The Cincinnati Bengals focused on defensive depth the first two days, but on Day 3 they turned and focused almost solely on offense. To kick off the 2023 NFL Draft, the Bengals took on defenseman Myles Murphy in the first round.
They followed that pick up with cornerback DJ Turner in the second round and safety Jordan Battle in the third.
Day 3 is where value becomes in the eye of the beholder, and the Bengals opted to use their picks to ensure sufficient depth in key skill positions.
Let’s dive into the picks and see how you’d rank the Bengals’ Day 3 picks.
Round 4 (pick 131) – WR Charlie Jones – Purdue Boilermakers
Charlie Jones is a 6-foot wide receiver from Purdue. He also spent time with Iowa and Buffalo. He only really exploded onto the scene in his final season with the Boilermakers, finishing all 13 games with 1,361 yards and 12 touchdowns. He ran a 4.43 40-yard sprint and a 1.51 10-yard split. Lance Zierlein of NFL.com noted that Jones could find success in a “possession-based passing game,” hinting that Jones’ strength will be in running, not necessarily dominating at the line of scrimmage. Jones should thrive on the Bengals offense.
Round 5 (pick 163) – RB Chase Brown – Illinois Fighting Illinois
Chase Brown was an absolute stud at Illinois. The 5-foot-11, 200-pound back has the toughness and power to perform well at the highest level. He had 1,643 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns in his final season at Illinois, adding 240 receiving yards and 3 more touchdowns. Brown could turn into a back three like he was in college and has a good enough run to be an option in the pass-catching game. The Bengals seemed destined to turn back the clock at some point given all the unknowns surrounding Joe Mixon and the Samaje Perine exodus, but will Brown be the answer?
Round 6 (pick 206) – WR Andrei Iosivas – Princeton Tigers
The Bengals adding two wide receivers late in the draft for arguably the best receiving room in the league might stun some, but Iosivas is a high-ceilinged player with a ton of wiggle room. He could also be an immediate option in the special teams. Iosivas scored 9.96 out of 10 in relative athletic scoring, which ranked 14th out of 3,062 receivers over the past 36 years. He’s a monster athlete and should be able to stretch the field for Cincinnati, if nothing else. The 6-foot-3 speedster finished his career sixth in all-time receiving yards for Princeton with 1,909. He heard his name called on draft day, and now the former Athletics standout will have some work to do to consistently see the ground for Cincinnati.
Round 6 (pick 217) – P Brad Robbins – Michigan Wolverines
The Bengals released longtime veteran punter Kevin Huber at the end of 2022, ushering in a new era for the team, and it seems unlikely to be former Ohio State star Drue Chrisman. , who leads this charge. The Bengals took Brad Robbins in the sixth round to be the face of the job, or at least compete with Chrisman. The 6-foot-1 Westerville, OH native is a three-time All-Big Ten winner. He averaged 42.3 yards per punt last season. It was a position the Bengals needed to lock in, and they did just that. But, was it at the right time?
Round 7 (pick 246) – CB DJ Ivey – Miami Hurricanes
With their final pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Bengals returned to strengthen their secondary – adding Miami cornerback DJ Ivey. Ivey is 6-foot-1 and spent five seasons in Miami playing double-digit games in the gloom. He finished last season with 2 interceptions and 38 total tackles. Ivey ranks well in men’s coverage. He was a four star freshman out of high school. With Turner and Battle as well as Ivey, the Bengals will have several new faces in the secondary.
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