6 best tight end options for Bengals in 2023 NFL Draft

4. Sam LaPorta

If the Bengals decide to go in a different direction in the first round, Sam LaPorta is someone they could probably nab in the second round. The Iowa product had 58 catches for 657 yards and one touchdown during his final year with the Hawkeyes.

Funny enough, LaPorta's NFL comparison is none other than Hayden Hurst, who spent the 2022 season as the Bengals' tight end. Hurst might not be in Cincinnati anymore but if the Bengals want to get a younger version of him, LaPorta is that guy.

3. Darnell Washington

Darnell Washington could go anywhere from the end of the first round to maybe even the beginning of the third round. The Bengals have been connected to him frequently in the first round and while he'd be a good pick, his strengths are definitely more in the blocking game.

Washington was TE2 at Georgia and still managed to put up impressive numbers though, so it's possible for him to be a decent pass-catcher in the pros. PFF has a second-round grade on Washington so if the Bengals could get him in the second round, that feels like a major win.