2026 Draft Talking Points

[HoosierCat]

Nothing like some Bengals draft talk in October, right?

Ryan Wilson at cbs hits us with his second mock of the season (Halloween?).

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/news/wilsons-2026-nfl-mock-draft-2-0-qb-class-runs-deep-but-theres-no-burrow-lawrence-or-williams-in-sight/ 

With the second overall pick, the Cincinnati Bengals select Rueben Bain Jr., Edge, Miami (Fla).

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Rueben Bain Jr. is an explosive, violent edge rusher with rare power and bend, capable of turning the corner from wide alignments and overwhelming tackles with speed-to-power. He wins with a deep arsenal of pass-rush moves -- from bull rushes to inside counters -- and plays with exceptional contact balance and hand usage to shed blocks both as a rusher and run defender. Relentlessly disruptive and highly explosive off the snap, Bain consistently collapses pockets, sets a firm edge and makes impact plays from whistle to whistle.

So the third first round DE in four years. Sounds about right. Maybe third time is the charm.

If they do pick this high, I think I would prefer a trade down. But we’ll see.

[HoosierCat]

May as well take a trip around the mock-o-sphere. Here’s TDN:

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8. Cincinnati Bengals

Spencer Fano, OT, Utah

The Cincinnati Bengals have the worst pass-blocking win-rate in the NFL, according to ESPN Analytics. The eye test indicates the same. Here, they draft Spencer Fano to help protect the oft-injured Joe Burrow next season. Fano is a technically polished prospect with instant starter capabilities.

Walter:

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 4. Cincinnati Bengals: Peter Woods, DT, Clemson 

The Bengals have severe issues throughout their defense, so taking the best player on that side of the ball makes sense.

Peter Woods is a disruptive interior lineman.

Tankathon:

9. Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami (Fla)

Yahoo (McDonald/Tice) also have them taking Mauigoa but at 19. (lol)

https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/article/2026-nfl-mock-draft-10-an-edge-defender-goes-no-1-and-4-qbs-follow-him-in-the-top-10-220558890.html

USA Today:

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19. Cincinnati Bengals: EDGE Matayo Uiagalelei, Oregon

Cincinnati went with one of the most athletic edge rushers in the class last draft with Shemar Stewart. They balance that with Uiagalelei, a high-floor rusher with lots of production against top competition.

He's notched four sacks on 100 pass rush snaps so far in 2025. His first step is what NFL evaluators want to see and his bend is an asset off the edge. He'll need to improve against double-teams.

The Athletic

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10. Cincinnati Bengals: Isaiah World, OT, Oregon

This might be a bit high for World, who is just four games into his Oregon career after transferring from Nevada. But the hyper-athletic 6-8, 320-pounder is off to a strong start — he’s yet to give up a sack and has yielded just four pressures in four games. A former basketball player who is still fine-tuning his technique, World shows violent hands in the run game and has great potential at either right or left tackle.

There is is: a reach for a project OT at 10! That’s the pick for sure!

 

[HoosierCat]

And finally, PFF’s mock draft simulator is up and running for 2026. They have us at 9 right now. Just took the top player available on each spot and got:

9. Bain

41. TE Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon

73. QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana (there’s your competition, Amphar!)

[ArmyBengal]

Not even I want to consider this right now.  That's saying something.

Maybe it's the lack of faith that even if they make a good pick, it won't matter.

[HoosierCat]

ESPN's Jordan Reid demonstrates that he understands how the Bengals FO thinks and makes an appropriately groan-inducing pick at No. 10 in his first mock of the season

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Peter Woods, DT, Clemson*

The Bengals could address their offensive line here, but Woods would provide a penetrating presence in the middle of the defense, too. Cincinnati took edge rusher Shemar Stewart in the first round of the 2025 draft, and Woods could pair with him as a difference-maker on the inside as the Bengals build toward the future. Woods has only 0.5 sacks and 1.5 tackles for loss this season, but his high-end traits should translate into an impact player at the next level.

