The 2026 NFL Draft will take place in April, and the Bengals will have the 10th pick in the first round. We've rounded up the latest projections from media outlets across the league to give you a look at who could be joining the Bengals this year.
EDGE Rueben Bain Jr., Miami
"If Bain is available here, it's difficult to imagine the Bengals passing."
"The Bengals end up landing the strongest, most physical defender at the position in this draft."
CB Mansoor Delane, LSU
"Mansoor Delane is a high IQ football player who ran fast at the LSU Pro Day. His ceiling may not be as high as Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy, but the floor is high."
"The Bengals grab the best corner in the class."
"His 2025 tape was absolutely dominant for the Bayou Bengals, as he absolutely erased SEC receivers on a weekly basis. I wouldn't be shocked if he ends up being a top-5 pick, which would make him an absolute bargain for Cincy if they can get him here."
"Mansoor Delane established himself as a top-10 pick with a great performance at LSU's pro day."
"Delane would be an upgrade on the outside, where he can win at the line of scrimmage with great quickness and instincts."
S Caleb Downs, Ohio State
"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."
"The Ohio State safety is a versatile, high-IQ tone-setter who can help stabilize the secondary on a unit that badly needs more playmaking."
"He earned unanimous All-American honors in each of the past two seasons. With his elite instincts, Downs has the versatility to align at a handful of positions on the defense for the Bengals."
"With Downs patrolling the secondary, Cincinnati won't give up nearly as many big plays though the air."
"My gut tells me that it'd be really hard for Cincinnati to pass on a star player from Ohio State who has excelled in a lot of big games and has a winning pedigree to go with off-the-charts football intelligence... Some scouts we've spoken to say the 6-0, 206-pound Downs reminds them of a bigger version of Budda Baker. That's high praise. Baker, a former second-rounder, has been to eight Pro Bowls in his nine-year career."
S Dillon Thieneman, Oregon
"While Thieneman might seem like a stretch here to many, deterring deep shots with a rangy and instinctive coverage ace would go a long way toward curing several of this unit's most pressing ills."
"Alongside safety Bryan Cook, Thieneman can exist in his element as a rangy, ball-hawking single-high safety, but he's just as dangerous in two-high and in the box."
LB Sonny Styles, Ohio State
"A former safety, Styles has the range at 6-foot-5 (4.3 speed) to be an eraser against tight ends and in-breaking wide receivers. He also provides pass-rush upside, with seven sacks the past two seasons."
Take a look at Daniel Jeremiah's latest top 50 NFL Draft Prospects as we enter the month of the NFL Draft.
No. 1: Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana
No. 2 - Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame
No. 3 - Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State
No. 4 - David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech
No. 5 - Arvell Reese, EDGE, Ohio State
No. 6 - Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State
No. 7 - Rueben Bain Jr., EDGE, Miami
No. 8 - Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU
No. 9 - Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State
No. 10 - Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami
No. 11 - Olaivavega Ioane, G, Penn State
No. 12 - Makai Lemon, WR, USC
No. 13 - Spencer Fano, OT, Utah
No. 14 - Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon
No. 15 - Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee
No. 16 - Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo
No. 17 - Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon
No. 18 - Omar Cooper Jr., WR, Indiana
No. 19 - Blake Miller, OT, Clemson
No. 20 - Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia
No. 21 - Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State
No. 22 - Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama
No. 23 - Akheem Mesidor, EDGE, Miami
No. 24 - T.J. Parker, EDGE, Clemson
No. 25 - Colton Hood, CB, Tennessee
No. 26 - Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah
No. 27 - Denzel Boston, WR, Washington
No. 28 - Cashius Howell, EDGE, Texas A&M
No. 29 - KC Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M
No. 30 - CJ Allen, LB, Georgia
No. 31 - Keldric Faulk, EDGE, Auburn
No. 32 - Anthony Hill Jr., LB, Texas
No. 33 - Kayden McDonald, DT, Ohio State
No. 34 - Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson
No. 35 - Max Iheanachor, OT, Arizona State
No. 36 - Lee Hunter, DT, Texas Tech
No. 37 - Peter Woods, DT, Clemson
No. 38 - Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama
No. 39 - Jadarian Price, RB, Notre Dame
No. 40 - Chris Johnson, CB, San Diego State
No. 41 - Jacob Rodriguez, LB, Texas Tech
No. 42 - Caleb Banks, DT, Florida
No. 43 - Brandon Cisse, CB, South Carolina
No. 44 - Keionte Scott, CB, Miami
No. 45 - Zion Young, EDGE, Mizzou
No. 46 - Malachi Lawrence, EDGE, UCF
No. 47 - Keylan Rutledge, IOL, Georgia Tech
No. 48 - Antonio Williams, WR, Clemson
No. 49 - R Mason Thomas, EDGE, Oklahoma
No. 50 - Germie Bernard, WR, Alabama
