Bengals' Top 2023 NFL Draft Targets

The Cincinnati Bengals head into the 2023 NFL draft with a roster that should once again compete for an AFC championship.

There's no doubt about it, general manager Duke Tobin has built a contender around Joe Burrow, and his drafting prowess should get a lot of the credit.

There have been some great free-agent finds that have pushed this team to the next level. Trey Hendrickson, D.J. Reader and Chidobe Awuzie have been strong free-agent additions. But the core that includes Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins is mostly made of homegrown talents.

With a team on the cusp of playing in another Super Bowl, they must continue to hit on draft picks. Once Burrow goes beyond his rookie contract it will be the most efficient way for the Bengals to improve their roster every year.

That starts with the 28th pick on Thursday night unless they trade up or down the board before then. Here's a look at three of the top targets they should have assuming they stay put.

TE Michael Mayer, Notre Dame

G Fiume/Getty Images

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - NOVEMBER 12: Michael Mayer #87 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish runs with the ball after making a catch against the Navy Midshipmen at M&T Bank Stadium on November 12, 2022 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)

Scouting Report

The Bengals have made tight ends a lot of money over the past two years. C.J. Uzomah and Hayden Hurst have both used the starting tight end gig in Cincinnati to get paid by other organizations as free agents.

The team could stop that revolving door if they draft Michael Mayer in the first round.

You can tell a lot about a tight end prospect from their market share in their college offense. For the most part, even the best tight ends tend to be secondary targets. That's not the case with Mayer. He had more than double the catches and yards of anyone else on the Irish roster (67 receptions, 809 yards and nine touchdowns).

Notre Dame went to him early and often.

Mayer is not a fast tight end who is going to be able to stretch the seams. He doesn't have elite athletic testing, and he ran a 4.7 in the 40-yard dash. But he is a dominant receiver in the middle of the field who excels at finding the soft spots in zone coverage.

Once he has the ball in his hands, he's a physical runner and a load to bring down.

Now, imagine that skill set with Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins on the outside. Those two create a lot of space that Mayer can take advantage of.

It's rocket fuel for an offense that is already plenty explosive.

OT Anton Harrison, Oklahoma

AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall

Oklahoma offensive lineman Anton Harrison (71) gets set for a play during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Iowa State, Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022, in Ames, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Scouting Report

The Bengals are going to have to figure out their situation with Jonah Williams. After signing Orlando Brown Jr. in free agency, he will have to move to right tackle, but Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reported Williams requested a trade right after the signing.

Ultimately, Williams doesn't have a ton of leverage if he wants to push the envelope. He has one year left on his rookie deal and is set to make $12.6 million. The wisdom of sitting out or prolonging things in a contract year is questionable.

However, if the Bengals feel like honoring his request, it would make sense for them to target their future right tackle in the first round.

Darnell Wright would be a trade-up candidate, but Anton Harrison should be a consideration if they take a wait-and-see approach. He's the fourth-ranked tackle on B/R's big board and made a start at right tackle in addition to his 11 starts at left tackle for Oklahoma last year.

Harrison is a young prospect. He'll only be 21 years old throughout his rookie season, which means his 6'4", 315-pound frame is likely not a finished product.

So even if the Bengals are just preparing for life without Jonah Williams, they could keep him around for a year while Harrison develops, and he would still be just 22 years old as a second-year player and first-year starter.

DL Adetomiwa Adebawore, Northwestern

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MOBILE, AL - FEBRUARY 01: National defensive lineman Adetomiwa Adebawore of Northwestern (99)during the Reese's Senior Bowl National team practice session on February 1, 2023 at Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile, Alabama. (Photo by Michael Wade/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Scouting Report

Adetomiwa Adebawore ran a 4.49 40-yard dash at 282 pounds. It takes a second to just wrap one's head around that number.

At 6'1" and 282 pounds, he's a bit of a tweener. He's small for a defensive tackle but stout and heavy for a true edge defender. Either way, he's an incredible athlete. He posted a 37.5" vertical and 10'5" broad jump showing off the explosiveness to go with excellent agilities and a relative athletic score of 9.72 as a defensive tackle.

Adebawore is small but plays with good strength against the run. His best role is going to be as a slashing 3-technique who can get after the passer and cause havoc on stunts.

However, he's going to have the alignment flexibility to bump out to defensive end on run downs. In short, he's a versatile weapon who defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo can have fun with.

Trey Hendrickson and Sam Hubbard led the way with eight and 6.5 sacks respectively. The unit could use some added pop and Adebawore's dynamic skill set would make for an interesting addition.