Bengals Bolster Trenches, Double Dip at Key Position in Mock Draft 1.0

The 2023 NFL Draft starts on Thursday, April 27.

CINCINNATI — The NFL Draft is just 24 days away, which means it's time for our first mock draft of the offseason. 

The Bengals have the 28th overall pick and seven total selections. There's time to make trades, but for the sake of our first mock draft, I kept it simple and to the point. 

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

Cincinnati bolsters the trenches, waits on a key need and double dips in another weak area in mock draft 1.0. Check out all seven rounds below. 

Round 1, Pick 28: Calijah Kancey, DT, Pittsburgh

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Kancey was a no-brainer pick at this point in the draft. Guys like Michael Mayer, Anton Harrison, Darnell Wright, Dalton Kincaid and Bijan Robinson were already taken. 

The 22-year-old is an explosive interior pass rusher that fills an immediate need for Cincinnati, but also gives them a young defensive lineman to build around moving forward. 

Kancey had 14.5 sacks and 27.5 tackles for loss in two seasons as a starter. Some will compare him to Aaron Donald due to his size, explosion and the fact that he went to Pittsburgh. 

Those comparisons are unfair, but Kancey would have a real chance to make an immediate impact as a rookie alongside DJ Reader, B.J. Hill, Trey Hendrickson and Sam Hubbard.

Calijah Kancey is a DT prospect in the 2023 draft class. He scored an unofficial 9.59 RAS out of a possible 10.00 after his pro day. This ranked 64 out of 1546 DT from 1987 to 2023. https://t.co/dcq1CsV4Ty #RAS pic.twitter.com/rDcFOyvr7m

— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) March 30, 2023

Round 2, Pick 60: Matthew Bergeron, OT, Syracuse

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The Bengals expect to have Jonah Williams at right tackle this season, but adding Bergeron to the offensive line room gives them a potential long-term solution. 

NFL evaluators believe he has work to do as a pass protector, but he's a quality run blocker and could offer Cincinnati some position flexibility in the future. 

Bergeron could serve as the backup right tackle to Williams and/or La'el Collins this season, with a chance to take over as the starter in 2024. 

Round 3, Pick 92: Garrett Williams, CB, Syracuse

Williams is recovering from a torn ACL, which means he could get picked anywhere from round three to round five. 

Taking him at this spot has as much to do with the depth left at running back and the fact that there weren't any obvious tight end options remaining. 

NFL Draft evaluators believe Williams is a true outside corner and Pro Football Focus' Mike Renner believes he's a day two pick. 

"What Williams has is uncoachable," Renner wrote. "He's a top-five corner in the class on mirroring ability alone. The rest is a work in progress." 

Williams already has the physical skills to matchup against most wide receivers in man coverage. Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo could help turn him into a long-term option at cornerback. 

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

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Abanikanda would be a home run pick in the fourth round. He's just 20-years-old and is one of the most exciting players in the draft. He ran a 4.39 second 40-yard dash at Pittsburgh's Pro Day. 

He 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. Abanikanda is exactly what the Bengals should be looking for at running back. 

Round 5, Pick 163: Josh Whyle, TE, Cincinnati

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The Bengals wait on one of their biggest needs in this mock, but finally address tight end in round five. 

Whyle is athletic, has good ball skills and is a willing blocker. The Bengals passed on former Bearcats tight end Travis Kelce in the draft 10 years ago. No one should expect Whyle to be the next Kelce, but he has a chance to become a quality starter in the NFL. 

Round 6, Pick 206: Eric Gray, RB, Oklahoma

The Bengals love to double dip at positions of need and the two most obvious candidates in this year's draft are tight end and running back. 

The board didn't fall the way I expected at tight end, but it allowed me to add another back with tremendous potential. 

Gray has great hands out of the backfield and is a willing pass blocker. He ran for 1,366 yards and 11 touchdowns last season. He also had 229 receiving yards. 

Gray doesn't have game changing speed like Abanikanda, but the duo could compliment each other well in the NFL. 

Round 7, Pick 246: Michael Turk, P, Oklahoma

The Bengals' special teams unit struggled as a group last season and punter was arguably their weakest spot. Turk has a huge leg and would give Darrin Simmons a young, top talent to work with in 2023 and beyond.  

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