This Final 2023 Cincinnati Bengals 7-Round Mock Draft Is An Electrifying 4-For-1 Special That Doubles As A Team Draft Guide

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I believe I did three, possibly four seven-round Bengals mock drafts last year. This is my second and final one for 2023. HOWEVER, this is going to be a little different (version 1.0 for reference). I’m essentially giving you four different mocks for the price of one. 

The picks I actually make are based a touch less on what I would do in a perfect scenario, and more on who I expect to be "realistically" available at each pick slot. If the draft fell exactly the way I’d want it to for the Bengals, that’s where you get the "dream fallers" group.

"Nice alternatives" are just NICE prospects who I’d be more than OK with taking over my primary pick at any spot. Finally, there are hypothetical selections who'd make less of an impact this year and are more geared toward adding depth, or could easily step into starting/heavy contributing roles in 2024.

Had I been Cincinnati's GM in '22, Tariq Woolen would've been in a Bengals uniform via a first- or second-round pick. 

Still love you, Cam Taylor-Britt. Point being, before you blindly slander my proposed picks, please keep an open mind. 

Can’t wait to see how this all shakes out tonight and through the weekend. My write-ups for all the alternate mock scenarios require you to read past the main mock. So just keep scrolling. This is my last crack at one of these things for a long time so I'm doing it big.

Found this interesting from Goodberry btw:

Last thing: I'll be on The En Eff El Draft Show as the Bengals get ready to make the 28th pick on Thursday night. Tune in!

Giphy Images.

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Round 1, Pick 28: Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Alabama

• Dream faller: Dalton Kincaid, TE, Utah
• Nice alternative: Darnell Washington, TE, Georgia
• High-value, big-picture play: Josh Downs, WR, North Carolina

Never thought I'd land here with my final decision on the Bengals' 2023 first-round pick. The whole "running back value" conversation and so on. My assumption is Bijan Robinson doesn't fall this far. Joe Mixon's future is dubious. This nugget of info on Mixon came from The Athletic's Paul Dehner Jr. less than two weeks ago:

"Joe Mixon remains 'right now,' as Katie Blackburn said three times when asked about him at the league meetings. His next steps involve the conclusion of the aggravated menacing case refiled against him by the Cincinnati Police Department and negotiation of a pay cut the team is expected to ask him to either accept or be let go."

The depth behind Mixon isn't great. Nobody else in the Bengals' running back room comes close to Gibbs as a talent. Then you factor in Mixon's wear and tear and Gibbs' lack thereof, not to mention the latter's exceptional pass-catching ability and superior explosiveness. The Alabama standout is thickly built at 5-9, 199. He ran a 4.36-second 40-yard dash at the Combine. Much faster than Mixon's 4.5 flat at Oklahoma's pro day. IDK. Bash me for this all you want. Jahmyr Gibbs is special. His home-run hitting ability makes this Bengals offense even more balanced and borderline unstoppable.

Round 2, Pick 60: Tucker Kraft, TE, South Dakota State

• Dream faller: Dawand Jones, OT, Ohio State
• Nice alternative: Tank Dell, WR, Houston
• High-value, big-picture play: Tyrique Stevenson, CB, Miami

You saw that I had two tight ends among three alt first-round picks, right? Opting for a small-school prospect over the potential options available at No. 28 might seem a tad reckless. Not in this instance. The more I see of Tucker Kraft, the more I'm convinced he'll be a stud in the NFL. Kraft has a lot of that exciting after-the-catch toughness you see from Dalton Kincaid. He's a little heavier and more than willing to run block. Against FCS competition, he got the job done and then some. It'll be a big step up to the NFL of course, but Kraft's ceiling as a pass-catcher is intriguing. Then bear in mind, he's in an offense with weapons galore everywhere and Joe Burrow as his quarterback. Yup. Sign me up.

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Round 3, Pick 92: Wanya Morris, OT, Oklahoma

• Dream faller: Sydney Brown, S, Illinois
• Nice alternative: Chase Brown, RB, Illinois
• High-value, big-picture play: Jartavius Martin, CB/S, Illinois

- Before getting into Wanya Morris, a note: Tyjae Spears was the initial "nice alternative" option. A report from Go Long broke recently about the Tulane running back's extensive injury history, which likely drops his stock to Day 3 of the draft. This wasn't a lazy "I'm just going to throw down three players from the same school and call it a day!" move. End rant. Thank you.

To me, Wanya Morris is the best blend of value, flexibility at a position of need and quality of the prospect. There aren't many good right tackles in this draft. Morris is one of them. He can't be worse than some of the recent dudes the Bengals have trotted out. All due respect to Isaiah Prince and Hakeem Adeniji, they ain't it. Jonah Williams seems to be pouting about a switch to right tackle and would rather be traded. I still don't know what I'm getting from Jackson Carman in Year 3. Cincinnati can get away with a mid right tackle. I feel like Morris has the potential to blossom into something better if he can bulk up a little without sacrificing his fluid movement skills. He's a certified Glass Eater, which only helps.

