Bengals 7-round mock draft: Cincinnati adds left tackle of the future

Round 2: Pick 48 - Jaylon Jones, CB (Texas A&M)

"For a bigger corner, Jones is an explosive athlete that isn’t lacking anything physically. Jones has excellent length and it shows in his ability to tackle outside his frame and how he uses it to close on the football in the air. "

- Joe Marino, The Draft Network

Eli Apple is slated to be a free agent this offseason and Chidobe Awuzie will still be working to get back from his ACL injury that is going to sideline him for the rest of the 2022 season. That's why it could make sense for Cincinnati to add a cornerback early in the draft.

Jones hasn't even celebrated his 21st birthday yet so he's a young prospect who the Bengals could add to their young and revamped secondary. He's tallied 28 tackles and two defended passes this year for the Aggies.

Round 3: Pick 81 - Luke Musgrave, TE (Oregon State)

"On tape, I saw a pass-catcher with secure, soft, and reliable hands. He does a good job tracking and attacking the ball at its highest points. As a playside run blocker, Musgrave is willing and competes. He will use a defender’s momentum to wall or seal them off."

- Damian Parson, The Draft Network

With Hayden Hurst only signed for this year and Drew Sample also hitting free agency, the Bengals will be in the market for a tight end this offseason. I'd be fine with them re-signing Hurst but he might be a hot commodity in free agency in the spring.

Either way, the Bengals should look to draft a tight end. Luke Musgrave only played in two games for Oregon State this year before getting injured but the talent is absolutely there. He compiled 11 catches for 169 yards and one touchdown in those two games while averaging 15 yards per catch so clearly, he was onto something big. Nick Daschel of Oregon Live noted that while Musgrave hasn't played much this year, the NFL is aware of what he can do.

Musgrave would give Joe Burrow the kind of tight end threat he'd love to have in his offense.