We all know that the NFL Draft is an uncertain science. Teams do their best to sculpt their draft boards according to the best players available at the time they are picking. However, many teams fall into the trap of selecting players who are not as high on their draft boards because of perceived team needs. This is a pitiful situation that the Cincinnati Bengals must avoid in the 2025 NFL Draft.
When the Cincinnati Bengals are on the clock at number 17, we should feel good about them selecting the best player available according to their board. Some of those players should include linebackers Jalen Walker and Jihaad Campbell, defensive tackle Kenneth Grant, and edge rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku.
However, there may be an urge to select another player who should not be as high on their draft board because of a need at a particular position.
Bengals must fight temptations in 2025 NFL Draft
Texas offensive tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. is one example of a player who should not be as high on the Cincinnati draft board, but is often mentioned as a possible pick for the Bengals. The offensive lineman is talented and is seen as a sure first-round draft pick by every major outlet covering the draft.
Nevertheless, the former Longhorn lineman only played left tackle in college. The Bengals would draft him with the hopes of converting him to guard, a projection we should not feel overly confident in.
Cincinnati would have been better off addressing that need in free agency or previous drafts. The fact that they did not adequately address that need does not mean they should force it in a draft where it would not be advantageous for them to do so.
Two other names mentioned as potential targets for the Cincinnati Bengals in the second round are Tyler Booker (Alabama) and Tate Ratledge (Georgia). Neither the team nor Bengals fans should be enthusiastic about the prospect of either one of them coming in and immediately contributing as a starter.
Another position that the Bengals have been linked to early in the draft is safety. Nick Emmanwori, Xavier Watts, and Kevin Winston Jr. have been bandied about as potential targets for the Bengals. However, the scenario in which Cincinnati would have one of them as the best player available at 17, especially in the first round, is improbable.
How Bengals should attack draft
This year, more than any other recently, it is imperative that they stick with the " best player available” strategy, especially on Days 1 and 2 of this year's draft.
If the Bengals have Banks high on their draft board, they should select him. But he would unlikely be the best player available when the Bengals are on the clock with the 17th overall pick. It is also possible, while unlikely, that Emmanwori or Ratledge are at the top of the team's wish list when they pick at 49.
Sticking with the “best player available” strategy, the Bengals' draft selections might not look like what you expect them to be when listening to or reading the experts. For example, if the Bengals came away with Kenneth Grant in the first round, Braden Swinson in the second round, and defensive tackle Vernon Broughton in the third round, we should feel ecstatic as fans. However, the reception would not be good given that the Bengals did not draft an offensive line in the first three rounds.
Nevertheless, doubling up at defensive tackle with a stout run defender who offers pass rush capabilities in the first round and a three-tech type defensive tackle who offers massive pass rush ability in the third round should excite everyone within Bengals Nation. Furthermore, this outcome would allow the fan base to believe the post-selection press conferences when the coaches and Duke Tobin claim they picked the best players according to their draft board.
What the Bengals can't do is draft according to "need" with inferior talent that will set back not only that particular position but also the overall talent and depth of the roster. The Bengals did this as recently as the 2023 draft, when they selected Miles Murphy out of Clemson. The team still has not recovered from a production standpoint from the defensive line, outside of Trey Hendrickson.
Yes, the Cincinnati Bengals need offensive line help. However, they can wait until later in the draft and select a capable, versatile lineman like Willie Lampkin out of North Carolina. Another option would be to make a post-draft trade for a veteran on the trading block after the draft or to sign one of the top offensive linemen still available in free agency.
Of course, the Bengals could use another playmaking safety to boost the defensive secondary. However, they should not force the issue if the draft board does not align with the players available when picking. Don’t be disappointed that the draft might not fall that way.
Like seemingly with every draft, prevailing wisdom indicates the Bengals need another offensive lineman to help protect the franchise, Joe Burrow. However, this might not be the best draft to do that.
Negative post-draft grades for a draft that doesn’t follow what the experts feel the Bengals should have done must be taken with all the grains of salt this year. Positive comments for following a “need-based” draft should also be cautiously approached.