Yes, that's right, another defensive lineman with lousy college production but "high-end traits." For this he has them passing on OT Francis Mauigoa, generally seen as the No. 2 OT prospect with great potential to move to RG, i.e. our most gaping hole on the oline. He goes to Houston at 11, so I guess that will be of some consolation to Army.

 

[ArmyBengal]

I actually have been putting some thought to the draft already.  It's just more intriguing to me than this season.

I'm of the line of thought that they really need to figure out their pending free agents for 2026 and 2027.

Of course, #1 in that is Trey and the DE position.  I think he is gone and don't think the Bengals want to pay him.
Ossai is also an UFA next year, along with Sample.  Murphy is Murphy and Stewart is a question still at this point.
A worsening pass rush is the last thing the defense needs in 2026 and why I think DE is the top target next year.
Again, free agency may dictate something different.  Do they bring in someone?  Sign one of their own?  A combination?

Not only that, at least how it stands now, I think the OT class isn't what past drafts have been and the 2nd round looks better.
The reason I say looking at 2027 is because Orlando will be an UFA that year and they could plan for his departure as well.
Maybe draft a future LT capable of playing guard for a year and see how that transpires, sort of what they did with Whit.

Guard and Center are both going to need to be looked at with Volson, Patrick and Risner all on one year deals.
Karras will be up again and will be 33.  What do they have in Matt Lee and Seth McLaughlin?
Honestly, if McLaughlin is healthy, he may present a solid option.  Not sure on Lee at this point despite him being the #2.
If the season continues to go south, I want to see both of them to get a better idea of where we are.

Next, for the love of God make any attempt to improve the CB position.  Free agency is going to be expensive there.
I would suspect another shot at CB early on as well, so maybe pencil that in for the 3rd round.
I'm done with CTB and him and Marco Wilson are UFA's.  Dax, Turner and Ivey are up in 2027 as well.

An outlier in my mind is the safety spot.  Stone, Anderson and Jules are all UFA's next year and Battle in 2027.
Depending how the other needs shake out, safety could shoot right up there with little thought in my opinion.
A true playmaker in the back of the secondary can make a HUGE impact for the whole defense.

Not tying up more cap space with a Trey deal allows a hell of a lot more flexibility and thought for 2026.
I'm not prepared to plug players into spots at this point, but that's what I'm thinking today for what it's worth...

[HoosierCat]

Sikkema over at PFF with his first.

https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2026-nfl-mock-draft-jets-ty-simpson-cowboys-caleb-downs

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7. Cincinnati Bengals (2-4): G Gennings Dunker, Iowa

I am higher on Dunker than most, but a big reason for that is that I am projecting him to guard at the NFL level, as opposed to the tackle position he plays right now at Iowa. With the Hawkeyes, Dunker really moves people off the ball with a 90.2 run-blocking grade in 2024 and a 76.9 run-blocking grade this season. He’s listed at 6-foot-5, which is why they play him at tackle, but you can see he isn’t overly comfortable on an island blocking against finesse rushers. A move to guard will maximize his imposing strength and run blocking impact while mitigating his weaknesses in pass protection as a tackle. 

Has him as the first OL off the board. Not the one I would have picked but it's always a crapshoot and I couldn't really complain.

[HoosierCat]

2 hours ago, ArmyBengal said:

I actually have been putting some thought to the draft already.  It's just more intriguing to me than this season.

I'm of the line of thought that they really need to figure out their pending free agents for 2026 and 2027.

Of course, #1 in that is Trey and the DE position.  I think he is gone and don't think the Bengals want to pay him.
Ossai is also an UFA next year, along with Sample.  Murphy is Murphy and Stewart is a question still at this point.
A worsening pass rush is the last thing the defense needs in 2026 and why I think DE is the top target next year.
Again, free agency may dictate something different.  Do they bring in someone?  Sign one of their own?  A combination?

Not only that, at least how it stands now, I think the OT class isn't what past drafts have been and the 2nd round looks better.
The reason I say looking at 2027 is because Orlando will be an UFA that year and they could plan for his departure as well.
Maybe draft a future LT capable of playing guard for a year and see how that transpires, sort of what they did with Whit.

