Cincinnati is a football town, and that goes beyond just the NFL team that plays here.
Below the Cincinnati Bengals exists a Power 5 football program and one of the best high school football areas in the country. All over the NFL are professional players who first developed their game in the greater Cincinnati area.
Several more are set to join them in this year's NFL Draft. Here are five notable draft prospects with ties back to Cincinnati and or the Bengals, featuring anecdotes and information from "The Beast" written by The Athletic's Dane Brugler.
Florida State DE Jared Verse
Before moving to Berwick, Pennsylvania, Verse originally grew up in Dayton, Ohio, which is about an hour north of Cincinnati. Verse's rise from high school to now is extraordinary. He was a no-star recruit who ended up at Albany of the FCS. He made a position switch from tight end to defensive end, which was definitely the right decision.
Verse transferred to Florida State after two successful playing years at Albany and is now a projected top-20 pick in the draft. The Bengals aren't likely to draft him simply because of the position he plays, but he's got the goods to contribute immediately.
Projected round: 1st
Iowa TE Erick All
Following a tragic near-death experience, All's family relocated from Richmond, Indiana to Fairfield, OH (~25 miles from Cincinnati) when he was still very young. All ended up as a star for Fairfield High School, which is also where Bengals offensive lineman Jackson Carman played. All turned down his first scholarship offer from Cincinnati and ended up at Michigan. He played his final year at Iowa, where he had a larger role in the pass game.
All has met with the Bengals at least twice during the pre-draft process, and was even hosted for a top 30 visit at Paycor Stadium. It would not be surprising at all (no pun intended) to see the Bengals use a mid-round pick on All next week.
Projected round: 5th
Cincinnati DT Jowon Briggs
You can't get more Cincinnati in this draft than Briggs. He was a standout player from nearby Walnut Hills High School and became one of the top recruits in the state. Briggs ended up choosing Virginia for college, but wound up back in Cincinnati two years later. Three years with the Bearcats saw him become a versatile interior defensive linemen.
Briggs worked out at the Bengals' local pro day and was even seen chatting with team president Mike Brown. For a defense looking to add multiple players at his position, Briggs looks like a clear Day 3 target.
Projected round: 7th
Georgia RB Kendall Milton
While he's not from Cincinnati and may not have ever stepped foot in the city, Milton does have a connection with the Bengals. His uncle, Kevin Hardy, played linebacker for the team from 2003-04. Milton himself comes from California and became the state's top recruit at the running back position out of high school, but his injury history has him questionable for being drafted at all.
Cincinnati sent running backs coach Justin Hill to Georgia's pro day last month. Milton would be an interesting flier to take in the seventh round or after the draft as a priority free agent.
Projected round: 7th/undrafted
Ohio State RB Miyan Williams
Staying in the backfield is Williams, who actually is a Cincinnati native. An ultra-productive running back from a high-quality program at Winton Woods High School, Williams was runner-up for 2018's Ohio Mr. Football. He originally committed to Iowa State and then flipped to stay in state at Ohio State. He led the team in rushing in 2022 but has dealt with multiple injuries since then, including a knee injury that forced him to miss half of his final season in 2023.
Williams was present for the Bengals' local pro day, but is still recovering from his injury. His medial will likely make him an undrafted free agent, which honestly increases his chances of sticking in Cincy.
Projected round: 7th/undrafted
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