Apr. 25—The Cincinnati Bengals took a couple of risks to begin Day 3 of the NFL Draft after trading back with the New York Jets to add an extra pick in the fourth round.
Cincinnati swapped out picks No. 110 and 199, a sixth-rounder, to receive selections at No. 128 and 140 and used them to take Auburn center Connor Lew and Georgia wide receiver Colbie Young, respectively, on Saturday.
Both Lew and Young come with some baggage. Lew is still recovering from an October ACL tear, which limited him to seven games in 2025, and Young's last two seasons were marred by suspension related to an arrest and fractured leg that required surgery.
"There's been times I've signed up for great risk in the past," Bengals coach Zac Taylor said. "I put my hand up, you know, when there's maybe some of those red flags up there. This is one that I feel great about because you go through the process of the last seven years, and guys I've had to spend a lot of time with, once we acquired them, got them in here, guys I wanted, and sometimes it's more difficult than others, and this is one I feel great about. I feel great that everyone is going to feel that when they get to see both of these guys in the locker room."
The Bengals stuck with offense on the next two picks over the sixth and seventh rounds before picking Navy defensive tackle Landon Robinson at No. 226 to conclude their draft. They selected at No. 189 versatile offensive lineman Brian Parker II, a St. Xavier product who was a three-year starting right tackle at Duke but projects as a guard or center in the NFL. In the seventh round at No. 221, they took Texas tight end Jack Endries, who was a favorite target of No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza when they played together at Cal.
Most of the attention on Day 3 went toward addressing concerns with Young, though.
Young began his college career at a junior college, then played two seasons at Miami before finishing with two shortened seasons at Georgia that put red flags on his resume for two different reasons.
He was limited to 13 games with nine starts over the last two years because of a fractured fibular with a torn ligament in October 2025 and battery and assault charges in October 2024 that were eventually dropped. The accuser retracted her statement, and Young pleaded no contest to a lesser charge of disorderly conduct.
Taylor said he felt comfortable with taking Young after seeing how many people at Georgia "stood on a table for him" during the vetting process. The fact Young returned to play at Georgia was reassuring, and the Bengals had enough information to feel good about the pick.
Young appreciated the Bengals taking a chance on him.
"For them to take me in this round, this pick right now, there's just nothing but love and respect for them," Young said. "I respect that they looked at the individual that they're actually getting, and that's not portrayed on the internet, social media. They're getting a guy who's ready to work, someone that wish he had more time, was able to do what he was able to do in college, put more tape out there, but for them to trust me and take me on this pick right now, there's nothing but love for Cincinnati."
Young, who is listed at 6-foot-4, not only came back from his suspension to play in 2025 but he also returned from the leg surgery that sidelined him for six games last fall to play in the College Football Playoff. He also showed he is past the injury by "balling out" at the Combine.
While his path to the NFL was winding, Young was productive when on the field and he's often compared to Courtland Sutton. He will compete for the No. 3 wide receiver spot.
Lew was considered a first- or second-round prospect before his injury and said he hasn't had any setbacks and expects to be 100 percent by training camp. Cincinnati doesn't have immediate need for a center unless something happens to Ted Karras, who otherwise has no backup.
If he returns to pre-injury form, the Bengals are getting a player who established himself as one of the top up-and-coming linemen in the SEC. Lew is just 20 years old and played 25 collegiate games, as a three-year starter and 2025 team captain at Auburn.
"I think it comes back to I've been fortunate enough to play with a lot of veteran guys, especially when I first got to Auburn, and just kind of absorbing and learning as much about the game as possible from them," Lew said. "They have all the tricks, all the nuances, because they're the ones actually that have gone out there and done it, so just kind of sticking with them, and, you know, learning as much as I can from them and obviously the coaches, that's been the biggest help for me."
Parker gives the Bengals a lineman who can play all five positions. He played center at St. X but converted to right tackle at Duke and played 40 games over four seasons. The 6-foot-6 lineman doesn't have the arm length of most NFL tackles, so he projects as an interior lineman and he practiced at center during the East-West Shrine Bowl to show he could play inside.
The most important thing to Parker is the chance to play for his hometown team, regardless of the role.
I grew up playing football in Cincinnati, I have a lot of friends there, and when they said it was going to be the Bengals, it's one of the better feelings in the world, getting to go back to your hometown team and put on that Orange and Black and get ready for Who Dey nation, Parker said.