The calendar has turned to March and while NFL free agency begins in less than three weeks, the 2021 NFL Draft isn't far behind.
The Bengals currently hold the No. 5 pick in the draft and they have plenty of intriguing options. Take a look at who the analysts and draft gurus are pairing the Bengals with the No. 5 overall pick.
Penei Sewell - OT Oregon
Charley Casserly - NFL.com
Analysis: "Getting the best offensive tackle in this draft class should help."
Daniel Jeremiah - NFL.com
Analysis: Kyle Pitts is an attractive option, but the Bengals need to make protecting Joe Burrow the priority.
Mel Kiper Jr. - ESPN
Analysis: "The 2019 Outland Trophy winner has everything teams want in a franchise left tackle. Even though he didn't play last season, his tape from the previous two years is enough to make him the top tackle in this class."
Todd McShay - ESPN.com
Analysis: Sewell -- who opted out of the 2020 season -- is a game-changing tackle.
Pete Prisco - CBS Sports
Analysis: Sewell didn't play last year, but he is outstanding and that could mean Jonah Williams moves to the right side.
Ryan Wilson - CBS Sports
Analysis: The Bengals would love for Sewell to fall to them here and there's a decent chance it happens as teams jockey for QBs at the top of the board.
Danny Kelly - The Ringer
Analysis: Big, physical, trench dominator; a plug-and-play left tackle who excels both as a pass protector and as a run blocker
Austin Gayle - Pro Football Focus
Analysis: The former Oregon Duck is a generational offensive tackle prospect who earned PFF grades in 2019 that we've never seen from an underclassman in the PFF College era (2014-20).
Check out a gallery looking back at some of the notable players the Bengals have taken in the first-round of the NFL Draft through the years.
Anthony Munoz, OT
Bengals 1st Round Pick
1980 NFL Draft
A.J. Green, WR
Bengals 1st Round Pick
2011 NFL Draft
William Jackson, CB
Bengals 1st Round Pick
2016 NFL Draft
Joe Burrow, QB
Bengals 1st Round Pick
2020 NFL Draft
Bob Johnson, C
Bengals 1st Round Pick
1968 NFL/AFL Draft
Leon Hall, CB
Bengals 1st Round Pick
2007 NFL Draft
Eddie Edwards, DE
Bengals 1st Round Pick
1977 NFL Draft
Charles Alexander, RB
Bengals 1st Round Pick
1979 NFL Draft
Darryl Williams , DB
Bengals 1st Round Pick
1992 NFL Draft
Dan Wilkinson, DT
Bengals 1st Round Pick
1994 NFL Draft
Ki-Jana Carter, RB
Bengals 1st Round Pick
1995 NFL Draft
Dave Rimington, C
Bengals 1st Round Pick
1983 NFL Draft
Billy Price, C
Bengals 1st Round Pick
2018 NFL Draft
James Francis, LB
Bengals 1st Round Pick
1990 NFL Draft
Eddie Brown, WR
Bengals 1st Round Pick
1985 NFL Draft
Tyler Eifert, TE
Bengals 1st Round Pick
2013 NFL Draft
Alfred Williams, DE
Bengals 1st Round Pick
1991 NFL Draft
Archie Griffin, RB
Bengals 1st Round Pick
1976 NFL Draft
Blair Bush, C
Bengals 1st Round Pick
1978 NFL Draft
Dre Kirkpatrick, CB
Bengals 1st Round Pick
2012 NFL Draft
Andre Smith, OT
Bengals 1st Round Pick
2009 NFL Draft
Peter Warrick, WR
Bengals 1st Round Pick
2000 NFL Draft
Darqueze Dennard, CB
Bengals 1st Round Pick
2014 NFL Draft
Jermaine Gresham
Bengals 1st Round Pick
2010 NFL Draft
Chris Perry, RB
Bengals 1st Round Pick
2004 NFL Draft
Takeo Spikes, LB
Bengals 1st Round Pick
1998 NFL Draft
Carson Palmer, QB
Bengals 1st Round Pick
2003 NFL Draft
Levi Jones, OT
Bengals 1st Round Pick
2002 NFL Draft
Akili Smith
Bengals 1st Round Pick
1999 NFL Draft
Eric Eager and George Chahrouri - Pro Football Focus
Analysis: While we still think the Bengals need a receiver (everyone does), a prospect of Sewell's quality at this price is superior.
Drae Harris - The Draft Network
Analysis: Cincinnati protects their franchise quarterback and gets him the best offensive lineman in the draft.
Luke Easterling - Draft Wire
Ja'Marr Chase - WR, LSU
Chris Trapasso - CBS Sports
Analysis: The Burrow and Chase connection reunites in Cincinnati.
The Athletic
Analysis: "Drafting Chase not only addresses the only real hole we saw in Joe Burrow's game as a rookie — the deep ball — it also reunites the Bengals quarterback with his favorite target from 2019 when he turned in the greatest single-season performance in college football history."
Anthony Treash - Pro Football Focus
Analysis: Chase's physicality and release package are NFL-ready, and those two strengths equated to massive success against press coverage.
Doug Farrar - USA Today
Analysis: Chase is as clean a player as you'll find in this draft class. He doesn't have any discernible flaws, and the things that stand out — ridiculous strength and determination from the line of scrimmage to the catch point to after the catch, outstanding route awareness, and sudden acceleration at the second level — really stand out.
Kyle Pitts - TE, Florida
Chad Reuter - NFL.com
Analysis: If the Bengals go with the Florida product, it would be the third time in the past 12 drafts that they selected a tight end in the first round (Jermaine Gresham in 2010, Tyler Eifert in '13).
Lance Zierlein - NFL.com
Analysis: Pitts has a chance to be a generational talent and a relentless nightmare for opposing defenses.
Dane Brugler - The Athletic
Analysis: Pitts would give Joe Burrow and Cincinnati a unique mismatch weapon.
Micah Parsons - LB, Penn State
Nate Davis - USA Today
Analysis: "A versatile defender like Parsons – he's a very capable run defender in a division where the Browns and Ravens like to keep the ball on the ground – would help remedy the defense."
