Cincinnati Bengals Tight End C.J. Uzomah Has Star Potential

C.J. Uzomah was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the fifth round of the NFL draft this year. He was the second tight end selected by the Bengals after their third round selection of Tyler Kroft. The Bengals, however, think they may have something to work with in Uzomah, which has them excited for the future.

The battle at the tight end position will definitely be one to watch through OTAs and training camp. A healthy Tyler Eifert will get the starting nod, but someone will have to fill the shoes of former Bengal Jermaine Gresham. While that may not be Uzomah right away, he has the potential of being that go-to guy in future years.

“He’s a young man that going to be on the rise,” tight ends coach Jonathan Hayes expressed. “He’s got size, range, and you need that in the AFC North.” Not only that, but he is a smart guy with a high football IQ, and will most likely learn the ropes rather quickly. Hayes also praised his character in saying, “You know when you’re around people and you see someone and you meet them and they’ve got that look in their eye and you can tell he’s a focused young man.” These are high praises from an NFL-level coach.

At Auburn, Uzomah wasn’t given the opportunity to fully display his talent and capability, having only caught 29 passes in his entire collegiate career. Seven of those, however, were for touchdowns. Sadly, the spread offense that was utilized at Auburn never really allowed Uzomah the chance to shine.

Fortunately for Uzomah, he is impressing Bengals coaches in a big way already. Hayes said he may even be a candidate for H-back in the Bengals’ system. He’s a big body with unique strength and versatility who can run. This is a player that Bengals fans should be very excited about. While he may not gain immediate stardom, his future with the Bengals looks very bright.