The Cincinnati Bengals rookies from the 2023 NFL Draft have the potential to be incredibly impactful. Will they be as impactful as the Kansas City Chiefs 2022 class? Only time will tell, though that is a high bar to clear.
With the Bengals Super Bowl window wide open and the prospect of large contracts on the horizon, Cincinnati must draft well. Dynasties are forged and maintained by supplanting aging, expensive veterans with young, cheap talent. The bill is about to come due. No matter how good Joe Burrow and the other playmakers are, if the Bengals flop at drafting, we could be looking at a Dan Marino-type of career out of their franchise quarterback and not a Tom Brady-type. Okay, maybe not Brady, but Peyton Manning?
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Either way, that window is open for the entire time Burrow is in stripes. They must have impactful rookies in order to maximize that window.
Here, we will take a look at the Bengals rookie draft class and rank them based on the possibility that they make an impact. This is the second half and you can find part one here.
Ranking the Potential Impact of the 2023 Cincinnati Bengals Rookies (Part 2)
4. Chase Brown, Running Back
Behind Joe Mixon, there is a vacuum of opportunity with Samaje Perine gone. Treyveon Williams and Chris Evans have each had opportunities to make their presence known but neither has been able to do anything to warrant fewer carries for Mixon. Enter yet another Big Ten statistical leader, Chase Brown.
As the lead back for Illinois in 2022, Brown ran the ball a whopping 328 times for 1,643 yards and 10 touchdowns. He’s been a workhorse for the Illini over the last three seasons where he’s amassed 602 rushing attempts.
The fun thing about Brown is that he’s experienced and mature enough as a back that if Mixon were to find his way off the team because he doesn’t want a pay cut, Brown would end up as the biggest impact of the Bengals rookies. As of now, Mixon is still on the team and expected to be part of the offense, according to offensive coordinator, Brian Callahan.
When given the opportunity, Brown can make a splash. He has serious speed that seems even faster while the play is happening. He has great vision and anticipation for how the play will develop. Brown very well could step into the Perine role because he’s a better-than-expected receiver out of the backfield and a willing blocker.
3. Myles Murphy, EDGE
Realistically, each of the top four Bengals rookies could make a big impact. The Bengals might have drafted incredibly well and it all starts with Myles Murphy off of the edge.
Last year — and, for that matter, the last few years — the Bengals struggled to sack the quarterback. They finished with just 30 which was third-worst in the league. Lo and behold, an athletic, bendy freak of nature fell to them at 28 and they could not pass it up.
Hendrickson needs a Robin to his Batman when it comes to pass rushing. Sam Hubbard is a tough dude who is one of the best run-defending EDGEs but he’s not a pass-rushing specialist. Murphy is. Joseph Ossai needs to step up to make the pass-rushing rotation better. However, adding Murphy is good enough to make a splash early.
The Bengals could have done a whole lot worse in providing depth. It was obvious when Hendrickson was hurt, held, or otherwise. Cincinnati could not quite get it done despite getting pressure on 41% of third and fourth downs. Murphy can help with that.
Murphy is considered smart, relentless, and an immediate factor in the defensive line rotation. With all of the top-end quarterbacks on the schedule, they’ll need all of the pass-rushing help they can get.
2. DJ Turner, Corner
On paper, it doesn’t seem like a corner could break through the trio of Awuzie, Taylor-Britt, and Hilton. However, the speed, playmaking ability, and overall skill will make it difficult to keep DJ Turner off the field.
You can’t teach speed but if anyone was going to give lessons, Turner and his 4.26 speed would earn tenure at the local university.
As is the case with pass rushers, you can’t have too many corners. Turner is adept at all kinds of coverages and is not a guy who will be left looking bamboozled. He regularly looked good against top competition like Jayden Reed and Quinten Johnston. Against who some (myself included) believe to be WR1 and top-five pick in next year’s draft, Marvin Harrison, Jr., Turner was air-tight. The two matched up 10 times in the game. Harrison was targeted twice and he hauled in just one reception for 26 yards. However, the coverage was great: the pair was hand-fighting and C.J. Stroud placed the ball where only Harrison could hope to get it.
JuanDrago, as he is legally named, can line it up with just about anyone. It will be incredibly difficult to keep him off of the field.
1. Jordan Battle, Safety
Finally, Jordan Battle. Of all of the Bengals rookies, this pick was a bit of a surprise. Sure, Von Bell and Jessie Bates left, but Cincinnati signed Nick Scott and will move last year’s first-round pick, Dax Hill, back to his natural position. Not to mention the fact that they still have Tycen Anderson in the wings, who missed all of last year with an injury.
The thing about having a good roster is that no matter what, you have to take the best player available. At the tail end of the third round, Alabama’s Battle fell to them and the Bengals did not hesitate.
At the time of the selection, many Bengals fans felt bewildered. With players like Dawand Jones, Broderick Jones, Keelee Ringo, or even Adetomiwa Adebawore still on the board, it was justified. Even then, thus far through the process, Battle has been impressing coaches. They love his proclivity for competition and winning and believe he is a perfect culture fit.
Battle often finds himself in the best position to make a play. He has positional flexibility, able to play either role vacated by Bell and Bates as they departed. His ability to play everywhere, including in the box where he says he loves, will be a major reason he is rotated in early and often.
There is a non-zero chance that Battle supplants Scott and it’s he and Hill as the two starting safeties for this Bengals team.
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