C J.J. Dielman Drafted By Bengals in 5th Round

Former Utah center J.J. Dielman was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the fifth round of the 2017 NFL Draft with pick No. 176. He was selected just three spots after former teammate cornerback Brian Allen, who was taken with pick No. 173 by the division rival Pittsburgh Steelers. Dielman is the sixth Ute drafted in the 2017 NFL Draft and the fourth on day three.

Dielman was a second-team All-Pac-12 selection in 2015 when he played right tackle for Utah, a position where he started 26 games in his career through his junior season. In 2016 as a senior, he made the switch to center, a position that better fits his skill set. Dielman was playing well in 2016 before a leg injury early in the fifth game of the year against California ended his season and Utah career. Because of the injury, there was some question on whether or not he would get drafted and was projected in the seventh round at best, so it is great for him that the Bengals saw his talent and pulled the trigger on drafting him in the fifth round.