On Friday the Bengals released their list of 16 college free agents they signed after the draft. Here's a capsule look along with observations from the scouts:
LS CAL ADOMITIS, Pittsburgh 6-2 235
Only long snapper invited to NFL scouting combine … Patrick Mannelly Award winner as college football's top long snapper …Long and short snapped in all 64 games from 2017-2021 … Tight end and long snapper for high school state power Pittsburgh Central Catholic .. Captain… Blue-Gold Award winner presented to Pitt athletes representing student-athlete ideal based on academic scholarship, athletic achievement, leadership qualities and citizenship … Launched "Cal's Kids," to raise money for Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh … HOMETOWN, Pittsburgh, Pa.; DOB: 7/9/98
SCOUT's TAKE: We thought he was the top long snapper in the draft … He's been doing it at a high level for a long time … Athletic … Can cover … Good zip on the ball…. Accurate…Is he heavy enough to hang in on line? … You get the top guy at any position as a college free agent, that's pretty good …
C BEN BROWN, Mississippi 6-5 312
Four-year starter … Played every game at right guard as freshman and sophomore … Moved to center in 2020 and played all 816 snaps … Started first six games of 2021 before season-ending biceps injury … Ranked No. 1 offensive tackle recruit in Mississippi … Pursuing Master's … Father played at Ole Miss … So did grandfathers Allen Brown (played for Packers in first two Super Bowls) and Bobby Robinson …HOMETOWN: Vicksburg, Miss; DOB: 5/19/98
SCOUT's TAKE: Good size and length… Strong… Tough … Versatile guy who has started a lot of games at both center and guard against good competition in the SEC …liked him in the draft … has same type of center-guard flexibility and good size on the current roster like SEC counterparts Trey Hill and Keaton Sutherland …
T DEVIN COCHRAN, Georgia Tech 6-7 306
After starting 32 games in three seasons at Vanderbilt (23 at right tackle, nine at left tackle), transferred to Tech and started all 12 games at left tackle last season … "Held own," vs. Georgia's Travon Walker, draft's overall No. 1 pick…Wingspan more than seven feet … Degree in human and organizational development from Vanderbilt … Pursuing Master's in building construction and facility management from Tech … Mother is professor at Middle Georgia State … HOMETOWN: Norcross, GA; DOB: 7/17/98
SCOUT's TAKE: Big … Long … Athletic … Good feet in pass pro … leader at Georgia Tech … Smart … High football IQ … Current roster comparison in terms of raw traits and feet would be Isaiah Prince …
CB ALLAN GEORGE, Vanderbilt 5-11 191
22 starts in three seasons … Last season had career-high eight tackles three times … Career 7.5 tackles for loss … Scooped and scored 67-yard fumble return touchdown vs. Kentucky in 2019 … SEC academic honor roll … First team all-state in high school and led team to Alabama state semis … Married to Vanderbilt cheerleader Katyln Richardson after proposing during photo shoot … HOMETOWN: Andalusia, Ala.; DOB: 7/16/99
SCOUT'S TAKE: Good-sized, long corner … Tested really well at pro day … Ran fast, jumped high… Played against good competition … Corners and linemen are really hard to get high quality guys after the draft … With his traits, this is the kind of guy you'd like to develop … Very competitive when it comes to tackling …. He's got excellent bounce that allows him to high-point the ball …
WR JAIVON HEILIGH, Coastal Carolina 6-1 202
Coming off a 66-catch, 1,168-yard season … returned 13 punts for 77 yards, long of 25 … In 2020 had 13 catches for 178 yards at the FBC Mortgage Cure Bowl against No. 23 Liberty, both Cure Bowl records … For his career had 191 catches in 49 games for 14.8 yards per catch … While leading Venice to the 2017 state title, set Florida state records as senior with 131 receptions, 2,359 receiving yards and 32 receiving touchdowns … Second in state history with 3,964 career receiving yards and 53 career receiving touchdowns … HOMETOWN: Venice, Fla.; DOB: 9/2/99
SCOUT's TAKE: Very productive … Really good hands … Very savvy … Very instinctive … Knows how to get open both in the slot and outside … Also the team's starting punt returner …. Sure-handed … When coaches get hands on him, they'll feel comfortable playing him in multiple spots as well as special teams … Smart … Hard worker … Good route runner… Current roster comp would be wide receiver Trenton Irwin …
LB CLARENCE HICKS, Texas-San Antonio 6-2 225
After transferring from Hutchinson Community College in Kansas, played 38 games … Last season set school record with 10.5 sacks … Added 16.5 tackles for loss and was named first-team All-Conference USA … two-time C-USA Defensive Player of the Week … HOMETOWN: Pensacola, Fla.; DOB: 12/7/98
SCOUT's TAKE: Third-down designated pass rusher … run down stack backer … Similar versatility to Darius Hodge of last season's CFA class … Really productive …. Led school to their best season ….
