HoosierCat

Well, does have an atrocious 25% missed tackle rate, so at least he will fit in with our defense there…

Ugh. Anyhow, here’s the best available: https://www.espn.com/nfl/draft/bestavailable

After yesterday I now dread what they may do today.

It’s Stewart *** damn it. Fuck this team.

Seconded. Get Jihaad now.

Oh thank god Walker gone

I would not have complained. Might be DJ Reader 2. Decent pick. TE Warren to Indy

Wow Booker at 12.

Wasn’t high on Williams so good he goes here

Banks gone damnit

McMillan to Carolina. That helps a bit.

Clowns take Graham.

Fuk the jags, just gave Cleveland a kings ransom.

Looks like the clowns are trading down to 5.

Pretty much where I’m at. Don’t want him at 17.

Internet rumor mill seems pretty quiet. Little bit of chatter about them being set on Nolen if he's there. Kelvin Banks is suddenly a hot ticket for multiple top 10-12 teams, definitely some kind of smoke being pumped out by someone(s). Bengals twitter seems really down on the idea of picking Stewart. If the Bengals do, they're going to hear it. Allegations they like Gray Zabel. I'm sure they do, but not at 17. Lots of trade chatter but the only thing close to confirmed was Jerrah saying the pokes were working on a couple deals.

(stolen from the Bengals subreddit)

Was going to try and estimate when the Bengals will pick but it turns out this guy has already done the work. https://sports.yahoo.com/article/heres-exact-time-approximately-team-093058213.html so in the vicinity of 10:07 tonight.

Final guesses from the talking heads: https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/cincinnati-bengals/news/bengals-nfl-mock-drafts-2025-compare-final-predictions-mel-kiper-jr-dane-brugler-more/f3650b16d64d79a5c4095091 Hobson goes with Pearce: https://www.bengals.com/news/draft-day-final-media-mock-draft-of-2025

Well, that seemed to be the perfect sentiment to kick off the first round thread with, Army! Now, don't screw it up, Bengals! (Oh, who am I kidding, of course they'll screw it up...)

FWIW I skimmed through Lap and Hoard’s podcast on da site earlier today, and Lap, who usually has a good feel for what they’re doing, was weirdly all in on Will Campbell. Obviously he won’t be there at 17 but I have to wonder if it’s not a sign they are seriously huffing OL glue early. Smoke? I dunno, but it’s a data point at least.

Chargers and Lions get the Hall of Fame game. https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/44816997/chargers-lions-meet-2025-pro-football-hall-fame-game

Yeah, he also has Harmon falling out of the first too. Given Duke’s remarks about wanting more picks, tho, I don’t see them trading up. But this would push down some other good DTs and safeties.

Dehner looks at the possibility of a trade down. https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6300582/2025/04/23/cincinnati-bengals-nfl-draft-trade-for-picks/ tl;dr not likely to happen in the first, but very possible in round 2. They have traded down five times (and up once) in the second in the last eight drafts. So just for kicks, I decided to look at how those trades down worked out. In 2017, the dropped from 41 (where they could have had Dalvin Cook) to 48 where they took Mixon. So OK there. They picked up a 4th (128) for their troubles, which became WR Josh Malone, aka, who? So nothing lost, but nothing gained either. In 2018, they dropped from 46 to 54, in return for coming up from 100 to 77. So no extra picks, just a double swap. 54 turned into Jesse Bates, so A+ there, and 77 was Sam Hubbard, another A+ who would probably not have lasted to 100. This easily has to be one of the best draft trades in Bengals history. In 2019, they traded pick 42 for picks 52, 125 and 182. Those turned into Sample, Renell Wren and Trayveon Williams. Not horrible or anything, but nothing to light off fireworks about either. In 2021 they coughed up 38 for 46, 122 and 139. They could have had everyone's favorite FA OL this year, Tevan Jenkins, at 38, but instead at 46 they took Jackson Carman. Insert sad trombone sound here. 122 was Tyler Shelvin (reprise sad trombone sound here) and 139 was D'Ane Smith (trombone trifecta). I would have to call that a poor trade. Finally in 2023 they slipped from 92 to 95 and added 217. 95 became Jordan Battle and 217 was Brad Robbins. Battle has been decent and Robbins might still be here if it weren't for injury. Basically a nothingburger. So to sum up, hands down the best trade was one that didn't actually give them any extra picks, just a higher selection in a later round. In the other five instances they picked up six extra picks and the best selection was Trayveon Williams.