Positions, players the Bengals could target in Rounds 2-3 tonight

The Bengals also have the 14th pick in the second round (No. 46 overall), and if they elect to go with back-to-back offensive lineman, as they did in 2015 with tackles Cedric Ogbuehi and Jake Fisher, Texas’ Connor Williams could be a target.

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Williams is one of the top tackles remaining, but at 6-foot-5 some scouts project him as a better fit at guard. It’s doubtful he will last until the third round.

Third-roud possibilities include TCU’s Joseph Notebloom and North Carolina State’s Will Richardson.

Or if the Bengals are looking for a true guard, UTEP’s Will Hernandez — projected by many as a first-rounder — is still available. Auburn’s Braden Smith and Nevada’s Austin Corbett also could be targets.

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Outside of the offensive line, the most likely position the Bengals will target tonight would be tight end with Tyler Eifert, Tyler Kroft and C.J. Uzomah all scheduled to be unrestricted free agents in 2019.

Among the top remaining tight ends are South Dakota State’s Dallas Goedert, Penn State’s Mike Gesicki and Oklahoma’s Mark Andrews.

Defensively, the Bengals could use help across the board. They’ve targeted linebackers in the third round twice in the last three drafts, and it’s a position where they are thin, especially with Vontaze Burfict suspended for the first four games.

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There are more than a handful of linebackers available with second- or third-round grades.

Safety also could be in play. Even though the Bengals return both starters in Shawn Williams and George Iloka, new coordinator Teryl Austin wants to run more three-safety sets and bolster the depth at the position overall.

Stanford’s Justin Reid, Alabama’s Ronnie Harrison and Wake Forest’s Jessie Bates III are names to watch.

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An interesting name to keep track off tonight is Michigan defensive tackle Maurice Hurst, who many regard as a first-round talent. Hurst was unable to work out at the Combine due to a heart issue, but he was medically cleared for his pro day.

He’s a high risk, high reward proposition at a position the Bengals are expected to target either tonight or early Saturday.