Bengals made best pick of Round 6 in NFL Draft according to ESPN analyst originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Cincinnati Bengals traded their first-round pick at No. 10 overall to the New York Giants for defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence.
With fewer picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Bengals needed to hit on their selections down the board. And they did just that, with a few picks like Cashius Howell and Connor Lew being quality pickups in this year's draft.
But, according to ESPN's Matt Miller, the Bengals made the best pick of the sixth-round of the NFL Draft. The Bengals selected Brian Parker II, an offensive tackle, with the 189th pick in Round 6, and it was rated as the best pick in that round by Miller.
"Parker played left and right tackle at Duke, but teams loved his ability to slide inside, his versatility and skill set to play all five offensive line positions," Miller writes. "He started 33 games in college, so getting a quality swing tackle or third round this late in the draft is the best thing about this pick."
The Bengals took Parker in Round 6, and he's someone who could step in right away for a starting role if needed.
Even though he might not be the best, having someone who can start at nearly any spot along the OL is a very valuable player to have.
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And the Bengals were able to draft someone who can fill such a role in the sixth round. Not only is he under contract for cheap the next four years, but he will be some of the best depth the Bengals could ask for along their offensive line.
The Duke lineman might be listed as an offensive tackle, but he can move to the inside if needed due to injury or poor play from a starter.
Out of all the picks made in the sixth-round, Parker was Miller's highest-ranked pick in this round of the draft.
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