Even AI gets Bengals’ NFL mock draft pick correct

Q: Who is Caleb Downs and why is he significant in the NFL draft?

Caleb Downs is considered one of the best overall players in the NFL draft class, making him a highly sought-after prospect.

Q: What position does Caleb Downs play and how does it affect his draft stock?

Caleb Downs plays safety, and his positional importance may influence whether he is selected by the Bengals or other teams before their pick.

Q: What is the Bengals' draft strategy for the 2026 NFL draft?

The Bengals aim to secure Caleb Downs with the 10th pick, depending on the decisions of the nine teams selecting before them.

The Cincinnati Bengals might be the most obvious team in the NFL draft at No. 10.

Provided Caleb Downs makes it there, of course.

Downs is widely considered one of the best overall players in the entire draft class. The Bengals’ hopes of actually landing him hinge on nine other teams not weighing the positional importance all that highly.

Even AI is on board with the idea. At USA Today, Jacob Camenker asked Meta AI to predict the first round and Downs went to the Bengals:

“The Bengals signed Bryan Cook and Kyle Dugger in free agency. Will that preclude them from selecting a safety with the 10th overall pick? Meta doesn't think so, as it believes Downs' "instincts and range" will make him an attractive option for Cincinnati at this juncture.”

There is zero chance the signings of Bryan Cook and Kyle Dugger take Downs off the board for the Bengals.

Cook is a starter, while Dugger will see snaps. But the verdict is still out on Jordan Battle. More important than anything, Downs projects as a guy who can play in the slot. They have yet to find a slot starter at all after Josh Newton didn’t pan out.

If the draft unfolds this way, the Bengals will be looking at a lot of Cook-Battle-Downs on the field together.

It’s obvious even to AI, but the Jessie Bates mistake from years ago needs corrected in Cincinnati.

This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: Even AI gets Bengals’ NFL mock draft pick correct