When your defense only has 36 sacks in a season, and one player had 17.5 sacks alone, that’s a huge problem. Star defensive end Trey Hendrickson was a huge star in 2024 and has been one since 2023. Other than him, the Bengals are in a desperate need for some defensive help. With Cincinnati only having six picks to work with in this month’s NFL Draft, they have to use them wisely, and it starts up front with getting another pass rusher.
The Bengals would have easily been in the playoffs last year and Joe Burrow would have been the MVP if Cincinnati’s defense would have just learned to stop opponents once in awhile. Well, the Bengals can fix that by getting one of the top edge rusher prospects this month during the draft.
With the 17th overall pick in the first round, there are three edge rushers that the Bengals would be wise to choose from if given the opportunity. Obviously, they are not going to get Penn State’s Abdul Carter, who is projected to go in the top-five. After Carter, anyone is up for grabs.
3 perfect edge rushers who can help fix Bengals defense in 2025
Mykel Williams, Georgia
Being named as a member of Second-Team All-SEC the last two seasons in Georgia, Mykel Williams is a big edge rusher who is very lengthy and can get past blockers quickly. NFL Draft Analyst Lance Zierlein compared Williams to Buffalo Bills edge rusher Greg Rousseau, who just signed a four-year, $80 million deal due to his production in his career.
Williams didn’t have the most outstanding numbers in college, but his pressure that he can apply is undeniable. Having to worry about Williams and Hendrickson when going up against the Bengals can be a nightmare for offensive tackles.
Jalon Walker, Georgia
Another Bulldog to choose from, and this one might even be better than Mykel Williams. You can line Jalon Walker up almost anywhere on the defensive line, and even at linebacker as well. He provides a lot of versatility and is always making plays towards the ball.
Walker won the 2024 Dick Butkus Award which is given to the nation’s best linebacker, but half of his production comes from off the edge. He is clearly a solid football player and his best playing days are ahead of him. If the Bengals can land Walker, they would be getting someone who can line up anywhere in the defense.
Donovan Ezeiruaku, Boston College
Boston College’s own Donovan Ezeiruaku might be the most underrated potential first-round prospect that can provide a lot more value to a team than we all might think. Ezeiruaku is coming off a 16.5 sack season with the Eagles and part of the reason why he reached that kind of production is because of his quickness off the ball.
Having a speedster like Ezeiruaku coming off the ball on one end, while having to deal with Hendrickson on the other would be an extremely difficult reality to accept as a quarterback.