One of the decisions that the Cincinnati Bengals will have to make over the upcoming offseason is how they want to utilize their top pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. The Bengals have no shortage of areas of need, especially on the defensive side of the ball, so there's a bunch of different directions that they could go with the pick.
One spot where the Bengals could certainly use some help is on the defensive line, especially when it comes to rushing the passer, and in the latest 2025 NFL mock draft from ESPN, that's exactly the area they address with their first pick.
Bengals add edge rusher James Pearce Jr. from Tennessee in first round of ESPN's latest mock draft
Where exactly the Bengals will pick in the first round remains to be seen, and depends largely on how they finish out the rest of the regular season. They're currently projected to have the No. 11 overall pick, and they use that pick on defensive end James Pearce Jr. from Tennessee in the mock draft. Here's the rationale for that pick, provided by ESPN:
"Pick an area on defense and it could make sense here. ... The pass rush has been especially poor, as [Trey] Hendrickson's 12.5 sacks account for more than half of Cincinnati's total of 24 (tied for second worst). Pearce has an exceptional first step and the kind of acceleration off the edge that translates to the NFL. He leads the FBS in pressure rate at an incredible 19.8% this season and has piled up 17.5 sacks over the past two seasons."
Adding an edge rusher would definitely make sense for Cincinnati. Outside of Trey Hendrickson, who is leading the league in sacks, the Bengals have struggled in a major way when it comes to pressuring opposing quarterbacks. As a team, the Bengals have the second-fewest total sacks in the entire NFL (24), ahead of only the Atlanta Falcons.
The Bengals have also had issues up front against the run all season, so bolstering the defensive line in the draft with a top-tier defensive end could work to help in that area, too. Other key areas of need for the Bengals include the offensive line and both spots in the secondary. It wouldn't be shocking to see them look to add a cornerback in the first round.
There's still a month left in the regular season, and the draft is still several months away. But, it will be here before we know it. So, it's certainly not too early to start thinking about what the Bengals should do with their top selection, and the rest of their picks too.