The Cincinnati Bengals selected Wake Forest S Jessie Bates with the 54th overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft Friday, April 27.

Footballguys View: He’ll step right into a large roll immediately for a secondary which needs help. Bates is a versatile safety who can hang in man coverage and make teams pay with his ball skills as well. He’s inconsistent as a tackler, sometimes opting for the big hit and not the wrap.