Bengals Select Tight Ends Darnell Washington, Dalton Kincaid In Latest Major Mock Drafts

Cincinnati is plowing towards another AFC title this weekend.

Author:
Russ Heltman
Publish date:
Jan 25, 2023 4:30 PM EST

In this story:

CINCINNATI — NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah recently released his first 2023 mock draft and has the Bengals selecting Georgia tight end Darnell Washington with the 28th pick in the first round.

"Washington can function as a sixth offensive lineman in the run game, regularly using his massive frame (6-7, 270) to dominate at the point of attack," Jeremiah wrote. "The two-time national champion is still growing and developing in the passing game, though."

Tight end is a position of need, given Hayden Hurst's one-year deal, but the veteran could easily come back next season as he continues to impact the offense.

Washington caught 28 passes for 454 yards and 2 TDs as a national-champion Bulldog last season.

ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. also has Cincinnati taking a tight end at No. 28, Utah's Dalton Kincaid.

"Hayden Hurst had a decent bounce-back season after signing in Cincinnati, but he's hitting the free agent market again this offseason," Kiper wrote. "The Bengals need to find a long-term tight end target for quarterback Joe Burrow. Even with Hurst, the offense ranked 29th in receiving yards by tight ends (556). Adding a big red-zone target is a way for it to level up.

"Both Kincaid and Luke Musgrave (Oregon State) have a chance to be Round 1 picks, and I wouldn't be surprised if a few teams preferred one of them over Michael Mayer (Notre Dame) as the top-ranked tight end in this class. Kincaid had 16 touchdowns over the past two seasons, while Musgrave was in line for a breakout before he suffered a knee injury in October that prematurely ended his season. Kincaid has more speed, but Musgrave's size (6-6, 250 pounds) and upside intrigues NFL scouts. Cincinnati would upgrade with either player here."

Another offensive line or cornerback piece probably ranks above tight end on the Bengals needs, but it's all about how the board falls this coming April.

Cincinnati fights Kansas City for a spot in the Super Bowl this Sunday at 6:30 p.m. ET on CBS. The game is available via fuboTV—start your free trial here.

For more on the Bengals, watch the video below and subscribe to our YouTube Channel. Get Your Bengals Tickets From SI Tickets HERE.

Make sure you bookmark All Bengals for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

You May Also Like:

Tee Higgins On Joe Burrow: 'It's Good To Have A Quarterback Who Can Come Out In The Snow And Sling It'

Five Takeaways From the Cincinnati Bengals' Dominating Win Over the Buffalo Bills

Bengals Head Coach Zac Taylor Offers Minor Injury Updates on Alex Cappa and Jonah Williams

Joe Mixon Offers Up Huge Praise For Bengals' Offensive Line Following 27-10 Win Over Bills

NFL Announces Ron Torbert As AFC Championship Game Referee

ESPN Analyst Dan Orlovsky: 'Joe Burrow's The Best Quarterback In Football'

Bengal Bets: Top Picks For Divisional Round Meeting Against Buffalo

Ja'Marr Chase Opens Up About Future In Cincinnati, Status Among NFL's Top Receivers

Bengals Film Breakdown: Four Pivotal Matchups In Divisional Round Showdown With Bills