5 players Cincinnati Bengals should pick in the 2023 NFL Draft

Take a look at the 5 prospects that the Cincinnati Bengals should really go for in this NFL draft.

5 players Cincinnati Bengals should pick in the 2023 NFL Draft

Bijan Robinson (Image via Bleacher Report)

The Cincinnati Bengals had a great year in the NFL last season and will look to improve on that in 2023. With the draft just around the corner, they will look to maximize that opportunity and actually pick decent players who can be there for the future.

The Bengals have been known to build their team around draft picks. They rarely rely on trades and free agency. This was pretty evident when their current high-impact players like Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase have all been drafted by the Bengals.

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However, all of their star players are up for a new contract therefore, it will be highly important that they make the most of this NFL draft. They will have little to no money left to make trades this season. The Bengals have 7 picks in this year’s draft. Sadly, they have been pushed to the number 28 overall in the first round.

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The Cincinnati-based team is a strong contender for the Super Bowl this season. Below, we have listed down 5 possible draft choices that the Bengals can take to keep their Super Bowl hopes alive.

Related: Did Roman Reigns ever play college football?

1. Bijan Robinson (RB)

Bijan Robinson
Bijan Robinson (image via Texas Monthly)

Bijan Robinson is regarded as a once-in-a-generation talent for his position. The RB has been one of the best in his position in college football and will be looking to replicate that in the NFL as well. However, the Bengals will have to hope that he gets pushed down in the latter numbers of the draft so they can pick him up.

Robinson played for the Texas Longhorns and immediately made an impact in his first season there. In 2020. He rushed for 703 yards and four touchdowns on 86 carries and also caught 15 passes for 196 yards and two touchdowns.

2. Michael Mayer (TE)

Michael Mayer
Michael Mayer (Image via Yahoo Sports)

The Notre Dame alumni Michael Mayer is a solid TE that offers lots of potential and can even perform like the Kelce‘s and the Gronkowski’s of the NFL. However, he has one big issue, his athleticism is his biggest question mark.

Although there are no gaps in his game, the Bengals aren’t comfortable enough with his athletic abilities. On the other hand, his performance during the combine was phenomenal and maybe the Cincinnati-based team will gamble on Mayer as they lack numbers in that position.

3. Keelee Ringo (CB)

Keelee Ringo
Keelee Ringo (Image via Bleacher Report)

The Bengals need a quality CB immediately if they want to go past the AFC championship and eventually challenge for the NFL Super Bowl. Keelee Ringo was a top-10 projected pick in the draft at the start of the year. Ringo played for the Georgia Bulldogs. He has excellent speed, agility, and ball skills that make him a standout defender in the market.

However, his form started to falter a bit and his weaknesses were exposed. Regardless, if the Bengals can work on his development, then he can turn out to be one of the most explosive CBs in the league next season.

4. Deonte Banks (CB)

Deonte Banks
Deonte Banks (Image via Yahoo Finance)

Another CB on the list, this time from the University of Maryland. Deonte Banks is probably the backup option for the Bengals if they fail to capture Keelee Ringo in the NFL draft. The team will probably draft either of these two CBs, as they really need one.

Banks is extremely strong and has decent enough speed for a CB. However, the team will have to work hard on his development and nurture him into the player they are looking for. The young CB offers a lot of potential and can be a key player for the team in the years to come if he gets drafted by them.

5. Darnell Wright (OT)

Darnell Wright
(Image via Rams Wire)

Darnell Wright is someone that the Cincinnati Bengals will be working very hard to draft. Wright plays for the Tennessee Volunteers and is considered as one of the top OT prospects in the entire country.

The competition to get him will be very tough as many other teams will be eyeing for him. What makes him even more important for the Bengals is that the team clearly needs a quality OT who can fit immediately into the team. Wright is that man and his performance during the Combine will have solidified the Bengals’ confidence in drafting him.

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