CB DELONTE HOOD, Peru State 5-11 192
Had eight interceptions at Glenville State in 2019 … Transferred from Toledo to NAIA Division I school in Peru, Neb. … lit up University of Nebraska pro day with a 4.38-second 40-yard dash that would have been fifth among cornerbacks at NFL scouting combine … Plus 4.20-second 20-yard shuttle and 6.84-second 3-cone drill to go with 35-inch vertical, 10-foot-5 broad jump and 12 reps of 225 pounds … HOMETOWN: Washington, D.C.; DOB: 10/17/00
SCOUT's TAKE: Interesting prospect … Took a different path … Played one year of high school … Bounced around before being productive at Peru … Runs fast … 32 1/8-inch arm length. … A guy that's been under the radar in high school and college … Any time you can get a height-weight speed guy in free agency, that's a pretty solid get …
RB SHERMARI JONES, Coastal Carolina 6-0 213
Before transferring from Independence Community College, made appearance on the Netflix original series Last Chance U Season 4 … Team MVP this past season … Named to 2021 Pro Football Focus College All-Sun Belt first team … In 23 career games, averaged 5.9 yards per rush …Went for 211 against South Alabama last season … Averaged 6.5 yards per rush last year on way to 1,040 yards … degree in Recreation and sports management … HOMETOWN: Pensacola, Fla.; DOB: 8/15/00
SCOUT'S TAKE: Well-rounded runner … Very good strength on contact and has ability to make you miss in space … Productive … Good combination inside and can threaten the edge … Great kid … A lot of upside …
WR KWAMIE LASSITER II, Kansas 5-11 185
Led Kansas in receiving last two seasons … Had 101-yard games against Oklahoma and TCU last season … Finished career with 1,550 yards on 148 catches … 30 career punt returns for 200 yards … His late father, Kwamie Lassiter, also played at Kansas before playing 129 NFL games at safety for three teams, 115 of them in Arizona … HOMETOWN: Chandler, Ariz.; DOB: 1/21/98
*SCOUT's TAKE: *Good route runner … Good with the ball in his hands … Has enough speed to play both in the slot and outside … Has traits to be able to both cover and return punts …
G DESMOND NOEL, Florida Atlantic 6-4 301
Cincinnati product … Three-year starter … Started in two bowl games … Originally enrolled at Ohio University before playing at Fort Scott Community College in Kansas … Two weeks into season made FAU debut in 45-27 win over Charlotte and started next nine games. … played on both lines at Cincinnati's Colerain High School … Named first team All-Greater Miami Conference at tackle as a junior and was ranked No. 9 nationally by USA Today …HOMETOWN: Cincinnati, Ohio; DOB: 2/12/98
SCOUT's TAKE: Cincinnati guy … Came over and introduced himself at pro day … Good personality … Started at left guard… physical player … anchors in pass pro … pretty good balance …good recovery …
WR KENDRIC PRYOR, Wisconsin 5-11 183
Had 99 career catches for 1,265 yards in five seasons with seven touchdowns … Also rushed 40 times on 10.2-yards per rush for five TDs … Solid pro day with 4.38-second 40-yard dash and a 38.5-inch vertical leap … Four relatives played college football: Tony Pryor (Indiana State), Keith Pryor (Eureka), Ontario Pryor (Eastern Michigan) and Troy Pryor (Illinois) … HOMETOWN: Hazel Crest, Ill.; DOB: 1/6/98
*SCOUT's TAKE: *Kind of out of the same mold as Lassiter … Good hands and good routes … Get a good look at special teams …
CB BRENDAN "Bookie," RADLEY-HILES, Washington 5-9 183
