In 2024, the Cincinnati Bengals’ motto will be to keep quarterback Joe Burrow safe at all costs. They will most likely miss the playoffs for a second consecutive year if they are unable to accomplish it.
Burrow would receive long-term protection from the Bengals if they traded their first two picks (the first round at No. 18 overall and the second round at No. 49 overall) to the New York Jets for a first-round pick at No. 10 overall and a sixth-round pick. This trade was suggested by Sports Illustrated’s Nick Faria.
This would almost likely ensure that the Bengals selected one of the “best” offensive linemen available in the draft, such as Joe Alt of Notre Dame, Olu Fashanu of Penn State, or Taliese Fuaga of Oregon State.
The Jets could add a second-round pick in a very deep draft class to not only acquire more offensive line help but also add to the receiver position, and the Bengals could go into striking distance for one of the best tackles in the league should this precise trade happen, Faria wrote.
A decision that would undoubtedly bring former NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers much joy.
ESPN consensus on the top offensive tackle pick for the 2024 draft
The unanimous choice as the Bengals’ top offensive tackle in the 2024 NFL Draft will probably not be available.
Mel Kiper Jr., Field Yates, Matt Miller, Jordan Reid, and other ESPN draft analysts place Alt as the top pick in their pre-draft position rankings. Regardless of position, ESPN has Alt rated as its No. 5 overall talent.
According to ESPN’s Steve Muench, Alt has exceptional feet and size and is both swift and lengthy. “He recovers well in pass protection, mirroring.
Alt can adapt to moving targets in space and is a great fit for zone-heavy systems. In the run game, he consistently gets off the ball well, shoots with his hands, locks on, and maintains a wide base.
Along with overwhelming second-tier defenders and blocking until the whistle, he also doesn’t back down when opponents question him.
Healthy Debate Regarding the Best OT Prospect After Joe Alt
Things become a little more hazy after Alt. While Kiper and Yates have Alabama’s J.C. Latham at No. 2, Reid and Miller have Fashanu at No. 2 in their rankings of offensive tackles.
Miller was the only one to leave Latham off of his top four offensive tackles; Troy Fautanu of Washington took his place at No. 4. Because the Bengals are unable to acquire Alt, this kind of variance may indicate that trading up may not be worthwhile if the other top prospects are not that far off.
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At the end of his Alabama career, Latham, who is 6 feet 6 inches and 342 pounds, started 27 straight games and was named to the Associated Press All-American second team in 2023.
NFL draft analyst Lance Zierlein noted, Bulldozer in human form with the upper- and lower-body power to violently vacate run lanes and rapidly boost a team’s ground attack. Latham possesses a girthy build and exceptional drive-blocking ability.
Although he has experience with a range of run schemes, he will only be a mediocre move blocker when moving laterally and up to the second level.
