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Bengals Address Weaknesses, Double Dip at Two Spots in Mock Draft 2.0

The 2023 NFL Draft starts on Thursday, April 27.

James Rapien

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CINCINNATI — The NFL Draft is just 17 days away. The Bengals have the 28th overall pick and seven total selections. 

They focused on the trenches in mock draft 1.0, adding key pieces to the offensive and defensive lines. This week they addressed their biggest weakness and double dipped in two key areas. 

We used the Pro Football Focus simulator for all seven rounds.

Check out mock draft 2.0 below. 

Round 1, Pick 28: Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame

© Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports

There's probably a 50-50 chance Mayer makes it to the Bengals in round 1 and he fell to them in this mock. 

The Notre Dame product is the cleanest tight end in this draft class. He hauled in 180 receptions for 2,099 yards and 18 touchdowns in three seasons. He was a first-team Associated Press All-American last season when he set a school record with nine touchdown catches and finished with 67 receptions for 809 receiving yards. 

Mayer is a solid blocker and should be an instant plug-and-play starter as a rookie. 

Round 2, Pick 60: Tuli Tuipulotu, DE, USC

The Bengals only had 30 sacks last season. They give their pass rush a boost by taking Tuipulotu, despite adding Tarell Basham in free agency. 

The 20-year-old gives Cincinnati a young, promising pass rusher that should be able to get on the field as a rookie, both on the edge and on the interior of the defensive line. 

Tuipulotu had 46 tackles (22 for loss) and 13.5 sacks in 14 games for the Trojans last season. 

Round 3, Pick 92: Cory Trice Jr., CB, Purdue

Purdue's Cory Trice (23) scores a defensive touchdown during the second half of the Indiana versus Purdue football game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 26, 2022. Iu Pu 2h Trice Td
© Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK

Trice is an intriguing prospect because he has great size (6-3, 206), tested well during the pre-draft process and could go earlier than his mid-round projection.

He moves well for his size and would give Lou Anarumo a young cornerback to work with this season. Trice led Purdue with 10 passes defensed, 34 tackles (two for loss) and two interceptions last season. 

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Round 4, Pick 131: Isreal Abanikanda, RB, Pittsburgh 

Abanikanda gets picked by the Bengals in a second-straight mock. He was productive at a young age and like Tuipulotu, is still just 20-years-old. 

He is one of the most exciting players in the draft. He ran a 4.39 second 40-yard dash at Pittsburgh's Pro Day.

Abanikanda topped the 100-yard rushing mark in nine of 11 games last season and scored 20 touchdowns on the ground.

He's young, productive and has elite speed for his size. He's exactly what the Bengals should be looking for at running back. 

Round 5, Pick 163: Keaton Mitchell, RB, East Carolina

Vasha Hunt-USA TODAY Sports

While Abanikanda has home run speed, the Bengals add a proven pass catching back in an attempt to completely remake their backfield. 

Mitchell compiled 3,067 yards from scrimmage and 25 touchdowns over the past two seasons. He led the FBS with 54 runs of 10 yards or more last season. He could be a perfect compliment to Abanikanda. 

The Bengals met with Mitchell and some may question a double dip at the running back position, but their offense would be much more dynamic with two young, dynamic players in the backfield. 

Round 6, Pick 206: Carrington Valentine, CB, Kentucky

Valentine attended Moeller High School in Cincinnati, before spending the past three seasons at the University of Kentucky. 

He ran a 4.44 40-yard dash and would give the Bengals a second young cornerback to develop for the future. 

Valentine had 48 tackles (1.5 for loss), 10 passes defensed and one interception last season.

Round 7, Pick 246: Desjuan Johnson, DT, Toledo

Johnson impressed teams at the East-West Shrine Game after racking up 65 tackles (16.5 for loss), 5.5 sacks and one interception last season for the Rockets. 

He doesn't have great size at 6-2, 285 pounds, but he's worth taking a flier on at this point in the draft. 

Johnson could develop into a nice rotational piece in the Bengals' defensive line room. 

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James Rapien
JAMES RAPIEN

James Rapien is the publisher of Bengals On SI. He's also the host of the Locked on Bengals podcast and Cincinnati Bengals Talk on YouTube. The Cincinnati native also wrote a book about the history of the Cincinnati Bengals called Enter The Jungle. Prior to joining Bengals On SI, Rapien worked at 700 WLW and ESPN 1530 in Cincinnati

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