Round 4, Pick 107: Akeem Davis-Gaither, OLB, Appalachian State
Instant Grade: A-
The Bengals once again picked up a linebacker after picking Logan Wilson in the 3rd round. Davis-Gaither fills a different niche, however, as he can rush the passer and stop the run. Although he does need to work on his coverage, Davis-Gaither should immediately compete for a starting role and at the very least rotate in as a pass rusher.
Round 5, Pick 147: Khalid Kareem, DE, Notre Dame
Instant Grade: C-
The Bengals pick up defensive line depth with this pick. Kareem is good value in the 5th round and can be a backup/rotational player on the Bengals’ line, but there were better players and larger needs, such as offensive lineman Netane Muti. I don’t see this pick amounting to much, and will simply fill in a backup slot on the depth chart.
Round 6, Pick 180: Hakeem Adeniji, OT, Kansas
Instant Grade: B
Cincinnati has finally addressed the offensive line with offensive tackle Hakeem Adeniji. As it’s the 6th round, there is very little expectation to get a starter here. Adeniji will most likely earn a backup role and possibly earn rotational snaps as he is a versatile lineman. He isn’t very athletic or technically sound, but he has experience as a long term starter in college.
Round 7, Pick 215: Markus Bailey, LB, Purdue
Instant Grade: B+
The Bengals use their final pick in the 2020 NFL Draft to pick up another linebacker. This is a good move, as linebacker was the weakest link on a historically poor defense. Bailey is a solid linebacker who fell due to his lack of athleticism and injury history. He is a mid-round talent and he should be able to earn a backup role.
Day Grade: B
Day Three had an emphasis on the defense, and rightfully so. While the Bengals could have used more offensive line help, no one should be complaining that they added a potential starter and multiple depth guys for the defensive front seven. They also picked up an offensive lineman who can compete at any position. All-in-all, today could have gone worse.