The Cincinnati Bengals rolled the dice a lot with their latest draft class. When it felt like they could've gone with "safer" picks, they instead chose unproductive pass rusher Shemar Stewart in the first round, followed by two off-ball linebackers within their next three picks.
Despite the recent improvement of Cincinnati's defense and green dot linebacker Barrett Carter possibly turning the corner, the defensive unit is still the main reason why the Bengals sit at 4-8 today.
OK maybe Joe Burrow's turf toe injury had a lot to do with it. Except the Bengals should've easily beaten the Jets and Bears, only to lose those games by scores of 39-38 and 47-42. Joe Flacco played plenty well enough in Burrow's place to have Cincinnati at least at .500 to this point.
A new mock by one of the best draftniks in the game once again has the Bengals defying conventional wisdom and eschewing "positional value." Only this time it could pay immediate dividends.
Dane Brugler gifts the Bengals an Ohio State superstar with top-10 pick
Stewart was always going to be a project, and the likes of Carter and Demetrius Knight Jr. were hopeful starters at best as rookies. From where I sit, Duke Tobin didn't do enough in the offseason to ensure the defense wasn't a disaster for the first half of the 2025 campaign.
Anyway, Dane Brugler of The Athletic dropped his first 2026 mock draft on Wednesday, wherein the Bengals continue to build what's suddenly becoming a formidable defensive backfield. Brugler has Cincinnati pulling a rare move to draft an Ohio State star in Buckeyes safety Caleb Downs at 10th overall:
"Downs is one of the best players in this draft class, but a lot of teams — possibly including the Bengals — wouldn’t feel great drafting a safety in the top 10. That said, the Ohio State All-American would give Cincinnati a monumental talent upgrade on the back end and instantly help its defense develop a more disciplined culture. Don’t overthink this one, Bengals."
The Bengals have given up the second-most TD passes in the NFL this season. Starting safety Geno Stone is due to hit free agency. Plugging Downs in as the last line of Cincinnati's defense is compelling to say the least.
Drafting a safety this high would indeed be a bold choice in most instances. Not the case with Caleb Downs. He's PFF's No. 2 overall prospect, thanks to a high football IQ, excellent athleticism, uncanny instincts, and the versatility to line up as the deep safety, in the box, or in the slot.
If they are fortunate enough to draft Downs, another option for the Bengals would be to keep Stone and plug Downs in as the new nickelback. As well as Jalen Davis has played in two starts since his call-up from the practice squad, it's intriguing to imagine what an even higher-upside player like Downs could do at his position.
A cornerback trio of Downs in the slot to go with DJ Turner and Dax Hill on the boundary would leave Cincinnati with an embarrassment of riches at that spot. Plus, Davis could stick around on a bargain contract, and defensive coordinator Al Golden could get super creative with where he places Downs on any given snap. The classic human Swiss Army Knife/movable chess piece X-factor who can transform a defense.
My only issue with Downs joining the Bengals is that'd mean the end of this season would go badly enough to where they'd be in position to draft him. Nevertheless, Downs rocking a Bengals uniform is a dream scenario in the grander scheme of things.