Guard and Center are both going to need to be looked at with Volson, Patrick and Risner all on one year deals.
Karras will be up again and will be 33.  What do they have in Matt Lee and Seth McLaughlin?
Honestly, if McLaughlin is healthy, he may present a solid option.  Not sure on Lee at this point despite him being the #2.
If the season continues to go south, I want to see both of them to get a better idea of where we are.

Next, for the love of God make any attempt to improve the CB position.  Free agency is going to be expensive there.
I would suspect another shot at CB early on as well, so maybe pencil that in for the 3rd round.
I'm done with CTB and him and Marco Wilson are UFA's.  Dax, Turner and Ivey are up in 2027 as well.

An outlier in my mind is the safety spot.  Stone, Anderson and Jules are all UFA's next year and Battle in 2027.
Depending how the other needs shake out, safety could shoot right up there with little thought in my opinion.
A true playmaker in the back of the secondary can make a HUGE impact for the whole defense.

Not tying up more cap space with a Trey deal allows a hell of a lot more flexibility and thought for 2026.
I'm not prepared to plug players into spots at this point, but that's what I'm thinking today for what it's worth...

No real arguments to any of this, I have a lot of the same questions. And one more: QB. The No. 2 spot will be open next year. Draft a prospect? Sign a vet?

And if things continue to go south and the end comes for Zac in January, a new No. 1 is not out of the question, especially if they are drafting top 5.

To be clear, I don't expect that to happen, but if they do saddle up for one more Taylor+Burrow campaign in 2026 and it doesn't win a championship...then I can see them blowing it all up in '27.

[ArmyBengal]

Funny to be sitting here today considering a new "New Guy" at the QB spot, but there are worse things a team can do that go that route.
I'd rather be proactive and have the future QB1 sitting on the bench than reactive and drafting the next Johnny Fuckface.

I love Burrow, but the injuries are mounting and despite the 2-0 start this year, he still wasn't clicking prior to the injury.
Crazy to think that Flacco has more passing yards and equal TD's in his one game, with 4 days of prep, than Burrow had in two games with an entire camp.

That just doesn't make sense to me.  It makes me think the reason for the slow start falls more and more on the shoulders of Burrow.
They have adjusted damn near everything to improve that problem area and here is a perfect example to consider.
I could be wrong, but my wheels are turning.

[TJJackson]

I too want a qb early, and since they seem to refuse to protect their qbs, the guy needs to be elusive and no health dings

Burrow is isnt getting protection, true, but he's also getting injured after very few hits and it seems like he doesnt want to go to a quick release game to protect his body

shrug

The front office wasted a truly great player once again

[ArmyBengal]

Well if we aren't going to be paying Trey, there are some interesting free agents in 2026 that money could go to.
Hell, they could probably turn that into a couple of players for the defense, which would free things up for the draft.

Personally, and not just because I'm a Buckeyes homer, Caleb Downs should would look good in stripes for our secondary.

[HoosierCat]

Today's mock via PFN's trade-happy simulator...

26. Kamari Ramsey S USC

49. Caleb Banks DT Florida

59. Amare Ferrell S Indiana

72. Domonique Orange DT Iowa State

73. Jermaine Mathews Jr. CB Ohio State

80. Deontae Lawson LB Alabama

95. Anto Saka EDGE Northwestern

112. Anthony Smith EDGE Minnesota

137. Jalon Kilgore S South Carolina

199. Trevor Goosby OT Texas

222. Lyndon Cooper OC Pittsburgh

225. Clev Lubin EDGE Louisville

2027 BUF 2nd

2027 SEA 2nd

2027 WAS 3rd

2027 BUF 4th

[HoosierCat]

Bielik up in cleveburg weighs in with his first mock: https://www.cleveland.com/browns/2025/11/2026-nfl-mock-draft-10-how-the-browns-and-bengals-are-in-similar-spots-despite-different-philosophies.html

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9. Cincinnati Bengals (3-6): Caleb Downs, safety, Ohio State

Height, weight: 6-0, 205 pounds.