Energetic and versatile … Started 32 games at Oklahoma from 2018-2020 before transferring to Washington and starting nine games for the Huskies … Playing nickel corner and safety, finished with 46 tackles, a pair of sacks, an interception, a fumble recovery and four pass breakups … As freshman named mid-season All-American by ESPN … Last year earned the Washington coaches' defensive player of the game after wrecking Arkansas State with nine tackles (two for a loss, one a sack) and also had a fumble recovery and a pass breakup … Played at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., as senior in 2017 and named U.S. Army All-American …Got nickname "Bookie," from his mother … HOMETOWN: Inglewood, Calif.; DOB: 8/4/99
SCOUT's TAKE: Nickel-safety type guy … Physical … Scrappy … Good instincts …Will come up and strike you … You watch the tape and his style is almost like Mike Hilton the way he flies around and is physical … Mike came in undrafted, too …
TE JUSTIN RIGG, Kentucky 6-6 259
School-record 63 career games with 35 starts … Had a streak of 16 straight … Career line of 50 catches for 547 yards and five TDs … Caught season-high four passes for 24 yards, including a one-yard touchdown pass, vs. No. 1 Georgia … In 2019 helped ground game to No. 4 in NCAA rushing … Graduated in December, 2020 with degree in agricultural economics and then with another degree in communications the next year … HOMETOWN: Springboro, Ohio; DOB: 3/13/98
SCOUT'S TAKE: Hard-charger … Nice size for the position … good blocker … productive … great worker … great leader … Ton of experience …
WR JACK SORENSON, Miami of Ohio 6-0 189
First team All-MAC with 76 catches for 1,406 yards and 10 touchdowns, third-best in school history … ... 14 catches for school-record 283 yards and two touchdowns at Ohio ... hit 100 yards receiving in six straight games … Sixth all-time with 191 catches, fourth all-time with 3,070 receiving yards and fifth all-time with 20 touchdowns … At his pro day teamed up with his girlfriend to raise money for the group Women Helping Women to aid assault victims …relative of Brewers manager Craig Counsell … HOMETOWN: Kildeer, Ill.; DOB: 7/26/97
SCOUT's TAKE: High character… Works his tail off…Extremely, extremely productive … Not many guys have 1,400 yards anywhere … Tough … He'll make the most of his opportunity ….
DT/DE TARIQIOUS TISDALE, Mississippi 6-5 285
Explosive player who has fought injury since a break-out season in 2019 he had 3.5 tackles for loss and two sacks … Played 11 games the past two seasons … four-time selection to the Athletic Director's Honor Roll and a two-time SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll selection … Went to Northwest Mississippi CC after named Tennessee's Class 4A Region 7 Defensive Lineman of the Year … HOMETOWN: Lexington, Tenn.: DOB: 4/4/98
SCOUT's TAKE: Probably some of the best measurables of anybody in whole draft …ran a 4.6 40… Extremely gifted athlete with rare combination of size, speed and athleticism … Has very good foundation to develop…Played up and down the line at end and inside … A really nice fit for what we do… A great get after the draft in terms of upside with the tools to develop …His numbers on paper are unbelievable, but he doesn't have many starts …
LB CARSON WELLS, Colorado 6-3 241
A hybrid rusher and dropper … In 40 games he had 34 starts, including his final 27 … 187 career tackles are eighth on all-time school list … So are his 38 tackles for losses … 15½ of those were quarterback sacks … A captain … Graduated from Colorado with degrees in both Accounting and Finance from the Leeds School of Business … pursuing a Master's in Organizational Leadership … Valedictorian of his high school class, carrying a 4.6 weighted GPA, and member of National Honor Society. HOMETOWN: Bushnell, Fla.; DOB: 2/20/99
SCOUT's TAKE: Edge-SAM Backer type player … He'd be a traditional SAM backer the way we used those guys when Marvin Lewis was here … Can play some off the edge and hopefully he can play some stack … Smart … High test scores and good measurables … Out of the mold of last year's CFA from Marshall, Darius Hodge …
