Thursday night, the Cincinnati Bengals will make one of the most important picks in modern franchise history in the opening round.
If done well, it is a pick that will straddle the line between instant impact while reinforcing the team at a premium position for the future. That latter part is critical given the big-money extensions likely about to go to Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.
Over the following six rounds, the Bengals will try to strike that balance again, especially considering how many important names pop up on the team’s list of 38 free agents in 2024.
The championship window is open for the Bengals, but this draft is about furthering those ambitions while trying to find a way to keep that window open as long as possible.
With that theme in mind, here’s our final mock draft before the real thing, using the mock simulator from Pro Football Focus.
Round 1, No. 28: RB Jahmyr Gibbs, Alabama
Fine, so running back isn’t a premium position. But know what is premium? Keeping Joe Burrow healthy and guaranteeing the deep passing game can work with ease. Gibbs does that out of the flats on any down. He’s got elite speed in every direction and a 4.36 40. He dropped two of 105 catchable passes in college, piling up 1,215 yards and eight scores on 103 catches. If the Bengals want to use him in a rotation with Joe Mixon, great. If not, that’s fine too. Gibbs will force defenses to play close or get hurt often and him being a first-rounder means a fifth-year option before worrying about whether to give a running back a massive extension.
Plus, cornerbacks Emmanuel Forbes and Joey Porter Jr. came off the board in the two picks before this one.
Round 2, No. 60: DL Keeanu Benton, Wisconsin
A versatile defensive tackle with experience all over the line, Benton would bolster the trenches behind DJ Reader and B.J. Hill. That’s especially important given the snaps they’ve piled up in recent years and the fact Reader is set to be a free agent.
Round 3, No. 92: CB Cory Trice, Purdue
A 6’3″, 206-pound corner who plays well in press coverage? It’s a dream for Lou Anarumo. Trice has the potential to be the starter on the boundary across from Cam Taylor-Britt for a long time. In 2023, Chidobe Awuzie (health-willing) and CTB will start. But Trice can be key depth and the team could always bring back Eli Apple, too.
Round 4, No. 131: ED Viliami Fehoko, San Jose State
Don’t be shocked at another defender. The Bengals have put a ton of snaps on their starters over the last two years and key guys are becoming free agents. Fehoko has inside-outside versatility and had 66 pressures last season.
Round 5, No. 163: T Braeden Daniels, Utah
With La’el Collins recovering nicely, Jonah Williams possibly still around and Cody Ford, it’s not a big deal to wait on tackle. Daniels is a high-upside player who can rep inside or out, making him another versatile backup with starter potential down the road.
Round 6, No. 206: WR Jalen Moreno-Cropper, Fresno State
Here’s the Tyler Boyd replacement with money going to Chase and Higgins. Moreno-Cropper might need to add some weight (172 pounds) but he might not have an equal in route-running in this class. He’s a long-term fit who could possibly start as a second-year player.
Round 7, No. 246: TE Blake Whiteheart, Wake Forest
Whiteheart is an impressive pass-catcher who will need more weight and strength to hold up as a blocker. Still, not a bad upside-buy this late. The Bengals can wait in an incredibly deep class thanks to the arrival of Irv Smith Jr. and return of Drew Sample.