Round 4, Pick 131: Christopher Smith, S, Georgia

• Dream faller: Kobie Turner, DL, Wake Forest
• Nice alternative: Ivan Pace Jr., LB, Cincinnati
• High-value, big-picture play: Zack Kuntz, TE, Old Dominion

I'm down to clown with prospects who are toolsier and considered "projects" on Day 3, but in this instance, I dig the idea of adding a tough, smart, productive safety like Georgia's Christopher Smith. He's a solid athlete but won't blow you away in that department. He always seems to be near the ball. Whether it's tracking in coverage, perfectly timing a hit, or getting into the alley as a run defender, diagnosing and blowing up running plays, Smith is fucking savvy. Personally am not sold on free-agent signee Nick Scott as a viable starter. Can't hurt to add a quality rookie like Smith to the mix at a position group that lost Jessie Bates and Vonn Bell.

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Round 5, Pick 163: Terell Smith, CB, Minnesota

• Dream faller: Israel Abanikanda, RB, Pittsburgh
• Nice alternative: Jason Taylor, S, Oklahoma State
• High-value, big-picture play: Keaton Mitchell, RB, East Carolina

Only recently did I start seeing buzz on this guy. When you dive deeper, yes, he played well this past year, yet Smith had these long periods of little activity. Started as a true freshman all the way back in 2018. Was a backup thereafter. Played only one game during COVID and redshirted as a junior. Started again in 2021 only to get benched (!!) for the final half of the season (h/t The Daily Gopher for much of this info). IDK. Smith is thicc (6-1ish, 204) with 4.41 40 speed, a solid 7.02-second 3-cone time, and somebody I'd be down to take a flier on. No telling where his stock is. This seems like a realistic middle ground from what I've seen out there.

Round 6, Pick 206: Desjuan Johnson, DL, Toledo

• Dream faller: Starling Thomas V, CB, UAB
• Nice alternative: Lonnie Phelps, EDGE, Kansas  
• High-value, big-picture play: Quindell Johnson, S, Memphis 

Gimme some MACtion up in here. If you can find a rotational tackle like Johnson in the sixth round, that's a job well done. I have my doubts he'll be big enough to hold up in a three-down role unless he packs on another 20 pounds or so. Don't need him to be some star or future starter. All the DTs in Cincinnati's rotation are kind of lumbering big boiis. Maybe 2022 third-rounder Zachary Carter pops in Year 2. Not going to 100% bank on that. Johnson is a super quick, sudden interior pass-rusher I'd take a swing at.

Round 7, Pick 246: Justin Shorter, WR, Florida

• Dream faller: Tre Tucker, WR, Cincinnati
• Nice alternative: Jonah Tavai, DL, San Diego State
• High-value, big-picture play: Alex Palczewski, OT, Illinois

As you can see, Tre Tucker is my dream pick here. Alas, most mock simulations I've run through don't have him available at No. 246. Part of the appeal with Shorter is he's huge (6-4, 234) and could convert to tight end with some extra weight if he can't hack it as a receiver. I'd try him at his main position first, though. Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd are a hell of a trio. There is some depth behind them. Can't help but feel like Shorter could provide a unique spark in competing for with WR4 gig with Trenton Irwin. I mocked Shorter to the Bengals in my last seven-rounder. I can't quit him. He's being picked in the seventh round for a reason. Neat fact: Shorter was ranked as the No. 1 wide receiver recruit out of high school ahead of Ja'Marr and a loaded 2018 class at the position.

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Now comes the fun of all the other scenarios below. I'll break them down so you can see my rationale behind the different outcomes in full. The attempt was to make all the "alternate" cluster groups make sense as standalone mocks. Think I pulled it off.

Elseworlds Bengals mock drafts

Dream Fallers:

• R1: Dalton Kincaid, TE, Utah
• R2: Dawand Jones, OT, Ohio State
• R3: Sydney Brown, S, Illinois
• R4: Kobie Turner, DL, Wake Forest
• R5: Israel Abanikanda, RB, Pittsburgh
• R6: Starling Thomas V, CB, UAB
• R7: Tre Tucker, WR, Cincinnati

Yup. If the Bengals somehow came away with a draft class like this, I’d be on cloud nine. Levitating Criss Angel-style. Basking in peak football fandom nirvana.

No one can touch Dalton Kincaid in this tight end class when it comes to ball skills and even route-running. He’s a cut above everyone in those categories. Too special of a player to pass up.

I have a first-round grade on Dawand Jones, yet it doesn’t seem like he’s getting much hype to go that high. Character concerns are popping up just before the draft. Might be deliberate subterfuge. In any event, it’s not totally off-planet to suggest he’ll slip to No. 60. Dawand would be an awesome choice to fill that need at right tackle.

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When you look into Sydney Brown, he has so much experience, leadership, football smarts, athleticism and a nasty play style. I'd enjoy seeing him push free-agent acquisition Nick Scott for one of the starting safety spots next to Dax Hill. 

Finding a freaky, dominant interior defender like Kobie Turner in Round 4 would be so dope. Cincinnati could use at least one more body in there to give the likes of DJ Reader and BJ Hill adequate rest.

The 5-10, 216-pound Israel Abanikanda has breakaway speed and has enough pass-catching production to be a solid all-around NFL starter. In such a deep running back class, it’s possible that Abanikanda falls to the fifth round.

