Bengals make a surprising selection in Pro Football Network mock draft

No Cincinnati Bengals fan is really thinking about the 2023 NFL Draft right now and for good reason. The team is humming with a 10-4 record and hoping to move to 11-4 after a Christmas Eve tilt with the Patriots.

For those who are more interested in the 2023 NFL Draft and what it could bring, however, it's always fun to look at different mock drafts floating around.

In a recent mock draft from Ian Cummings of Pro Football Network, the Bengals spend their late first-round pick on Ruke Orhorhoro, a defensive lineman out of Clemson.

"We have at least one surprise every year, and Orhorhoro could be an underrated candidate. He’s a young, versatile, high-motor interior defender with elite explosiveness at 6’4″, 303 pounds."

- Ian Cummings

Bengals select Ruke Orhorhoro in mock draft

Through 12 games this season, Orhorhoro has totaled 22 tackles, 7.0 tackles for loss, and 3.0 sacks along with five defended passes and one recovered fumble. He's a massive human being, as Cummings mentioned in his writeup, and would be a welcomed addition to the Bengals defense.

Orhorhoro is good against both the run (75.8) and the pass (74.8) and PFF graded him out overall at 77.9, which shows how versatile he is. That's something this defense covets.

The Bengals won't lose any of their defensive linemen to free agency so some people might not agree with this pick but think of it this way -- The team has been able to remain competitive this year even with more injuries than a season ago. That's because of the depth the Bengals have stockpiled in recent years. Orhorhoro would be a major depth piece for Cincinnati.

Again, this might not be looked at as a sexy pick but the Bengals don't have any major weaknesses so they can afford to go with the best player available in the draft. Ruke Orhorhoro might just be that when they're on the clock.