With a defense full of holes that will need addressing come the offseason, especially with certain Cincinnati Bengals likely to leave in free agency, some positions have gone under the radar in terms of needing addressing.
A defective rookie linebacker duo, safeties whose attempts to tackle this season can only be described as "woeful", and a pass rush that is ineffective more often than not seem to steal the headlines. However, one underrated need for the Bengals is a cornerback.
It's been overshadowed by the shortcomings mentioned above, as well as DJ Turner II having a breakout year and Dax Hill finally being able to stay on the field and put together an alright season. However, the recent Cam Taylor-Britt injury (and likely looming departure) may expose just how badly a starter-caliber player is needed in that room, especially since CTB was looking better these last few weeks after about a season and a half's worth of consistent struggle.
The depth is fine, not the most concerning thing about this league-worst defense, but players like Josh Newton, DJ Ivey, and Marco Wilson aren't ones you want to see starting alongside Turner and Hill.
These players can be quality rotational pieces, sure, but they haven't shown enough to consider them starting long-term. Perhaps one of them breaks out, solidifies their role, and gives us fans one less thing to worry about come free agency and the draft; however, I wouldn't bet on it.
Fortunately, there's a corner that could be available when it's Cincinnati's turn to pick come April 2026, and he's from a school that the Bengals have selected some notable talent from this decade.
Cornerback Mansoor Delane could join Ja'Marr Chase and Joe Burrow as another LSU superstar the Bengals take in first round
Mansoor Delane is a prospect where it feels like, in almost any other year, he could be a top ten pick. That said, this draft is loaded with blue-chip defensive prospects. Reuben Bain Jr., Arvell Reese, Keldric Faulk, and Caleb Downs are guys who could go within the first ten picks, maybe even the first five picks.
The Bengals do have an affinity for stringing wins together late in the season, missing the playoffs in increasingly heartbreaking fashion, and ruining their draft position in the process as of late. Even if that happens again this season and the Bengals are left with a pick in the mid-teens, Delane could very likely still be available.
After spending his first three collegiate seasons at Virginia Tech, Delane transferred to Louisiana State in 2025 and has become one of the best lockdown corners in the country in one of the toughest conferences in college football. Through ten games, Delane has recorded 41 tackles, 2 interceptions, and 10 passes defended, and has worked his way up into being projected as an early first-round pick by the majority of outlets.
While he does have versatility, Delane operates mainly as a boundary corner, meaning Hill can remain in the slot while Delane and Turner patrol as outside cornerbacks, filling a huge hole in the defense in light of the aforementioned Cam Taylor-Britt injury and said Nebraska alum being on the last year of his contract.
One knock on his profile is that he is on the smaller side, only 38th percentile in weight. That being said, DJ Turner was also considered to be on the smaller side heading into the draft, and while he struggled at first, the former Wolverine has found his footing and then some in the third year of his young career, so hopefully that doesn't scare the Bengals away from selecting the LSU defensive maestro if he's available.
Will the Bengals take another LSU superstar in this upcoming draft, this time on the defensive side of the ball? It could very well be a reality when late April rolls around.