Why Bengals Rookie Andrei Iosivas Shouldn’t Sweat Making the 53-Man Roster

Andrei Iosivas had one of the most athletic profiles of any player in the 2023 NFL Draft and one that put him in the 99.99 percentile among all wide receivers over the last 35 years. So it’s been no surprise that he’s been making plays since Day 1 of the Cincinnati Bengals training camp.

But if there’s one thing moving faster than Iosivas’ legs, it’s his Ivy League-educated mind. No matter how hard he tries to slow it down.

It’s not an issue when he’s on the field, in meetings, or studying at the team hotel. It’s when he puts the iPad away that the numbers and the questions start racing through his brain.

What Are Andrei Iosivas’ Chances of Making the 53?

How many receivers will the Bengals keep on the 53-man roster? Where does Iosivas stand in the pecking order? Can he move up? How far will he fall if he makes a mistake?

Studying finance and geopolitics at Princeton seemed simpler.

“When I’m not on the field, it’s a little bit hard for me not to think about that kind of stuff,” Iosivas admitted. “It’s usually right before bed that I’m thinking about it. But it’s good. It makes me want to be better. Pressure makes diamonds, so it only pushes me.”

That shouldn’t be confused for a lack of confidence. Iosivas knows he’s good enough to not only contribute to the Bengals but to become a household name among the fan base, something he predicted to a young fan who asked him his name and his position after one of the first practices of camp.

“You’ll know who I am pretty soon,” Iosivas told him.

Perhaps the best way to settle Iosivas’ mind would be a history course. Or, more specifically, a Bengals modern history course. The last time Cincinnati cut a rookie wide receiver they drafted was 2013 sixth-rounder Cobi Hamilton.

Since then, James Wright (2014, seventh round), Mario Alford (2015, seventh), Cody Core (2016, sixth), Tyler Boyd (2016, second), John Ross (2017, first), Josh Malone (2017, fourth), Auden Tate (2018, seventh), Tee Higgins (2020, second), and Ja’Marr Chase (2021, first) all made it onto the initial 53-man roster.

Since Zac Taylor took over in 2019, the Bengals have waived only two of 33 draft picks on cutdown day of their rookie seasons — sixth-round linebacker Deshaun Davis and seventh-round cornerback Jordan Brown, both in 2019.

The more plays Iosivas makes in camp — especially in preseason games — the greater his chances will be of making the 53, because his performance, coupled with his athletic profile, would make him a target to be claimed on waivers.

Andrei Iosivas was drafted with pick 206 of round 6 in the 2023 draft class. He scored a 9.96 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 14 out of 3062 WR from 1987 to 2023. https://t.co/k7wbAVC9ir pic.twitter.com/67Kh4pSc90

— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) April 29, 2023

Also working in Iosivas’ favor is the fact that fourth-round rookie receiver Charlie Jones has missed the last few days with a shoulder injury and isn’t likely to play Friday vs. the Green Bay Packers, giving him even more chances to make plays.

But as Taylor pointed out earlier this week, there is still a long way to go before the Aug. 29 cutdown.

“It’s been a good (rookie) class that’s started out the right way, and it’s just about sustaining and being disciplined in their daily routines,” he said. “It’s only two weeks in, and it’s a long season. That’s the biggest thing that we’ve harped on to those guys is this just the infancy stage of the season, and you’ve got to be built to last to really make it here.”

If anyone has the endurance to last, it’s Iosivas, an NCAA All-American in the heptathlon and a three-time Ivy League champion in that event, including in 2022, when he ran the fastest-ever 60-meter time (6.71) during the NCAA indoor championships. The heptathlon tests more than just straight-line speed, with the long jump, high jump, and pole vault among the seven events.

Iosivas’ ability to go up and out-fight defensive backs for 50-50 balls has been the most noticeable part of his game through the first two weeks of camp.

“That’s what I bring to the table, making these athletic plays. Now during training camp, I’m just honing in on trying to become a pure receiver, learning from Ja’Marr and Tee. But that’s in my repertoire as well.”