6 offensive linemen Bengals must target on Day 2 of 2023 NFL Draft
4. Cody Mauch
Why not add another North Dakota State tackle in the draft with the intent to turn him into a guard? After all, it seemingly worked for the Bengals last year when they added Volson in the fourth round and he won the starting left guard job.
Mauch received high marks during his final season at North Dakota State and actually finished the year as the highest-graded tackle out of 610 eligible options. He likely wouldn't be playing tackle in the NFL and the level of competition would be higher but Volson was faced with those same things and it worked out for him.
Obviously they're two different players but there's a lot of upside with Mauch. He could play guard or also be a swing tackle in the pros. Maybe he could even be an option at right tackle if Jonah Williams is traded.
Cody Mauch is a OT prospect in the 2023 draft class. He scored a 9.33 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 87 out of 1293 OT from 1987 to 2023. https://t.co/3niwalYeol pic.twitter.com/47QM8l9EO6
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) April 19, 2023
3. Matthew Bergeron
What Matthew Bergeron could offer to the Bengals or whichever team takes him in the 2023 NFL Draft is versatility. He played both tackle spots during his time at Syracuse but could be a candidate to be kicked inside to guard in the pros.
The Bengals need depth behind Orlando Brown Jr. and the right tackle spot is still a mystery as we don't know what will happen with Jonah Williams. Bergeron graded highly as a tackle by PFF but The Draft Network notes that he could either be a developmental tackle or appealing as a guard option.
Cincinnati needs depth at both tackle and guard so why not go for Bergeron if he's on the board when the Bengals pick in round two?