2025 stats: 28 solo tackles, 3 TFLs, 2 INTs.

Based solely on talent, Downs should go much, much earlier than this pick. But the safety position lacks value, which is why Kyle Hamilton slipped out of the top 10 in 2022. And there are a handful of teams probably wishing they had a do-over.

The Bengals have needs basically across their defense and simply need to take the best player on that side of the ball.

Works for me.

[HoosierCat]

The Bengals' current odds of securing:

-- the No. 1 overall: less than 1%

-- a top 5 pick: 23%

-- a top 10 pick: 74%

from https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6801829/2025/11/13/nfl-draft-no-1-pick-simulator-titans-giants-jets/

[HoosierCat]

On 10/21/2025 at 8:01 AM, ArmyBengal said:

Personally, and not just because I'm a Buckeyes homer, Caleb Downs should would look good in stripes for our secondary.

He's starting to become a pretty popular pick. I would be totally fine with Downs, though it would be kind of a depressing selection when considered in context.

In 2023, the Bengals let Jesse Bates walk. planning to replace him with 2022 first round pick Dax Hill. They would also draft Jordan Battle (3rd round), and sign FAs Nick Scott, Vonn Bell and Geno Stone, all of whome failed to add up to one Jesse Bates. Now we are talking about tossing another first onto the pile.

All of this because the balked at Bates' price tag, which turned out to be $64 million (36m guaranteed) over four years, 2023-26.

So far, they have paid about $26 million to Hill, Battle, Scott, Bell and Stone over the course of 2022-25. for 2026, they picked up Hill's option ($12.6 million) and based on the rookie pay scale Downs at 8 would get somewhere around $18 million in year one. So that's a gread total of more than $56 million spent to try and replace Bates, or a "savings" of $8 million over 4 years.

This is why we can't have nice things.

 

[ArmyBengal]

I don’t disagree with that assessment Hoosier. The Bengals failed to realize what they had in Bates. It also went against their very own philosophy of building through the draft and paying those that have earned their second contract.

My thought on Downs is he’s probably one of the safest picks in the draft and happens to fill a massive need for this defense. Some may recall I was all in on Emmanwori out of South Carolina last year and would have been stoked about that pick.

Clearly there are also two DE’s that should garner consideration should the Bengals find themselves in that range with Bain and Faulk. Clearly no one would deny our need there but so help me God another 1st round DE bust might drive me to my grave.

One of my favorite players in that range is Arvell Reese the LB out of Ohio State. However that’s never going to happen despite the youth and mistake prone rookies.

People worried about Burrow may bang on the table for QB Dante Moore, who could stand to spend a year or two learning and come in should another injury befall out QB1.

After that, should those guys be gone or not a consideration, I like CB Mansoor Delane out of LSU and DT Peter Woods out of Clemson. Both would fill a need while more than likely presenting as BPA.

In the unlikely event all of them are gone, that means some one dropped who I would probably be happy with or a trade down would make sense.

Honestly it sucks to be this deep into the 2026 draft in November, but like I said wins now won’t matter and losing will make me happy in the long term.

Long story short, give me Downs.

[TJJackson]

r1 pick has to be a defender

Since CTB has melted down, it can be an outside corner

can also be a S or a DT

Whoever it is, I want to see tackling as one of the player's strengths

[HoosierCat]

PFF goes through each teams most popular first round pick in its simulator. The favorite for Cincy is Peter Woods. Fine by me.

https://www.pff.com/news/2026-nfl-draft-every-teams-most-picked-player-in-the-pff-mock-draft-simulator

[HoosierCat]

Brugler's first mock of the season.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6852455/2025/12/03/nfl-mock-draft-2026-browns-raiders-dante-moore/

He's on the Downs train, too.

Has 5 Buckeyes, including Downs, going in the first.

