Emptying the draft notebook.
The trio of director of player personnel Duke Tobin's assistant general managers, Trey Brown, Mike Potts, and Steven Radicevic are on record during various points this past weekend as saying the 2026 NFL Draft went about as well as could be hoped.
"A best-case scenario," Brown says. "After teams picked, we still had guys with high value for us. We felt like we came out with the best draft possible based on where we were picking and even had the chance to move into the fourth round to come out with two starters."
And that's how this week is destined to be remembered in Bengaldom. The Week of The Trades. When the Bengals followed up the timely Dexter Lawrence deal with a Draft Day swap on the clock.
But it was also a draft that quietly debuted some key elements into the draft room that Tobin initiated last spring.
As part of the expansion of his scouting staff, Tobin turned to two NFL veterans in Josh Hinch of the Patriots and Tyler Ramsey of the Panthers, and their experience could be felt during the weekend among the seven selections.
It was also the debut of the personnel department's beefed-up technology and staff. Director of football research Sam Francis and his duo of senior application developer Tyler Gross and scouting research analyst Trey LaBounty went full screen to crunch the numbers so Tobin, his staff, and the coaches could mix in the intangibles to give everyone as full of a picture as possible.
Second Round: Edge Cashius Howell, Texas A&M
Welcome to the club, Tyler Ramsey. First pick out of the gate, and it comes out of the heart of his territory. Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, all the way up just before he gets back home to Seattle.
Howell's rise from playing behind two future NFL players at A&M in '24 to becoming the SEC's Defensive Player of the Year last year is one of Ramsey's favorite stories of this draft.
This is why the room was abuzz at getting Howell with the 41st pick:
"To get him there is huge," Ramsey says. "We were already discussing him in the first round if we were able to move back, and maybe even if we got picked over at No. 10. That's the kind of player we see him."
This is the way it goes some years. Hinch, the other new scout, didn't see one of his guys picked in the region he roams from LSU to the Dakotas.
But in an example of the collaboration Hinch says he has appreciated in his first stint in the Bengals' draft room, Tobin had everyone study certain top prospects.
"I'm going to say I like them all," Hinch says, "but I would have to say the biggest values were getting Cashius in the second round and a 6-3, almost 6-4 corner in the third. I didn't think (Howell) was going to make it that far. At all. Regardless of his stature, his production and type of athlete he is makes great value for us."
The short arms (slightly longer than 30 inches) just didn't compute to what Ramsey saw on film or in practice from the 6-2, 252-pound Howell.
"When you go there, they've got 13 guys at the combine," Ramsey says. "A lot of his evals talk about his nasty attitude, gritty, competitive makeup. The chip on his shoulder about being overlooked. Then you go out to practice, and they've got four offensive line prospects, and in one-on-ones, this guy is running circles around them sometimes.
"He's got so much speed, and he plays with such a violent edge. There's not the prototype body, but it doesn't affect him much. He's a very physical guy and he has such an arsenal of pass rush moves for a guy coming out of college, you know the floor is low for him. He's going to be disruptive, create pressure, and play extremely hard."
Third Round: CB Tacario Davis, Washington
Another example of how the experience Tobin went out and got in Hinch and Ramsey helped immensely because it means there are no area borders.
Ramsey broke into the league scouting the West Coach for nine years in the Seattle draft room of head coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider, Tobin's good friend. So he was there when they chose an Oklahoma State safety in the 2018 fifth round.
Ramsey didn't scout Tre Flowers and all 6-4 of him. But he was in the room when the decision was made and then saw his transition to cornerback. Ramsey, a Washington grad to boot, was able to dispense valuable perspective during the scouting of the almost 6-4ish Davis even though Radicevic and Brown are the point men that area.
The year after Ramsey left for Carolina in 2022, Seattle did it again when they took 6-4 Riq Woolen out of Texas-San Antonio in the fifth.
"You definitely can compare him to Riq Woolen, a big fast, strong corner. But I thought (Davis) had a little better tape than Woolen coming out," Ramsey says. "Woolen was a former receiver turned DB at UTSA. Tacario has always been a natural corner … These big lever guys aren't always fluid, but this guy is really smooth, really athletic. A ton of upside."
Flowers ended up being a playoff force for the 2021-22 Bengals, and Ramsey can see some similarities.
"Tre's very smart and loves football, too. Guys with length like that are tough to pass up," Ramsey says. "The length back there became such a game-changer in Seattle when you're able to close tight windows and get your hands on balls and prevent stuff at the point of attack."
