Cincinnati Bengals 2026 NFL Draft Preview

Cincinnati enters the 2026 NFL Draft with the clearest mandate the franchise has faced since drafting Joe Burrow first overall in 2020: fix a defense that hemorrhaged points all season and finally stabilize an offensive line that has never fully coalesced. After a 2025 campaign that produced the club’s worst record since Burrow’s rookie year, the Bengals will attack the problem with eight draft picks and a shopping list topped by pass-rush help, secondary reinforcements, and interior-line depth.

The offseason exodus only raised the stakes. Four-year, $112-million man Trey Hendrickson bolted for division-rival Baltimore, stripping Cincinnati of its most productive edge rusher in franchise history. Starting guard Ted Karas, rotational end Joseph Ossai, and starting cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt also departed, leaving gaping holes on both sides of the ball.

With the No. 10 overall selection, the Bengals are expected to pounce if Miami’s Ruben Bain Jr. slides. Bain’s 15.5 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks last season showcased the relentless, power-based style Cincinnati’s front seven currently lacks. Recent mocks suggest Bain may be gone before the Bengals are on the clock, pushing Ohio State safety Caleb Downs into focus. Downs’ versatility—he can line up deep, in the slot, or near the line—would give defensive coordinator’s unit the chess piece it has missed, allowing coverage rotations that create takeaway opportunities.

Should the top edge already be off the board, the conversation shifts seamlessly to Downs, who is forecast inside the top 20 on most boards and would immediately raise the ceiling of the secondary.

On Day 2, eyes turn to Texas linebacker Anthony Hill Jr., projected as an early-to-mid second-round pick. Hill’s 249 tackles, 17.5 sacks, and 11 forced fumbles over 32 starts illustrate the production and instincts Cincinnati’s depth chart lacks. Scouts question his size, but his athleticism and football IQ project to an every-down role that could revitalize a linebacking corps that has languished near the bottom of league rankings.

With eight total selections, the Bengals have the capital to address their chronic defensive woes and add competition along the offensive line. The front office has preached immediate impact; the names atop their board—Bain, Downs, Hill—fit that mandate and offer the quickest route back into the AFC North arms race.