2026 Draft Talking Points

[COB]

Shots Fired!  Andrew Whitworth edition.

Kelsey Conway article in today’s Dispatch.  It’s an interview with Whit.  He’s pretty direct.  Basically he said the Bengals should make a big swing to instill confidence in the guys in the building.  
 

He said shooting your shot is not paying guys that have been there, that have proven that they earned money.  
 

He said the Bengals are never going to live in a trade world, they are never going to over pay guys, so drafting well is paramount.  
 

Why haven’t they drafted well?  Here’s Whit!!- “And I think the biggest problem has probably been not being able to bring in the kind of guys that draft well.”

[HoosierCat]

Too early for Simpson at 10, tho there are those who believe otherwise. Given that they have 4 QBs on the roster now I don’t think it will happen.

[ArmyBengal]

No surprise comments from Whit. He said he would love to join the Bengals front office and I would fucking LOVE to see that happen.  Only one problem…

He’s not family, so count that out.

QB at 10? No thank you. There’s lucky to be one QB in this draft worthy of a first round pick and many not worth an early round pick at all.

[HoosierCat]

Agree on QB. Tho anytime you are this high in the draft you have to at least look. This year is an easy call.

[ArmyBengal]

I did see where the Bengals did take interest in a QB draft prospect thought to go somewhere in the 11th round, so there’s that.

[COB]

Whit’s comments were a direct shot at Duke Tobin, and possibly at the family for not surrounding him with knowledgeable people.  
 

Once again, wat too much time between the Super Bowl and the draft.  Thuscwait is almost killing the buzz instead of building it up.  

[ArmyBengal]

Woke up before the wife and youngest and had this top three while tinkering…

1st- DE Bain
2nd- LB Rodriguez
3rd- S Haulcy

Love Rodriguez just haven’t mentioned him because he is not a #10 guy and someone I suspect will be gone by #41.

Haulcy in the 3rd? Need I say more?

I could turn off the TV at that point, go to sleep and have sweet dreams.

[TJJackson]

Marisa Contipelli has left the Bengals and is now with the Reds

"out of the frying pan and into the fire"

[HoosierCat]

Dehner puts his chips on McCoy at 10.

https://archive.ph/GoBDc 

Basically the Delane scenario, he just goes with the other guy.

[ArmyBengal]

If McCoy is fully healed and the Bengals see him as the better fit over Delane, it's neither here nor there for me.  They are amazingly pretty equal when comparing the two.  I'm a little hesitant about McCoy's ACL tear that kept him out all last season, but that's my only real differentiator.

Honestly, this class is so deep at CB I would be happy with them waiting should there be a better prospect at a position of greater need.  I guess a lot hinges on whether or not the Bengals think they have finally gotten Dax in a position to be what they thought he was going to be when they took him in the first round.

Honestly, I don't believe anything coming out of the mouths of anyone with the Bengals.
Mostly because I don't think they know what the hell they are doing anyway.

[HoosierCat]

Yeah, my biggest problem with corner (and to a slightly lesser extent safety) is that it’s so deep. Every time I do a mock and take Delane or McCoy or Downs at 10 I find myself regretting it by the time rounds 2 and 3 roll around. Edge and LB aren’t all that far back in that regard either. It’s why I keep looking over at the other side of the ball at 10. Love is the only real stud RB prospect, the WR class is ok overall but lacks true game changers and if you want an impact oline player, its iffy waiting until 41.

[TJJackson]

so Bain

driver in a 4am car crash that resulted in a fatality

does this drop him out of the mix at 10?

[ArmyBengal]

I don't disagree with you Hoosier.  I find myself in the same situation when doing mocks and I do them on many different platforms.  The one consistency across them all is the depth and talent at both the CB and S positions.  Like you said, to a lesser degree LB as well.  The only problem is we only have single picks in the first three rounds, so we have to take someone (duh).

That's why I have and will continue to give thought to trading down.

Bain?  According to most reports, teams have known about his accident for some time now.
I don't think it will impact him all that much and still wouldn't keep me from considering him at #10.

[COB]

If anyone knows, what would it cost in picks to trade up to 3?

[ArmyBengal]

Well just last year the Jags traded up to #2 from the #5 spot and had to give up a haul.

They gave up #5, their 2nd round pick, their 4th round pick and their 1st round pick this year.

Moving from #10 into the top 3 would be more than that. You better make damn sure you are getting a difference maker that starts day one if you making that move.

[HoosierCat]

Mel goes two rounds: https://www.espn.com/nfl/draft2026/story/_/id/48478995/2026-nfl-mock-draft-mel-kiper-two-rounds-64-picks-final-predictions 

Delane in the first, Texas LB Cashius Howell in the second.

