Mark Walton could start for Cincinnati Bengals in 2018

Former Miami Hurricanes running back Mark Walton has been selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the fourth round with the 112th overall pick.

Mark Walton joins a Bengals running game that was in the bottom four in the NFL last season in attempts, yards, touchdowns and yards per attempt in 2017. Walton will compete with holdovers Giovani Bernard and Joe Mixon for carries in 2018.

Jeremy Hill who led the Bengals in rushing from 2014-16 signed with New England in the offseason. He played in only seven games for Cincinnati last season.

Walton will have an excellent chance to start for the Bengals this fall. Bernard and Mixon both struggled in 2017. Mixon was lauded as a first round talent who fell into the second round in 2017 because of legal trouble. He didn’t even perform like a second round pick as a rookie last season.

Mixon ran for 626 yards and four touchdowns last season but averaged only 3.5 yards per carry. The former Oklahoma star did add 30 receptions for 287 yards.

Bernard played collegiately at North Carolina and attended legendary St. Thomas Aquinas in Fort Lauderdale. He had the worst averages per game of his NFL career last season.

After an injury-riddled 2016, Bernard ran for 458 yards and two touchdowns last season. He added 43 receptions for 389 yards and another pair of touchdowns.