When the Bengals selected Jessie Bates in Round 2 of the 2018 NFL Draft, the team knew it was getting a smart, talented safety who could come in and elevate the defense starting on Day 1 of his rookie year.
Why? Because Bates has the playmaking ability the Bengals lacked in 2017 and the football IQ needed to not only make it in the NFL, but elevate his teammates when on-the-field.
That football IQ is a big reason why Bates felt comfortable declaring for the draft following his redshirt sophomore season at Wake Forest, a year in which he had 77 tackles (6 for loss), 1 interception, 6 batted passes and 1 forced fumble.