In Mel’s scenario no OTs have gone by 10, but the top 3 come off the board in the next 4 picks. Should be a trade down opportunity there and if so, take it.

[ArmyBengal]

Howell certainly should be a consideration, but that’s the first time I’ve seen him listed as an OLB as opposed to DE which he played at Texas A&M.

[HoosierCat]

Likely just Mel looking at his weight. 248 is light for a traditional NFL DE, though honestly I’m not sure how much that’s true any more.

[HoosierCat]

McShay gives us a choice of Downs or Bain at 10. He goes Downs.

https://mcshay-report.beehiiv.com/p/mock-draft-4-0-two-rounds-three-trades-in-the-top-10-and-a-ty-simpson-sighting

[COB]

Agree Downs over Bain if both are available.  
Downs is considered a can’t miss guy, his game will translate.

 Reuben Bain - it remains to be seen if going against bigger and stronger tackles in the nfl will reduce his effectiveness.  something about his short arms.

[COB]

13 hours ago, ArmyBengal said:

Well just last year the Jags traded up to #2 from the #5 spot and had to give up a haul.

They gave up #5, their 2nd round pick, their 4th round pick and their 1st round pick this year.

Moving from #10 into the top 3 would be more than that. You better make damn sure you are getting a difference maker that starts day one if you making that move.

Holy crap.  No way the Brown family even considers that.  You do that type of thing to get Burrow.  I love Arvell Reese and he’ll be good, but no way am I giving up next year’s first.

[ArmyBengal]

Nope I wouldn’t be happy with that move up without a damn near sure thing.

The Jags are stupid.

[HoosierCat]

More predictions from Dehner here.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7196928/2026/04/15/bengals-nfl-draft-questions-defensive-line/ 

He projects that they double dip at pass rusher starting in the fourth round with…

Jaishawn Barham, EDGE/LB, Michigan: Fits into the combination edge/linebacker category at 6-4, 240 pounds. Was highly productive for the Wolverines, especially after specializing on the edge. He has twitchy explosiveness the Bengals would love off the edge, and he doesn’t look out of place dropping in zones. He would be a project to hand Defensive line coach Jerry Montgomery in many ways, but his athleticism and skill set are something the Bengals don’t have.

Then it’s Anchors Aweigh in the sixth…

Landon Robinson, DT, Navy: Follow the patterns. In this case, the arrows keep leading back to Robinson. Cincinnati attended his pro day and brought him in for a top 30 visit. Montgomery was his position coach at the East-West Shrine Bowl, where the Bengals’ scouts also met with him. He’s undersized at 5-11 and 293 pounds, but brings plenty of disruption and has decent length considering his short stature, and he is a three-time member of Bruce Feldman’s “Freaks List.” Was the American Conference Defensive Player of the Year with 6.5 sacks. 

[ArmyBengal]

Barham wouldn't bother me later.

Robinson is just not a player I'm sold on.
Small and level of competition was next to non-existent.
I don't know, maybe he will be awesome.  I'm just not betting on it.
Wish him all the luck though !!

[ArmyBengal]

One week left to have hope for players the Bengals won't draft...

So Goodberry posted a mock draft challenge and the rules are as follows:
1. Must take an offensive player in the first three picks
2. Max of 5 picks on defensive players
3. By the 4th round, take 1 reach player who is ranked at least 25 spots ahead of their ranking.

He used the NFL mock draft database's board so I will use the same.
https://www.nflmockdraftdatabase.com/mock-draft-simulator

#10.  Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State  (A+)
#41.  Jacob Rodriguez, LB, Texas Tech  (A)
#72.  Keylan Rutledge, OG, Georgia Tech  (A)
#110.  Nick Singleton, RB, Penn State  (Ranked #138) (C+)
#189.  Hezekiah Masses, CB, California  (A+)
#199.  Jager Burton, OC, Kentucky  (B+)
#221.  Mason Reiger, DE, Wisconsin  (A)
#226.  Jack Kelly, LB, BYU  (B+)

Interesting outcome honestly.  I like the Rutledge pick in the 3rd, backing up Risner for at least a year and capable of starting.  I like the Singleton pick as the Bengals should be looking for better depth behind Chase Brown and I think Singleton is very underrated.  I also think WR and TE will be on the table as well.

Another thing I can't help but think of (and I usually don't until afterward) is the potential to add some solid UDFA's to the roster.  I can keep going down the list of players available and find guys I think are capable of making a roster at some point in time.

EDIT:  I added the grades the computer gave for each pick at the end of their line...