Once the regular season is over, mock drafts come at us fast and furious. Unfortunately, for the Cincinnati Bengals, we entered mock draft season much earlier than we had hoped.
When the mock drafts hit, it is rare to find consensus beyond the top couple of picks.
Usually, when you get to 10, you start to wonder if anyone knows what they're talking about or has their finger on the pulse of an organization.
But that is not the case for the Bengals, whom several mock drafts have decided precisely who the team should, if not will, target.
David Bailey emerging as Bengals' top first-round target
Welcome to Cincy, apparently, David Bailey. You're going to love Skyline, or more likely, Goldstar Chili. But that is a different discussion for another day.
Recently, we discussed how Dante Moore's decision to return to Oregon will negatively impact Cincinnati's chances of getting the top defensive player on their draft board.
And with that, we discovered that Saturday Blitz and Tankathon both had David Bailey going to the Bengals with the 10th overall pick.
However, those are not the only two draft sites that predict the Texas Tech edge rusher landing with the Bengals, far from it.
Mock Draft consensus growing around Bailey to Bengals
Two of the more heartbreaking mock drafts for Bengals fans come from CBS Sports' Ryan Wilson and Dan Morrison of On3. Both have Kansas City taking Caleb Downs just one spot before the Bengals select at 10 overall.
Downs, the Ohio State safety and Pro Football Focus’ number one prospect, falling to the Bengals is a dream scenario for many fans who feel the team needs to add the All-American safety to a much-maligned defense.
KC taking Downs just one spot ahead of the Bengals could be a byproduct of Moore’s decision to forgo the draft and return to college, which will likely lead to fewer defensive targets high on Cincinnati's draft board available when they are on the clock in April.
In USA Today’s latest mock draft, Ayrton Ostly has Downs long gone before 10, but he too still has the Bengals taking Bailey.
Ostly succinctly sums up why most believe that Bailey is the obvious choice when he writes:
"Cincinnati's defense needs plenty of help so getting the most productive edge rusher in college football feels like the straightforward choice. Bailey has some size questions for run defense but no one can argue with his production and plug-and-play potential from day one."
Why many draft experts see David Bailey as a no-brainer for the Bengals
Like for Ostly and the other draft prognosticators, Bailey to the Bengals has become a no-brainer for those putting together their mock drafts.
Despite their run of recent first-round edge rushers, the Bengals are still inexplicably in need of an improved pass rush. This time, draft experts are pairing the perceived most significant need with the most college production from last season.
Bailey led all past rushers with 14.5 sacks. He also added 52 tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles, and three passes defended for good measure.
Bengals must still do their due diligence ahead of NFL Draft
Nevertheless, the Bengals must do their due diligence when selecting the player who has the best chance to make an immediate impact on the NFL's worst defense in 2025.
It is still early, and a lot will happen between now and when commissioner Roger Goodell takes the stage in Pittsburgh.
Still, finding so much consensus around a player outside the top five picks this early in the draft process is a rarity. Therefore, if you would like to get a head start on your prospect evaluations, we would advise you to begin with Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey.