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Becoming Bengals: Zac Taylor tells Bengals draftees they're coming to Cincinnati

Becoming Bengals: Zac Taylor tells Bengals draftees they're coming to Cincinnati
IT ALL PLANS TO STAY HERE IN CINCINNATI. NOW LET’S GET BACK TO THAT 2024 NFL DRAFT CLASS, BECAUSE THAT WRAPPED UP YESTERDAY. THE BENGALS HAD TEN PICKS, FIVE ON EITHER SIDE OF THE BALL. FIRST ROUNDER OMARIUS MIMS GETS IN LINE TO TRAIN BEHIND THE MASSIVE OFFENSIVE TACKLES HERE IN CINCINNATI. PLUS, THE BENGALS TAKE A PAIR OF RUN STUFFERS TO ROUND OUT DAY TWO OF THE DRAFT. AND YESTERDAY, ROUNDS FOUR THROUGH SEVEN SHAPED UP WITH THE SELECTION THAT THE BENGALS DOUBLE DIP AT TIGHT END AND DOUBLE DIP FROM OLE MISS. BACK TO BACK PICKS FROM THE REBELS LATE ON THE FINAL DAY OF THE DRAFT. PLUS A CENTER WAS TAKEN WITH THE
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Becoming Bengals: Zac Taylor tells Bengals draftees they're coming to Cincinnati
A staple of the modern NFL draft experience is a behind-the-curtain look at the process.Not necessarily of how the picks are made, but what comes next: The moment a player goes from prospect to draftee. All weekend long, the Bengals' social media pages shared these intimate moments between Bengals head coach Zac Taylor and their 10 draftees (well, nine: the Bengals never posted a video of TCU cornerback Josh Newton's call).If you missed any of the joy, jubilation or trying to keep it real (maybe a little too real), you can relive the Bengals draft weekend emotions below.Amarius Mims, No. 18The first pick of the Bengals draft came Thursday night, when Cincinnati selected Georgia offensive tackle Amarius Mims.Taylor's call with Mims was short and sweet, with Mims' family and friends overwhlemed with excitement at the call."We're lucky to have you and we're excited to get you over here," Taylor told Mims.Kris Jenkins, No. 49With their first pick on Day 2, the Bengals took Michigan DT Kris Jenkins, who seemed overjoyed to hear from the Bengals."Thank you so much," Jenkins told Taylor, with emotion overcoming him with each word."Very excited, very appreciative," Taylor told the rest of the Bengals' war room after the call ended.Jermaine Burton, No, 80Another Day 2 pick, Alabama wideout Jermaine Burton also gradually allowed the emotion in his voice to show when speaking with Taylor before the Bengals picked him at No. 80 overall."Oh **** yeah," Burton said after Taylor informed him he was their pick."You ready to work?" Taylor asked."Lets do this," Burton responded. "Thank you."McKinnley Jackson, No. 97The Bengals final Day 2 pick was a man of few words with the Bengals informed him of their selection."You ready to come to Cincinnati?" Taylor asked Texas A&M nose tackle McKinnley Jackson."Hell yeah," he said succinctly.Erick All, No. 115To open Day 3 on Saturday, the Bengals didn't have to dial far, selecting Fairfield native Erick All out of Iowa."You ready to come home?" Taylor asks All, who responds with an emphatic "Yes sir!""We got you," Taylor continued. "We're picking you right here.""Really?" All said, almost in disbelief. He then made sure he was talking to the right team before re-assuring Taylor, saying "Lets do it! I'm excited."Tanner McLachlan, No. 194"You will not regret it."That's what Arizona's all-time leading tight end, Tanner McLachlan, told Taylor after he was informed he'd be the Bengals first sixth-round pick.Cedric Johnson, No. 214You know when you're waiting for some good news, almost too much, but want to play it cool? That was Ole Miss' Cedric Johnson's reaction to being taken with the 214th pick."Sounds lovely," Johnson said. "Sounds very lovely."The most enthusiastic call? Most definitely not. But you can imagine the celebrating that happened once the call ended.Daijahn Anthony, No. 224What was maybe the most viral moment of the Bengals' draft came at the end of Taylor's phone call with Ole Miss safety Daijahn Anthony."Appreciate it coach," Anthony said as they were about to end their call. Fairly typical fare.Until, that is, Anthony slipped in a "love you," at the end, catching Taylor completely off guard"Love you too bro," Taylor said, chuckling, which made the rest of the war room chuckle as well.Matt Lee, No. 237If there's one way to describe offensive lineman, it's "all business." Get in, get the job done, get out and get ready for the next rep.That was the vibe of Taylor's call to the Bengals' Mr. Irrelevant, Miami center Matt Lee, who was appreciative and excited for the opportunity to come to Cincinnati despite not saying much.

