NFL Draft: Where Does Charles Cross Make Sense?

Several NFL teams will be looking to upgrade their offensive lines when the 2022 NFL Draft rolls around in April next year.

Protecting your quarterback is becoming increasingly more and more important as the number of sacks per year continues to rise. When looking for a guy who doesn’t give up any sacks, Charles Cross is the answer. One could argue that the numbers couldn’t be more clear on a prospect that than those on Cross. Mississippi State has passed the ball 544 times this season, so far. In 544 pass-blocking attempts, Cross has not surrendered a single sack. He has only given up a quarterback pressure 5 times this season, which is less than 1% of the time.

Several NFL would love to have that type of reliability on either side of their line but particularly the left side (Cross plays left tackle). Here is a look into four teams who could be interested in him in the upcoming draft:

Jacksonville Jaguars:

The Jaguars need help in a lot of different positions. There might not be any bigger glaring issue, though, than the offensive line. After taking Trevor Lawerence last season first overall, a fine pass blocker seems like the next step. It seems way too likely that the Jags will grab Evan Neal, as the Urban to Saban connection makes way too much sense, but if they are smart they will take Cross.

New York Giants:

The Giants are another team that has one of the worst offensive lines in football. Cross could step in and immediately add some much-needed assistance for whoever the quarterback may be next season. While the Giants need more help in the interior line than at tackle, they would be wise to just take the top offensive lineman on the board.

Carolina Panthers:

The Panthers have huge positional needs across the offensive line and at quarterback. It seems heavily unlikely the Panthers would use a pick on a quarterback in this class, even though Carson Strong would be a home run pick here. Again, the need here is likely more on the interior but if Cross is still on the board mid-round, Carolina should be sprinting to the podium to make the pick.

Cincinnati Bengals:

Of all the teams out there, Cross to the Bengals just makes the most sense. The question is: does he last this long? The Bengals have had an SEC pipeline going strong lately, and Cross seems like a good fit here. The Bengals have had an up-and-down type of season, and there is no telling where they will be picking. If they can stay in the mid-round area of the first round, they will find themselves a steal. Riley Reiff has been serviceable to the Bengals, sure, but he is far from the long-term answer. The Bengals should be thrilled if Cross is still on the board to be picked.