Bengals Reacts Results: Fans thinking cornerback in Round 1

The 2023 NFL Draft will finally be here tomorrow, and the Cincinnati Bengals will finally make their selection.

Yesterday, we asked you what position you think the Bengals will draft in Round 1, and the results are in, with 53% of fans thinking the Bengals target the defensive backfield for the second draft in a row.

There has been a lot of smoke around the Bengals and Mississippi State cornerback Emmanuel Forbes, with some, like Joe Goodberry, predicting that Forbes will be the pick, as long as he is there.

Investing in a cornerback isn’t a bad idea. With Chidobe Awuzie coming off a torn ACL and going into a contract year, the team could look to add a young boundary corner to pair with second-year, presumed starter, Cam Taylor-Britt.

There is no guarantee that Awuzie will be himself after the injury, and if he is, he may price himself out of Cincinnati’s market next off-season, with extensions still due to players like Joe Burrow, Tee Higgins, and Logan Wilson.

Tight end comes in at second on the list, which is in line with most of the chatter heading into the draft. Mocks have included the Bengals selecting Notre Dame’s Michael Mayer or Utah’s Dalton Kincaid. The loss of Hayden Hurst was filled with the signing of Irv Smith Jr., but the Bengals could opt for a four to five-year investment instead of continuing with reclamation projects on one year deals.

Running back is an intriguing option, with Joe Mixon’s status still in limbo and some recent talks linking Jahmyr Gibbs to Cincinnati. There is little chance Texas back Bijan Robinson falls to pick 28, so Gibbs would be the only running back that makes sense to go in the first.

How did you vote? Let us know in the comment section!

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