Bengals media mock draft will spark debate about merits of trading down

If the Cincinnati Bengals are going to be lame about the first round of the NFL Draft yet again in 2026 and acquire another succession plan player, they might as well consider trading down.

Unless an undeniable prospect at a position of glaring need is there at No. 10 overall, the Bengals' best bet might be to move back and rack up more draft capital. Whether those extra selections are used to move around the board more, or to acquire a veteran player in a trade, there are merits to that approach.

A new all-media Bengals mock draft puts forth a specific scenario that'd be hard for Cincinnati to pass up.

Bengals mock draft swings nets Jets' second-round pick & more assets

Bengals senior writer Geoff Hobson aggregated a bunch of beat reporters' picks for the other teams in the top half of Round 1, and swung a mock trade with the New. York Jets to move down to the 16th pick.

The concept is agreeable enough: Picks 10 and 110 for Nos. 16 and 44. The execution of that first-round choice? Not so much.

One of Stripe Hype's doomsday outcomes plays out in Hobson's mock, wherein Cincinnati goes with Auburn defensive end Keldric Faulk to headline their 2026 rookie class:

"Some may say it's a reach for a defender like Faulk, but The Athletic has him ranked No. 17. Or, that his two sacks last year are reminiscent of last year's robust debate centering around Stewart's generational athleticism versus his lack of collegiate sacks. Yet Stewart flashed enough through his injury-laden rookie year to make the Bengals believe they've got a remarkably gifted big man who can consistently get to the quarterback. And, in Faulk, you'd have a guy who is legit NFL size (6-6, 280 pounds), has high grades as a physical AFC Northish run-stopper, and can play up and down the line. That's what he did for Auburn last year, and some argue moving him off the edge more is why he didn't match his seven sophomore sacks of 2024."

What did I just read?

Did Shemar Stewart flash enough as a rookie to make the Bengals believers in him? Must've missed that! Then again, consider the source. Hobson is the team's official senior writer, so he's not going to bury Stewart if he can help it.

Hobson alludes to Faulk's alleged upside. Around half of his sack/pass rush production in 2024 came against poor competition. I've written extensively about this.

Going with another high-risk, dubious-reward prospect like Faulk is precisely what Cincinnati must avoid. This is as early as the Bengals should be drafting for the rest of Joe Burrow's career. Burying a first-round pick on the depth chart behind Stewart, Boye Mafe, and Myles Murphy sounds like a recipe for him to be on that classic, Bengalsian glacial developmental track.

A more productive, pro-ready option like, say, Miami's Rueben Bain Jr. would be far more appealing. Alas, the media mock draft has Bain off the board to the Tennessee Titans at No. 4. I have my doubts that the Titans will pass up Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, but that's neither here nor there.

Let's now turn our attention to the positives of this mock draft trade down. Scooping up that 44th overall pick from the Jets could be leverage for, say, a franchise-altering Dexter Lawrence trade. The All-Pro Giants nose tackle is on the block, and honestly, Cincinnati could send two second-round picks and more to the G-Men and I'd be cool with it.

Now, would I prefer the Bengals to swap picks with the Giants in that instance to get up to No. 5 overall, in prime position for Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles? You bet!

Assuming Cincinnati spends those two second-rounders on rookies, Texas Tech's Jacob Rodriguez would be a decent consolation prize in Styles' stead.

Round 2 is also a prime spot for the Bengals to add that third boundary cornerback they seem so keen on. South Carolina's Brandon Cisse springs to mind as a fit. Hobson cites him in particular, alluding to the neat historical parallel to 2006 first-round pick Johnathan Joseph.

Although I'd hold off on picking Faulk until the third round, scoring Rodriguez and Cisse, plus a Ted Karras successor at center like Kansas State's Sam Hecht to cap off Day 2, would be a digestible draft outcome.

Here's a clean look at the bigger picture:

Round 1, Pick 16 — Keldric Faulk, EDGE, Auburn
Round 2, Pick 41 — Jacob Rodriguez, LB, Texas Tech
Round 2, Pick 44 — Brandon Cisse, CB, South Carolina
Round 3, Pick 72 — Sam Hecht, C, Kansas State

My still-finalizing big board rankings are as follows:

29. Jacob Rodriguez
45. Brandon Cisse
78. Keldric Faulk
88. Sam Hecht

Not a total disaster. Not exactly awe-inspiring, either.