Bengals assistant offensive line coach Mike McCarthy jumped like Tee Higgins on a 50-50 ball when he got the chance to coach in his first college all-star game at this week's Senior Bowl.

It's turning out to be not that much different than his first year in Cincinnati as he scrambled to get the National team trenches ready for the Americans in Saturday's game (2:30 p.m.-NFL Network, ESPN +) in Mobile, Ala.

McCarthy, who oversaw veteran guard Dalton Risner's nine-day crash course to get ready for the last Opening Day, got another late add when Illinois tackle Melvin Priestly showed up at the Renaissance Mobile Riverview Plaza Hotel Wednesday at 9 p.m., a few hours after the second practice.

McCarthy gave him the playbook, told him to get some rest, as well as something to eat, and made a 5:30 a.m. appointment to have breakfast with him.

"You get guys dropping in and out of these games for various reasons," says McCarthy during a rare break this week. "It's a lot like that week or so before the start of the (regular) season, and you've got to get new guys caught up on the system fast."

Like Bengals defensive line coach Jerry Montgomery and defensive assistant Ronnie Regula at the East-West game earlier this week, McCarthy volunteered for the assignment, in large part, to get ahead in scouting for the draft. A week embedded with prospects not only lets him know who can stay square, but who can go full circle in the playbook.

He only has to go back to last year's draft with head offensive line coach Scott Peters and how they reinforced the work of the personnel department when the Bengals sifted Georgia left guard Dylan Fairchild and Miami tackle-guard Jalen Rivers out of the third and fifth rounds, respectively, and were rewarded with promising rookie seasons.

"Every opportunity Scott and I got, we watched and talked to every potential guy at the combine, in Zooms, anywhere we could," McCarthy says. "I can confidently say that I feel like we hit on the two guys last year. Bringing the right guys into the room. The culture in the room is as strong as ever. You've already got the veterans, you add the right rookies, and the next thing you know, you're in a championship room.

"When you're with these guys every day, you see the work habits. How are their notes? Do they ask good questions? What kind of guy is he? I feel like I can spend time with a guy and know pretty quickly if he's our kind of guy."

After the Tuesday and Wednesday practices, McCarthy sat in on the Bengals scouts interviewing the National O-linemen. And when he had a shot, he tracked down the American linemen for one-on-ones.

"You're in town, you have to take advantage," he says.

The average of Saturday's rosters probably compute to players somewhere in the third and fourth rounds. Some higher, some lower. McCarthy's two-highest rated players look to be Iowa right tackle Gennings Dunker, rated No. 83 on Pro Football Focus' big board, and Kansas State center Sam Hecht, No. 93.

McCarthy, who is splitting the National O-line duties with old Rutgers buddy and new Commanders offensive line coach Darnell Stapleton, can also help in the evaluation of the National defensive line. It appears to be a higher-rated group. The Athletic's Dane Brugler has Clemson edge T.J. Parker going No. 32, Texas Tech tackle Lee Hunter No. 56, and Texas Tech edge Romello Height No. 63.

An important part of McCarthy's practices and meetings in Mobile is spent finding ways to counter the D-line. It helps, too that the National's defensive line coach, Tanzel Smart, a Cowboys defensive assistant, played at Tulane when McCarthy was a coach.

"The No. 1 evaluation for me for a lineman is film study, and I'm sure it's the same with Jerry and Al (Golden)," says McCarthy of the Bengals defensive coordinator. "I can help with things like effort and approach from an informational standpoint.

"Parker is a really good, long-armed guy. Lee Hunter is a super bull-rush, power guy. So we've got to be throwing strikes (with the hands) and anchor, and things like how to re-fit an under (move)."

Which is why McCarthy is still fired up after Wednesday's end-of-practice session one-on-one challenge against the defense.

His guys stoned that top trio of D-Linemen. Dunker cut down Height, Iowa teammate Beau Stephens solved Hunter, and towering 6-7 Texas A&M tackle Dametrious Crownover beat Parker.

McCarthy is impressed with how quickly Dunker and Stephens have adapted to NFL pass-protection techniques coming out of Iowa's ground-and-pound scheme of iso runs blasting out of the I formation.

"Complete opposite of our system," McCarthy says. "These guys just get better in pass protection every day. Arching your back, staying square, throwing strikes, playing long. Watching the progression is fun."

But on Saturday, don't look for Dunker at right tackle, Stephens at left guard, and Crownover at right tackle. The first thing McCarthy asked his guys Monday is their favorite position, "and that was a test."

"Only the elite can say they play one position," McCarthy says. "Scott is the best technical guy in the league and, like we say, find out if he can play multiple positions. It's a must in this league."

They all passed, McCarthy says. Dunker got an A with, "Anywhere you need me, Coach," and so he'll be playing some right guard.

And look for a parade of brand-new centers coming in behind Hecht, his only center. "So, I had to make two." At the first quarterback-center exchange, McCarthy and Stapleton suddenly had six centers to match up with the three quarterbacks.

Enter Dartmouth's Delby Lemieux, one of three FCS players in the game. He was named to the Associated Press FCS All-American first team and is trying to grab a late-round spot anyway he can.

"Never played center," McCarthy says. "Right makeup. Hungry. He's got the mindset."

The biggest kick, though, still comes from teaching moves or a technique that has a player wanting more. McCarthy sensed it from Dunker, a massive 6-5, 315-pounder with a wide base, when they worked on pinching his outside knee. What McCarthy calls "pre-loading," the foot.

"I told all these guys that my goal for everyone was to leave here a better player in some way," McCarthy says.

Not to mention leaving the Bengals better prepared for the draft.