[ArmyBengal]

20 hours ago, HoosierCat said:

PFF goes through each teams most popular first round pick in its simulator. The favorite for Cincy is Peter Woods. Fine by me.

https://www.pff.com/news/2026-nfl-draft-every-teams-most-picked-player-in-the-pff-mock-draft-simulator

Hard to say at this point in my opinion.  I have no issues if Woods was the pick.
However, the reason he's the Bengals most popular pick is because PFF has him as the #4 overall player falling to the 10 slot.
Most fans are going to see that and pick him or any other player for that reason alone.

That's the first time I've seen Woods rated above DE Keldric Faulk and by 7 spots no less?  Crazy.
As much as taking another DE bugs the shit out of me, it makes sense when considering the roster.
I think the DT class is deeper than the DE class this year.  Could be wrong as this goes on.

[ArmyBengal]

18 hours ago, HoosierCat said:

Brugler's first mock of the season.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6852455/2025/12/03/nfl-mock-draft-2026-browns-raiders-dante-moore/

He's on the Downs train, too.

Has 5 Buckeyes, including Downs, going in the first.

The Browns trading up to take yet another QB at #1 overall is hilarious to me.

Not because I don't like Mendoza, because I do, but it's just so Browns.

[ArmyBengal]

5 players from the same school going in the top 20 is ridiculous.

Ridiculously awesome, but still.  Not sure if that's happened before, but good God that's a lot of talent.

[HoosierCat]

3 hours ago, ArmyBengal said:

Hard to say at this point in my opinion.  I have no issues if Woods was the pick.
However, the reason he's the Bengals most popular pick is because PFF has him as the #4 overall player falling to the 10 slot.
Most fans are going to see that and pick him or any other player for that reason alone.

That's the first time I've seen Woods rated above DE Keldric Faulk and by 7 spots no less?  Crazy.
As much as taking another DE bugs the shit out of me, it makes sense when considering the roster.
I think the DT class is deeper than the DE class this year.  Could be wrong as this goes on.

I've seen Faulk anywhere from ahead of Bain to bottom of the round. I would not be upset if he was the pick but the way edge seems to be a total crap shoot now, and not just for us, I can't recommend it. Plus in mocks I do I keep getting hit with clumps of edge guys at the top of round two, so I'm kind of leaning toward that spot then. But with it likely the FO will want to move on from Hendrickson I can see them going into the draft thinking "BPA as long as it's a DE" in the first.

And yeah, Woods is definitely a "falling star" in this scenario. But you know me, my flag is always planted in camp DT.

[ArmyBengal]

I think there will be both DT and DE talent available in the 2nd round for sure.  Maybe into the 3rd.

Minus a falling Arvell Reese, my hope is still for safety.  Even then however, there are some 2nd round safeties as well.
I'm pretty much still all in on the 1st three rounds all being defensive in nature.
Something like: Safety, CB, DT (not necessarily in that order) unless a DE fell that was not expected.

As always, free agency will play a part in that as well.

[HoosierCat]

Field Yates with his second mock of the season. Some interesting picks early, including Ohio State WR Carnell Tate going to the Clowns at 4 and Texas Tech edge David Bailey being the first edge rusher off the boar, to the Commanders at 6. He also has the Rams sniping Downs right before the Bengals pick, which would be completely on-brand. But Cincy gets quite the consolation prize.

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10. Cincinnati Bengals (4-9)

Rueben Bain Jr., Edge, Miami*

Trey Hendrickson and Joseph Ossai (who leads the teams in sacks) are scheduled to be free agents in Cincinnati. The Bengals tried to prepare for this future by taking Shemar Stewart in the first round this year, but he has been a nonfactor. Cincinnati really needs to look at the defense again. The Bengals are allowing 6.3 yards per play, worst in the NFL. While some scouts think Bain's lack of length could make him a late first-round pick, all of them agree he's one of the best prospects at his position. I like him in Cincinnati. His relentless, powerful and explosive traits helped him to ACC Defensive Player of the Year honors this season. Expect much more debate around Bain and his ceiling in the coming months, but no offense had a real answer for him at the collegiate level.