A staple of the modern NFL draft experience is a behind-the-curtain look at the process.

Not necessarily of how the picks are made, but what comes next: The moment a player goes from prospect to draftee.

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All weekend long, the Bengals' social media pages shared these intimate moments between Bengals head coach Zac Taylor and their 10 draftees (well, nine: the Bengals never posted a video of TCU cornerback Josh Newton's call).

If you missed any of the joy, jubilation or trying to keep it real (maybe a little too real), you can relive the Bengals draft weekend emotions below.


Amarius Mims, No. 18

The first pick of the Bengals draft came Thursday night, when Cincinnati selected Georgia offensive tackle Amarius Mims.

Taylor's call with Mims was short and sweet, with Mims' family and friends overwhlemed with excitement at the call.

This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

"We're lucky to have you and we're excited to get you over here," Taylor told Mims.

Kris Jenkins, No. 49

With their first pick on Day 2, the Bengals took Michigan DT Kris Jenkins, who seemed overjoyed to hear from the Bengals.

This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

"Thank you so much," Jenkins told Taylor, with emotion overcoming him with each word.

"Very excited, very appreciative," Taylor told the rest of the Bengals' war room after the call ended.

Jermaine Burton, No, 80

Another Day 2 pick, Alabama wideout Jermaine Burton also gradually allowed the emotion in his voice to show when speaking with Taylor before the Bengals picked him at No. 80 overall.

This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

"Oh **** yeah," Burton said after Taylor informed him he was their pick.

"You ready to work?" Taylor asked.

"Lets do this," Burton responded. "Thank you."

McKinnley Jackson, No. 97

The Bengals final Day 2 pick was a man of few words with the Bengals informed him of their selection.

This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

"You ready to come to Cincinnati?" Taylor asked Texas A&M nose tackle McKinnley Jackson.

"Hell yeah," he said succinctly.

Erick All, No. 115

To open Day 3 on Saturday, the Bengals didn't have to dial far, selecting Fairfield native Erick All out of Iowa.

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"You ready to come home?" Taylor asks All, who responds with an emphatic "Yes sir!"

"We got you," Taylor continued. "We're picking you right here."

"Really?" All said, almost in disbelief. He then made sure he was talking to the right team before re-assuring Taylor, saying "Lets do it! I'm excited."

Tanner McLachlan, No. 194

"You will not regret it."

That's what Arizona's all-time leading tight end, Tanner McLachlan, told Taylor after he was informed he'd be the Bengals first sixth-round pick.

This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

Cedric Johnson, No. 214

You know when you're waiting for some good news, almost too much, but want to play it cool?

That was Ole Miss' Cedric Johnson's reaction to being taken with the 214th pick.

This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

"Sounds lovely," Johnson said. "Sounds very lovely."

The most enthusiastic call? Most definitely not. But you can imagine the celebrating that happened once the call ended.

Daijahn Anthony, No. 224

What was maybe the most viral moment of the Bengals' draft came at the end of Taylor's phone call with Ole Miss safety Daijahn Anthony.

This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

"Appreciate it coach," Anthony said as they were about to end their call. Fairly typical fare.

Until, that is, Anthony slipped in a "love you," at the end, catching Taylor completely off guard

"Love you too bro," Taylor said, chuckling, which made the rest of the war room chuckle as well.

Matt Lee, No. 237

If there's one way to describe offensive lineman, it's "all business." Get in, get the job done, get out and get ready for the next rep.

That was the vibe of Taylor's call to the Bengals' Mr. Irrelevant, Miami center Matt Lee, who was appreciative and excited for the opportunity to come to Cincinnati despite not saying much.

This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.