On my big board, the big small-school guy I took a swing on including is indeed UAB’s Starling Thomas V. No idea when he’ll be drafted on Day 3. Just know I love the guy. He has elite speed and gave up 22 catches on 58 targets (37.9%). 

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Tre Tucker is a smaller, more explosive slot wideout who’d be a nice developmental option behind Tyler Boyd.

NICE Alts:

• R1: Darnell Washington, TE, Georgia
• R2: Tank Dell, WR, Houston
• R3: Chase Brown, RB, Illinois
• R4: Ivan Pace Jr., LB, Cincinnati
• R5: Jason Taylor II, S, Oklahoma State
• R6: Lonnie Phelps, EDGE, Kansas  
• R7: Jonah Tavai, DL, San Diego State

This operates under the assumption that Jackson Carman rises to the occasion in camp and takes control of the right tackle job. Should Carman manage that, and the Bengals add the likes of Washington, Dell and Brown to the core of their offense, that’d be a hell of a lot of fun to see.

Chase Brown is a solid all-around back and the twin brother of Sydney Brown. Chase could easily ascend to the top of the depth chart as an NFL sophomore. He has 10 pounds on Jahmyr Gibbs at roughly the same height, ran for 137 yards per game last season, and had 27 receptions. I was late getting to watch him but the more I see, the more I thoroughly DIG.

Tank Dell is a route-running fiend and a fine insurance policy at a premium position. Part of me would want to take a Day 3 flier on a wideout like Princeton’s Andrei Iosivas since Dell is so undersized at 5-8, 165. Someone will bet on Tank pretty early due to how well he can separate.

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But my gosh, I’ve had a man crush on Darnell Washington for a long time. If he came to Cincinnati, he’d step out of Brock Bowers’ shadow and into a TE1 role perhaps immediately. Regardless of starting status, Washington is a sick blocker and an insane athlete who’d create matchup nightmares in the red zone in particular.

The Day 3 chunk of this class happens to feature a bunch of guys with high-level production. Ivan Pace Jr. had 136 tackles (20.5 TFL), nine sacks, four passes defensed and two forced fumbles in 2022. He transferred to Cincinnati after three seasons at the alma mater of yours truly, Miami of Ohio. Hell yeah.

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Lonnie Phelps ALSO transferred from Miami!! I knew that about Pace but not Phelps going into this. I swear I’m not being a lazy homer. Anyway, Phelps went to Kansas and put up 57 tackles, (11.5 TFL) and seven sacks this year. Jason Taylor II had 99 tackles and six INTs in his final season at Oklahoma State. Then there’s Jonah Tavai: How about 86 QB hurries over the last two seasons? That’ll play, I think.

Big-Picture Guys:

• R1: Josh Downs, WR, North Carolina
• R2: Tyrique Stevenson, CB, Miami
• R3: Jartavius Martin, CB/S, Illinois
• R4: Zack Kuntz, TE, Old Dominion
• R5: Keaton Mitchell, RB, East Carolina
• R6: Quindell Johnson, S, Memphis
• R7: Alex Palczewski, OT, Illinois

Feels like I’ve hit enough on the running back situation to explain Keaton Mitchell’s spot here. He has top-end speed that the Bengals' backs lack. In Quindell Johnson’s case, he’d be a great guy to add to the safety room given how much uncertainty and competition lies within that position group.

The more I’ve thought about this, the closer I’ve gotten to putting Downs atop my actual mock. 

Downs should definitely be there at 28, and if he’s the pick, he’s definitely the replacement for Boyd in the slot. The ex-Tar Heel brings more juice and explosiveness than Boyd, but is also similarly sure-handed and determined at the catch point.

When Steve Smith Sr. is giving you props, you know you’re legit:

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And apparently, NFL teams watched Downs’ tape, met with him whenever they had a chance before top-30 visits took place, and decided they’d seen enough. SOLD.

Good enough for me!

Tyrique Stevenson is a boundary cornerback who’d be a wonderful depth piece at that spot/contingency plan in case Chidobe Awuzie leaves in free agency next offseason.

Speaking of the secondary, Illinois’ Jartavius Martin is someone I should’ve had in my top 100 big board. He’s an athletic freakazoid who can align pretty much anywhere you need him to. Love that back-end versatility in a Lou Anarumo-coached scheme.

Most of my draft scenarios have disregarded the addition of Irv Smith Jr. at tight end. I do like the signing, but he’s been banged up a lot. Whatever happens with him, he only signed a one-year deal. Acquiring a prospect like Zack Kuntz who’s loaded with upside is an exciting proposition. 

Now to touch on a seventh-round tackle to finish things off. I have a problem don’t I? Alex Palczewski is a five-year starter if memory serves and has so many reps at right tackle. That happens to be a position of uncertainty for the Bengals. If anyone could come in, exceed expectations and emerge as a surprise starter from the seventh round, it’d be Palczewski.

OK WOW. We made it. The definitive 7-round Bengals mock draft. Let’s go get some damn good football players! WHO DEY!!

Twitter @MattFitz_gerald/TikTok