Radicevic, a southern Cal native, got along well with the Long Beach product Davis. They loved his toughness when he came back from a broken rib last season and how he was mad that one of the three games he missed came against all-world Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith. Davis also missed two games because of a hamstring injury, but he glittered at last month's pro day in Seattle in front of Radicevic, in attendance with Bengals cornerbacks coach Chuck Burks.
"His hands looked really good at the pro day," says Radicevic, who texted Davis Friday night, "Good to have another L.A. guy in the building."
Fourth Round: C Connor Lew, Auburn
Fourth Round: WR Colbie Young, Georgia
You've got Dealin' Duke Tobin. Trader Trey Brown. Maneuverin' Mike Potts. Strategic Steven Radicevic.
Aren't they supposed to be the stodgy, sedentary Bengals when it comes to Draft Day moves? Hey, you can't believe everything you read.
In a span of less than seven days, Tobin and Co., pulled off two trades that very well could be some of the defining moves as the Joe Burrow Era moves into its next phase.
Last Saturday night, word broke they had traded their 10th pick for the Giants' scheme-changing defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence. Then, this past Saturday afternoon while they were on the clock with the 110th pick in the fourth, they pulled off another New York trade, this one with the Jets in which they moved back to get another fourth in a round they believed they could get two starters at No. 128 and No. 140.
They traded their sixth for the Jets' second fourth. The Bengals wanted the starter more than the pick, and the Jets only wanted to get up to take Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik.
"We were actively calling teams trying to figure out a way to get two players who were starters in that round," Brown says. "We went back and forth with (the Jets) while we were on the clock. We wanted to be aggressive to get two targeted players."
The Bengals had talked about Oklahoma center Febechi Nwaiwu in the third, and he was still on the board when Saturday began. But they kept working the phones, and there was no panic when the Texans took him at No. 106.
"We had three centers we liked," Radicevic says. "We had stacked 32 names, and we would have been happy with whatever two guys we came out of the round with. When you have that, you do it."
Also key here was the cyber trio of Francis, Gross, and LaBounty. It was the first draft with LaBounty manning "the cockpit," that controls three live screens of teams, tendencies, and trades.
"They were very helpful. They did a great job researching the teams, if they had traded up in the past, where and what they had traded for," Radicevic says. "Any kind of trade we were considering, they would put in the values and had answers quickly while we were on the clock."
In Lew and Young, Radicevic believes they've got two third-rounders in the fourth. They also believe they're made for a Joe Burrow offense. Satisfied he'll be back in enough time to back up center Ted Karras after tearing his ACL in October, Lew sounds like he'll be Burrow's kind of guy.
First and last of all, he can pass protect.
"Lew's got the intangible items of football IQ and instincts you see on tape," Brown says. "He's the leader on offense. He gets them in the right protections and the right positions. He's very athletic, and he has strength as a blocker. He's got a lot of upside to grow into a starting center in time."
Young also sounds like Burrow's kind of receiver.
"He'll play to Joe Burrow's strengths in terms of going up in contested situations. And the toughness after the catch is what stood out," Radicevic says. "He was one of the team leaders at Georgia. He's wired the right way."
Another case where NFL experience paid off. Hinch had worked the south for the Patriots, and he saw Young play at both Georgia and Miami.
"I was all for it," Hinch says. "He's got the strength and size for the position."
Yes, there is the Tee Higgins comp, although Young "is a little bit bigger in build .. and wins a little bit differently than Tee."
Brown says Young won't be flummoxed by the playbook and that he'll be able to learn whatever spots they choose to put him.
"The one element that separates him from a lot of the receivers is the ability to play as a blocker in the run game," Brown says. "He can play inside, and he can also line up outside for some matchups with smaller cornerbacks.
"We like big guys that can make plays at the catch point. He's strong, he's physical. But he has the ability to bend and make acrobatic catches. When you think he's covered, he's really not, and he's smart enough to play multiple positions."
Sixth Round: OL Brian Parker II, Duke
Andrew Johnson, who covers swaths of the east and midwest, is also in charge of the local day and Greater Cincinnati prospects. Players from the University of Cincinnati, Miami University, and Ohio State qualify, as well as players who played high school ball or live within 50 miles of Paycor Stadium.
What's nice is those guys don't count against the 30 visits that teams are allowed to host in the days leading up to the draft. For instance, Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles didn't make the April 14 local day. But he came another time, and that was a freebie. It didn't count against the 30.
Same with Parker, who played at Cincinnati's St. Xavier High School. He drove in one day the week before the local day and impressed coaches and scouts with what Ramsey and Radicevic saw on site at Duke in various visits.
The draw with Parker is he has the potential to play all five offensive line spots after a solid career as a tackle. Ramsey says although he has the physique that's more of an interior player, he thinks he can play tackle here and so does Radicevic because of how he held up against good competition.
