Thank goodness, we're just about there.



A full day remains before the 2023 NFL Draft begins, but the Cincinnati Bengals will have to wait about three hours after Roger Goodell first emerges from his basement to announce the first pick.

Trading up in the first round is not in the Bengals' DNA, especially in a draft class that's been scrutinized more than most in recent memory. They'll watch as the first 27 players go off the board, hoping one of their favorites falls right to them.

Once the first round is history, every team's big board will look vastly different from one another. This leads to "reaches" and "steals" when looking at the consensus board. It is an inevitability no matter what team you focus on; they will get someone of great value, or take him way too early compared to where the public believes he should go.

It's an aspect most mock drafts fail to incorporate. But Bengals fans are very familiar with both sides of the spectrum. For every Tee Higgins and Jessie Bates III, there's a Drew Sample and Jackson Carman. At least one pick will take fans by surprise, positively or negatively.

What we can expect from the Bengals are high-character players who fit their preferred size and production thresholds. Director of player personnel Duke Tobin and head coach Zac Taylor are on the same page in finding players who love ball and buy in to their coaching and culture. 

Let's try to predict the next group of Bengals, one last time.

Final Bengals 7-Round Mock Draft

First Round, Pick No. 28: Myles Murphy, Edge Defender, Clemson

A cornerback will be targeted here, specifically Emmanuel Forbes, but there’s a high chance he won’t be here. Five cornerbacks usually go anywhere in the first round. This year, it’ll likely be the first 25 picks. 

That will lead to potential fallers at another deep position, like defensive line. A minimum of four are expected to go in the first 20 picks. No one would be surprised if Murphy joins that group, but a few solid players slide out of happenstance every single year, especially in an underwhelming overall class. 

But the Bengals haven't drafted first-round defensive linemen in over 20 years? Draft trends go out the window this late in the order. They took a safety, Dax Hill, last year 31st overall after going 30+ years without using a first-round pick on that position. They were heavily rumored to draft edge player George Karlaftis had he slid to them instead. 

The Bengals will draft an edge like Murphy, a former five-star recruit who fits their type perfectly, if it suits them.  

TRADE: Third Round, Pick No. 65: Roschon Johnson, Running Back, Texas

TRADE DETAILS

Cincinnati Bengals receive picks No. 65, 188

Houston Texans receive pick No. 60

Yes, it feels early. Remember: Expect surprises.

Going back to 2017, the Bengals have only not traded in the second round once, when they selected Tee Higgins at the top of the round. This trade would take them out of the round entirely as they recoup a sixth-round pick from the Texans, who own a league-high 12 selections this year. A sixth is what it cost Cincinnati to move up from 63 to 60 last year to get Cam Taylor-Britt.

For what we think we know, Johnson fits what the Bengals are looking for in a running back to either compliment Joe Mixon, or a new running back entirely. Size, power, pass catching, and pass blocking all come standard with the former team captain and backup to Bijan Robinson. 

Johnson could be in their top five at the position, and may not even make it to their 92nd pick in the third. Trading back a few spots to land him while getting another pick in the process fits their history.

Third Round, Pick No. 92: Jakorian Bennett, Cornerback, Maryland

If the Bengals want a cornerback early, it’s hard to see them not landing one before Day 3. What kind of corner are they looking for? Probably one similar to Cam Taylor-Britt. 

Bennett carries almost identical size, speed, explosion, and eagerness to force fumbles as last year's second-round pick, but with even better production in coverage. He led all Power 5 players in passes defensed (29) over the last two seasons, the only two he's had starting for Maryland after transferring from a community college. His journey from being given zero stars as a recruit has fueled him to the be the ferocious player he is now. 

Lou Anarumo's defense has been built with players counted out at previous stops. Bennett would be another hungry cog in the machine, looking to prove past doubters wrong.

Fourth Round, Pick No. 131: Kayshon Boutte, Wide Receiver, LSU

Call me a hypocrite; I would too off first glance. Boutte doesn’t fit the descriptor of high-character player, as his clashes with coaching is arguably the biggest negative in his profile. He may not fit within the Bengals’ locker room culture. 

And yet, there's enough logic behind this. 

The Bengals didn't draft a receiver last year, so they're very due to take one this time around. Nearly every receiver they target in the draft is on the younger side, had notable production early in college, and isn't a notable outlier in terms of size. Boutte had his best season at LSU as a freshman, and will still be 20 years old this weekend. He also comes in with ample slot experience, making him a candidate to replace Tyler Boyd in a year's time. 

The former five-star recruit could be straightened out with LSU alums Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase being around him.  

Fifth Round, Pick No. 163: Davis Allen, Tight End, Clemson

Finally, a tight end.

Everything I've heard over the past week or so tells me the Bengals won't reach at this position despite the need for a long-term option. That doesn't mean they'll wait this long, but in a deep class, they might be able to get away with it.

The question with Allen is if his 4.84 40-yard dash time will hurt him, because everything else looks good on his profile. The senior captain dropped just three passes in his career, and is one of the best natural receivers in this class of tight ends. 

The NFL is bad at evaluating tight ends out of college. Allen’s lack of ideal size and speed could make him a prime value option.  

Sixth Round, Pick No. 188: Evan Hull, Running Back, Northwestern

The pick received for trading out of the second round is another running back. 

Hull should've gotten a lot more attention from Bengals media over the past few weeks. No other running back in this class had more receptions (55) than him in 2022, and his low center of gravity running style will translate well. 

His coaches also called him the "Energizer bunny" for his constant effort in practice, per Dan Brugler's The Beast. That'll fit well with Cincinnati as they look to rebuild the running back room for the future.

Sixth Round, Pick No. 206: Nick Broeker, Guard, Ole Miss

Broeker is projected to go in the fifth round, but a generally bad offensive line class will naturally push most guys down come draft time. 

A left tackle during his first three years at Ole Miss, Broeker moved to left guard in 2022 and thrived. Making that transition is just one reason why he was voted a team captain. The interior is where he'll play in the NFL with his 32 1/2" arms.

His undesirable measurables and athleticism will cap his ceiling, but his high work ethic and playing experience can help him become a serviceable spot starter at guard. It makes sense why the team met virtually with him this offseason.

Seventh Round, Pick No. 249: Desjaun Johnson, Interior Defender, Toledo

Coined the “Day 3 Calijah Kancey” in this year’s crop of defensive tackles by CBS Sports’ Chris Trapasso, Johnson does bring plenty of burst to a B-gap near you. He racked up 29 tackles for loss and 10 sacks to go with 135 total tackles in the last two years.

He's only 285 pounds and has sub 32" arms, but the tape is promising to use a late seventh-round pick at him. He's a likely UDFA target for if he goes undrafted, as the team has met with him multiple times in the last few months.