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The 2024 NFL Combine is behind the Cincinnati Bengals and the entire NFL. The annual event is huge for confirming not only athleticism, but medical and character profiles.
Many players can make or break their draft stock at the combine, and there are some who don't see their draft stock move much at all. Sometimes it's what they do before the workouts that matter more than anything.
Texas defensive tackle T'Vondre Sweat went through this exact process in Indianapolis, and he remains an ideal pick for the Bengals on day two of the draft for good reason.
Bengals should target Texas DT T'Vondre Sweat with their second round pick in 2024 NFL Draft
Sweat accomplished two important tasks at the Combine. First, he ensured his weight was in check. He measured in at 366 pounds, which was one pound heavier than his listed playing weight of 365.
Players that large often have trouble with weight fluctuation, and teams sometimes avoid the problem altogether by avoiding the player. Sweat made sure to alleviate those concerns when it mattered.
Sweat also proved to be a very good athlete for that size. Relative to his density, both his speed and and explosion ranked above the 80th percentile. That matters far more than what his raw 40 time of 5.27 and looks like on paper.
Players as big as Sweat don't move as fast or jump as far. It's all relative, and it shows on tape. Sweat is impossible to move at the point of attack, and is a top-notch pass rusher to boot.
Sweat is exactly what Cincinnati's defense needs
No one in the FBS had a greater Pro Football Focus overall grade (91.7) or run defense grade (92.0) than Sweat in 2023. Say what you want about PFF, grades that strong usually check out. They absolutely match the film and his Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year award.
By the way, Sweat won that award despite his teammate, Byron Murphy II, being named the conference’s Defensive Lineman of the Year. Murphy himself tested like an 80th percentile athlete according to A to Z Sports' Travis May.
Nothing has changed yet on the defensive front for Cincinnati. The Bengals need defensive tackles, and badly. Last year's defense was subpar in both stopping the run and rushing the passer between the tackles. Lack of depth behind DJ Reader and B.J. Hill is directly responsible for this. Reader is still scheduled to enter free agency while recovering from a season-ending injury, and Hill is entering his age 29 season on the final year of his contract.
Even with Reader healthy and on the field, the Bengals were lackluster at stopping the run. The issues were only exacerbated when he had to be rotated out.
Inserting Sweat into the rotation would force opposing teams to think twice about pounding the rock up the gut, because the ballcarrier is going to end up in the massive gut that belongs to Sweat..
Sweat would have an obvious role on short yardage situations and base downs, but his proficiency as a pass rusher makes him a truly worthy heir to Reader's throne at nose tackle. His pass rush win rate of 15.3% last year was just behind Illinois' Johnny Newton for eighth in the country among Power 5 defensive tackles.
Final word
Sweat didn't blow anybody away at the combine to elevate into the first round, but he did enough to make himself a comfortable pick on day two. The Bengals should not hesitate to select him with their second-round pick if he falls that far.
Check out James Foster's full report on Bowers and every other top prospect in A to Z Sports' full big board below:
More must-reads:
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- The 'NFL MVP runners-up' quiz
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