2014 NFL mock draft: Weston Richburg to Cincinnati Bengals at No. 55

The Cincinnati Bengals, who have now made the playoffs in three straight seasons and four out of their last five, are not a team that has many holes. One such exception is at center, where veteran Kyle Cook was released and replacement options are slightly less than inspiring. Josh Kirkendall at Cincy Jungle is picking a replacement to Cook with his second-round pick in our mock draft.

“The Bengals released longtime center Kyle Cook this offseason and have a couple options to replace him. However, with Weston Richburg falling to the bottom of the second round, the Bengals would jump on the opportunity to draft a guy who many think is the best center in the draft. One of the best attributes for Richburg is his durability in his college career. He started every game over the past four years at Colorado State. He played well against Alabama and also shined in the Senior Bowl against some of the premier rushers coming out of college.”

There are a few teams in the draft that absolutely need an upgrade at center. Along with the Bengals, that list includes the Giants and 49ers. Because of that, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Cincinnati use its second choice in the draft on one to get the guy it likes the most. That’s the luxury the Bengals have with a pretty loaded roster. The 49ers have one too, so it’s smart to get a center ahead of San Francisco’s two second-round choices. Richburg was one of the gems of the Senior Bowl this year and wins with his technical prowess. He may not be a physical powerhouse of a center, but he consistently shows good footwork and hand placement.