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Andrew Billings, DL — Cincinnati Bengals
School: Baylor | Conference: Big 12
College Experience: Junior | Age: 21
Height / Weight: 6-1 / 325 lbs
Drafted: 4th round, 24th pick (#122 overall)
NFL Comparison: Grady Jarrett
College Statistics
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Player Overview — Original Profile
Andrew BIllings is a prospect with a lot of upside and natural talent, but make no mistake about it, he needs good coaching and mentorship. He doesn't enter the draft with a lot of red flags, but he doesn't have a whole lot of really good film to his name. The good film he does have comes later in his collegiate career; the good news with that is it shows improvement, but the bad news is he's got a lot more underwhelming film than overwhelming film on his resume.
In just about every game he plays, there are flashes of the player he could become. He has crazy power and a natural ability to move offensive linemen out of his way, but he has yet to master the techniques to do so. With some strong coaching and a positive mentor, Billings would continue to grow and improve at an astronomical rate; on the other hand, if he is thrust into a starting role without much guidance, he has all the potential to waste his potential, as it were.
Where He Can Hurt The Redskins
Andrew Billings, for reasons yet to be disclosed, fell to the Bengals in the fourth round, even though just about everybody not in an NFL front office had him going by the end of the second round at latest. A freakishly strong player who was listed at 311 pounds at the Combine, Billings is now listed at 325 pounds on the Bengals website. I mean, look at this guy.
Don't mess. pic.twitter.com/1X3DXRXvnT
— aly cohen (@alyco32) July 29, 2016
@BillingsAndrew is the strongest player I've ever trained. In high-school 705lb deadlift, 805lb squat, 505lb bench. https://t.co/up4kZtO6dp
— Clif Marshall (@ClifMarshall) July 15, 2016
But for all his strength and intimidation, he has a ways to go. It's unlikely a rookie beats out Geno Atkins or Domata Peko for a starting DT job, especially a fourth-round pick. Even if one of those is felled by injury, players such as Pat Sims, Marcus Hardison and Brandon Thompson stand in his way. Billings might have the most upside of those players, but he's also an inexperienced kid who just turned 21 in March.
Two years from now, Billings could be a starter on the Bengals defensive line. But by Week 8 of 2016, when the Redskins come to town, it's more likely he's inactive for the game than starting.
Two random notes, for whatever they're worth. First, the NFL.com draft profile of Billings lists his NFL comparison as Washington's own Chris Baker. And second, this is from my original draft profile of Billings.
Just about everybody thinks Billings makes sense in Washington. In a span of less than two weeks, the following NFL analysts all mocked Billings to the Redskins: Todd McShay, Charles Davis, Dan Kadar, Chris Burke, Jared Dubin, Will Brinson, Daniel Jeremiah, Adam Stites, and even Hogs Haven's own Ken Meringolo.