One LB prospect for Bengals fans to know in every round of 2026 NFL Draft

The Cincinnati Bengals can't come out of the 2026 NFL Draft without at least one more linebacker to compete with rising second-year players Demetrius Knight Jr. and Barrett Carter.

Phenomenal as the trade for Dexter Lawrence was, the Bengals removed themselves from a potential Sonny Styles sweepstakes and thus still have a glaring weakness in the linebacker corps. Even if a veteran signs after the draft, it'd still behoove Cincinnati to build more depth at the position.

So here we are. We'll break down a 'backer for the Bengals to target in each round of the draft. For the record: I believe almost every single prospect on this list from the first five rounds would have a real chance to start over Carter in Week 1.

Bengals top round-by-round 2026 NFL Draft targets to fill glaring void at linebacker

Round 1: Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech

Is a trade back into the first round possible? It wouldn't be too far for Cincinnati to go from No. 41 overall to, say, the late 20s or early 30s.

Jacob Rodriguez might fall to the early stages of Round 2. Just wouldn't count on him being there once the Bengals go on the clock if they stick and pick. He had 128 combined tackles, four interceptions, seven forced fumbles, and finished fifth in Heisman Trophy voting last year.

Give me that type of elite production, coverage ability, and nose for the football. Trading next year's third-rounder and perhaps the No. 110 pick to nab Rodriguez is well worth it.

Round 2: Jake Golday, Cincinnati

What a strange college career Jake Golday had. He converted from defensive lineman and edge player to a box linebacker at Central Arkansas. Then, during his final two college seasons at Cincinnati, he still lined up on the edge at times — and logged more snaps in the slot than at linebacker.

If Lawrence is a force multiplier for the first level of the Bengals' defense, Golday could be precisely that at the second level. Defensive coordinator Al Golden just has to have a clear vision and plan for how best to deploy Golday's talents.

Round 3: Anthony Hill Jr., Texas

Some believe the sure-tackling Anthony Hill Jr. could go higher than, say, Pick 72 to Cincinnati. That said, Hill is a bit stiff and probably didn't participate in the 3-cone or 20-yard shuttle drills for a reason. He's more of a straight-line speed type of athlete than a technician who can deconstruct blocks.

Still, Hill is only 21 years old and has a lot of runway to develop. His raw ability alone could get him on the field over Knight or Carter. Hill is more of the long-term upside play who may not, in fact, beat out the Bengals' incumbents for a starting job.

Round 4: Kaleb Elarms-Orr, TCU

Speaking of speed, Kaleb Elarms-Orr ran a 4.47 40 at the Combine and, at the very least, could be a special teams ace for the Bengals as a rookie. Elarms-Orr also registered four sacks this past season, so he's a major threat as a blitzer and has the speed to win quickly if he shifts to the edge in simulated pressure looks.

Round 5: Bryce Boettcher, Oregon

Bryce Boettcher was juggling two sports at Oregon as a promising baseball prospect. Although he's an older rookie who'll turn 24 in July, Boettcher's best performances on the gridiron may be ahead of him in the NFL.

As long as Boettcher stays focused on football and isn't tempted to return to the baseball diamond, the reigning first-team All-American could be one of the biggest steals of the entire draft.

Round 6: Jack Kelly, BYU

An interesting, complete and utter project type of player the Bengals could spend one of their two sixth-round selections on is BYU's Jack Kelly. He's a special athlete who played two seasons at Weber State before two more as a transfer to the Cougars.

Kelly played only 113 snaps on the edge last season, having converted to linebacker from the edge beginning in 2023. He had 10 sacks, so he's similar in some ways to Jake Golday in terms of his career arc and positional conversion odyssey.

The major difference is that Kelly is a liability in coverage and misses tackles at an alarming clip (22.4% in 2025). Again, he's a project, but an intriguing one with serious physical tools and pass rush production.

Round 7: Shad Banks Jr., UTSA

A deep sleeper who could very well be available on the undrafted free agent wire, UTSA's Shad Banks could be a nice depth piece in the seventh round for Cincinnati.

For someone who wasn't targeted often last season, Banks made the most of his opportunities when the ball was in the air. He managed two pass breakups and three interceptions on only 26 targets against only one TD allowed.

Now, it's not like UTSA is facing a bunch of elite competition, yet it's a testament to Banks' high football IQ and instincts that he was in the right place at the right time so often. He's piqued the interest of many teams as far back as January.

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