Cincinnati Bengals: ‘Expert’ mock drafts have team targeting defense, offensive line help

With the NFL Draft less than two weeks away, analysts are all over the board predicting what direction the Cincinnati Bengals will go with their first-round pick.

The Bengals have the flexibility to go with the best player available at No. 10, and that seems to be reflected in various mock drafts circulating online.

Regardless of the approach, Cincinnati should place a high priority on defense and offensive line depth, especially in the interior where there currently is no backup center.

Here is a look at some of the first-round options that mock draft “experts” are suggesting at No. 10, why they make sense and what they say about them.

Caleb Downs, S, Ohio StateBengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin said at the NFL Combine that positions addressed in free agency wouldn’t be off the board in the draft. Otherwise, Downs wouldn’t still be linked to Cincinnati at this point.

The Bengals added two safeties in free agency with Bryan Cook and Kyle Dugger signing, but that will not prevent them from taking the best one in this draft class if he’s still there at No. 10.

PFF analyst Jordan Plocher predicts that selection in his mock draft published this past week, noting the Bengals would be picking a “defensive difference-maker.”

“Downs is a smart player who started for three seasons, and his lowest season-long PFF overall grade was an excellent 85.6 mark as a freshman,” Plocher wrote. “Downs will be a welcome addition to the back end of the Bengals’ defense, as he can impact the game in multiple ways. He posted an 89.6 PFF coverage grade to go along with an 83.7 PFF run-defense grade in 2025.”

Rhett Lewis of NFL.com also picked Downs going to the Bengals, indicating they wouldn’t be overthinking this selection, despite some debate suggesting Downs’ measurables aren’t elite.

Mansoor Delane, CB, LSUCincinnati might be set at cornerback with Dax Hill and DJ Turner both returning and slot cornerback Ja’Sir Taylor signed in free agency, but both Hill and Turner are in a contract year and Delane could slide in and make an immediate impact.

Delane is linked to the Bengals in quite a few mock drafts, including in ESPN’s three-round “rotating” version compiled by Mel Kiper, Matt Miller and Field Yates. Miller made this pick with the following explanation: “DJ Turner II and Dax Hill are talented, but Delane would be an upgrade on the outside, where he can win at the line of scrimmage with great quickness and instincts.”

Hill could also kick back inside to make room.

The Athletics’s Nick Baumgardner and ESPN’s Peter Schrager also had Delane going to the Bengals at No. 10, with Schrager noting he allowed a low 31.3 passer rating when targeted last season and is viewed as the top corner in this class.

“Cincinnati could look at a few different options here, and while another early-round pick on a defensive back might not be the most popular choice, it could make a lot of sense,” Schrager wrote. “The Bengals need a true shutdown guy on the outside.”

Olaivavega Ioane, G, Penn StateUSA Today’s Nate Davis had the Bengals taking Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles in an earlier version of his mock draft, but in the latest rendition, Styles goes No. 7 to the Commanders, and Cincinnati lands on Olaivavega.

“Any number of directions this team could go. But after revamping the defense in free agency, the best play might be simply getting this year’s best interior blocker in a bid to better cocoon QB Joe Burrow, who’s only played two full seasons during his six-year career — a pretty good indication he still requires better protection.”

Peter Woods, DT, ClemsonWoods has fallen on a lot of boards based on poor testing and production drop-off between 2024 and 2025, but some mock drafts have the best players at other positions off the board before the Bengals pick, and Woods could still be worth the risk.

CBS Sports’ Ryan Wilson had him landing with Cincinnati.

“This isn’t quite worst-case scenario for Cincy, but it’s not great, either,” Wilson wrote. “The defense desperately needs edge-rush help. And with (Texas Tech edge David) Bailey, (Ohio State edge Arvell) Reese, (Miami edge Reuben) Bain and even Styles off the board, Plan B would be Downs ... who the Chiefs grabbed at No. 9. Woods isn’t a bad consolation prize — the D-line could use reinforcements — and the Bengals did add Boye Mafe in free agency.”

Bain would be the more preferable target, but he went No. 7 in Wilson’s mock draft.