As I do every year, I will be assessing the Bengals’ draft choices and this year was quite an interesting draft for Cincinnati. Complaints from those who have never even heard of Shemar Stewart along with just hearing that he struggled producing sacks led to quick judgement from many fans. For this draft, it is crucial for Cincinnati to nail it. Did they do so? Let’s dive in:

· Pick 17, Shemar Stewart, Edge Texas A&M – No, you didn’t know who he was before the last couple of months and neither did I. He’s a physical specimen with the highest relative athletic score for an edge rusher from 1987-current. He is taller than Myles Garrett, one inch below Garrett in his vertical leap, and has three inches on Garrett in his broad jump. He has 34-inch arm length and is a true “alien”. If you think he is going to be a bust and he could be (nobody knows, not even you), then you probably are dwelling on his 1.5 sacks each season and just 30 solo tackles. He led Texas A&M with 39 pressures, 33 hurries (Top 10 in the country), while ranking fourth in the nation as a team in opponent completion percentage. Give the man some grace.

· Pick 49, Demetrius Knight, Linebacker South Carolina – At 245 pounds, Knight is a true “hunter” who even worked Door Dash in college to support his family. He is hungry to get started and certainly adds to the Logan Wilson, Oren Burks and Barrett Carter linebacker room. His PFF grades are slightly above average, but I am most impressed with his 85.8 run defense grade. He posted the seventh highest 40-yard dash among linebackers at the draft. Negatively, he had limited snaps before the last two seasons and turns 25 this summer.

· Pick 81, Dylan Fairchild, Guard Georgia – 318 pounds, can take over at left guard right away, AP All-American Second Team, Only allowed one sack in 787 reps. This is my favorite pick of the draft and he has a chance to make an impact immediately next season. Negatively, it’s hard to find anything. He was an undefeated wrestling champion at 67-0 in high school. There is nothing negative to find of this pick, absolute dog.

· Pick 119, Barrett Carter, Linebacker Clemson – Shorter linebacker at 6 foot and 231 pounds, Barrett is known for his special teams and ability to adapt anywhere on the field. He was a finalist for the top linebacker in the nation award and it might show that Golden is putting an emphasis on three LB sets. He might even prove to be better than Knight.

· Pick 153, Jalen Rivers, OT Miami – Can play all five spots on the line and fills the Bengals biggest need outside of edge rush, which is someone who can move around and protect Joe Burrow. Injuries are going to happen and it is crucial to have flexibility in someone that you can trust to move around.

· Pick 193, Tahj Brooks, RB Texas Tech – Forcced 154 missed tackles since 2023 (fourth most among RBs), 93 PFF Grade, Two seasons with 1500+ yards, Over 100 rush yards in 19 of 24 games the last two seasons. Absolute sleeper pick and he might be RB2 by mid-season.

The Cincinnati Reds are Heating Up

At 15-13 with four games upcoming at home against the Cardinals, the Reds have a real chance to make up more ground on the Cubs. With four wins in a row, Cincinnati as of this writing was just 1.5 games back from first place in the NL Central and have yet to meet their full potential. I am optimistic that Cincinnati has the starting pitching and enough bats, if healthy, to be in this race for the entire season. With a +41 run differential (best in the NL), they clearly can put up runs, but being consistent is the issue and has been over the last two seasons. With the Cardinals and Nationals at home for seven games, winning five of these would be crucial before getting into the later part of the month and taking on the Cubs for a National League Central showdown.

Positives and Negatives

· Noelvi Marte is here to stay. He’s slashing .364 with three home runs, 15 RBI, four stolen bases, and a 1.063 OPS. Not making the club to begin the season may have been the fuel he needed.

· It’s time for Jeimer CAndelario to produce or get DFA’d. If he doesn’t pick it up by the end of May, he can no longer take up a roster spot on a team looking to make the playoffs. I’m rooting for him, but at .113 and no hits over the last seven days, his time is dwindling in a Reds uniform.

· Gavin Lux, Jose Trevino, Brady Singer, and Austin Hays have been the best additions to the Reds team in years. Krall, Kudos on this one my friend. Go compare them to Fernando Cruz and Jonathan India and come back to see if you’d rather have them. I love Fernando and Jonathan, but we are a way better team with the new additions.

· Santiago Espinal continues to impress and is a true “Swiss Army Knife” who can be used anywhere on the field and always trusted to give a good at-bat. He has only struck out three times. You don’t find a player like that very often.

· Catchers continue to shine and Tyler Stephenson looks to be back on this roster this week. Will Cincinnati carry three catchers on their roster? They should.

· Emilio Pagan has filled in as the closer quite well and continues to be trusted late in the game. He has seven saves and is a great 1-2 punch with Santillan who has seven holds.

· While Nick Lodolo’s swing and miss is a bit down, his production has been phenomenal. He has the best ERA on the team and is healthy going into May. He is the true X-factor for this rotation.

· Spencer Steer and Matt McLain are really struggling. Both are batting below .190 and if this team wants to make a run for it, those two are crucial pieces that will determine the success of this season.

Logan Wilson Celebrity Softball Game

The Third Annual Logan Wilson Celebrity Softball Game takes place on June 11 in Dayton, Ohio. If you have never been, I highly recommend it, as this is a relaxing day to watch some of your favorite Cincinnatians have some fun on the diamond. Trey Hendrickson, Giovani Bernard, Sam Hubbard, Ted Karras, Chase Brown, and many others will be participating. This family event is a must-watch and has many family friendly activities and entertainment throughout the game. If you love to watch Logan Wilson crush on the football field, you’ll love seeing him crush a baseball at Air Ballpark. Head to www.loganwilsonsoftball.com now and secure your tickets!