fact he has some means to alter path as nicely additionally implies he could be as serviceable in protection as the opposite defensive ends. The thought isn’t that they will shut down tight ends or working backs. Slightly that they will shock quarterbacks with a defender being in an space they anticipated to be open completely.

Carney clearly has some creating to do earlier than he sniffs any actual rotational snaps, and his ceiling most likely initiatives as a backup. Nevertheless, you possibly can do worse on Day 3 of the NFL Draft.