Another value pick, Ramsey says. There were mocks out there that had him in the fourth.
"What sticks out is his versatility. He played at a high level at tackle, and he showed well at the East-West game when he kicked into center," Radicevic says. "He's coming into a great spot where he can compete for a backup spot with great guys to learn from. Ted. (Right guard) Dalton (Risner). It's a good fit for him to come in and develop and hone in on those interior spots while still playing tackle."
Ramsey notes Parker's wrestling background and strong academics, concluding there's not much more to ask in a rookie offensive lineman.
Plus, Parker's girlfriend is the daughter of Pro Football Hall of Famer and Jaguars exec Tony Boselli.
"That's a great resource," Ramsey says. "You have a bad day and get him on the phone."
Seventh Round: TE Jack Endries, Texas
Endries went viral Saturday in his colorful comments to the Cincinnati media on how he's going to make teams that passed on him pay.
Ramsey won't doubt him after tracking Endries in Austin following his career at Cal. He thinks the guy's brains, good hands, reliability, and willingness to block is going to pay off for him.
"Graduating from Cal shows he's highly intelligent, and when he went from Cal to Texas, he fit in seamlessly," Ramsey says. "Super nice guy. It's pretty cool to see that chip on the shoulder."
His strength is in the passing game, but Ramsey also thinks he's got enough going for him that, "it's easy to see him being a factor early."
"His intelligence is off the charts. He'll be able to learn the offense really quickly coming from a Steve Sarkisian offense that has a lot of pro concepts. There's not going to be a transition in the meeting rooms. He knows exactly what he has to do to get on the field."
Seventh Round: DT Landon Robinson, Navy
More value here in a popular pick. With Andrew Johnson their point man at Annapolis, the Bengals have been all over this guy.
They had to be because they've had to make sure they're in step with Navy's strict policies regarding Midshipmen and athletics. It's the first time the Bengals have ever drafted a player from one of the service academies, but it helps Navy had an idea that Robinson and running back Eli Heidenreich were going to be their first duo drafted since We Liked Ike in the '50s.
Johnson crossed his T's and dotted his I's long before Saturday to make sure Robinson gets a service waiver, but it didn't stop him from checking in Thursday morning with the office of the Secretary of the Navy, which must approve it.
That's how high it has to go after the Navy athletic director sends it along. Thursday just happened to be the day after Navy secretary John Phelan was no longer in charge. But everything is still go. Nothing can stop the S.S. Robinson from steaming into the Port of Who-Dey. On Saturday night, a delighted Johnson sent an email to the Navy AD and his contact at the Naval department to let them know the Bengals had drafted him and that he was reporting for rookie minicamp May 7.
Johnson has a treasure chest of apt one-liners he's picked up through the years. The scouting of Robinson made him recall, "Be uncommon among uncommon people."
This is a guy they put front and center with the President of the United States last month when Donald Trump invited the Navy football team over to celebrate the win over Army. Trump appeared to know more about Robinson's credentials than everybody but the Bengals, praising his arms "of steel," after shaking his hand.
"You won't find a better human being," Johnson says. "This is the kind of guy who's going to change the world. I mean, he's the face of the team when they go to the White House.
"But we didn't draft him just because he's a great kid. He's a terrific player."
Johnson knows the numbers. Exactly. Robinson's height is 5-11.2. His arms are 31 and 6-8 inches long.
"All he is? Off-size. That's all," Johnson says. "He's got the kind of work ethic that doesn't let him fail."
Radicevic scouted the defensive line at the East-West all-star game, where they interviewed Robinson and where they were impressed with what Radicevic calls Robinson's "unbelievable week."
"I had him as one of the top tackles at that game," Radicevic says. "Just his feel for getting to the quarterback, his quickness to the ball, hand usage, power, the ability to get under guards and stall the run. There are guys that play defensive tackle in this league with his size and play well. He's got the physicality and mental makeup to ascend as far as he wants to go."
Johnson has the other numbers, too. He was at Robinson's pro day, where there were no NFL coaches and only 22 of the 32 teams represented. There is the 4.8ish 40-yard dash and the 30 bench presses.
And, yet, the Bengals were Robinson's only top 30 visit. He went to the local days for the Ravens and Commanders. Other than that, there was only one private workout.
And, Johnson had to get that top 30 visit set-up earlier than normal. If teams wanted to get him in late in the process, they may not have had time to get Navy's permission.
Here's another Johnsonian saying when it comes to height. Or any measurable, for that matter.
"You can't have hard and fast rules," Johnson says. "There are always exceptions to the rule."
Robinson appears exceptional enough to make them think he's got a real shot to make this team.
