You won't find many people in the multiplicitous monolith of the vast sports media landscape more critical of the Cincinnati Bengals' NFL Draft strategy than myself.
Whether it's overcompensating for the league's most pint-sized scouting department, or mere organizational incompetence, Duke Tobin and Co. often come across as either blissfully ignorant or insufferably arrogant
The most frustrating element to the Bengals' draft woes of late is their incongruity of thought between how they approach college prospects and filling needs in free agency. Just no detectable/discernible rhyme or reason to the process(es) whatsoever.
A couple interconnected consequences of this disconnect: Playing hard ball too often with in-house talent in line for new contracts, and overthinking draft picks due to the uncertainty therein.
All of these elements will collide Monday night when the Indiana Hoosiers take on the Miami Hurricanes in the College Football Playoff National Championship. It's a wonderful chance for the Bengals to see if they want to hedge their bets at a pivotal spot on their maligned defense.
The NFL Draft community is sleeping on star Indiana DB Devan Boykin
Seriously, you will not find Hoosiers nickelback Devan Boykin on any NFL Draft big board. As someone who routinely crushes draft betting at a clip heretofore unseen and builds a better-than-most big board every year, I can't understand why that is.
Boykin is bound to be a household name once Indiana wins the natty on Monday eve. Yeah, I'm rolling with Curt Cignetti's crew. He wins. Google him.
After some solid years at NC State, Boykin unfortunately tore his ACL in preparation for the Wolfpack's bowl game to cap off the 2023 campaign. He missed all of 2024 before transferring to Bloomington.
Like many Indiana players who landed with Cignetti, the Hoosier Way has transformed Boykin into a phenom who, frankly, should've been an All-American.
For a Bengals defense that straight up couldn't tackle in 2025, they could draft a sleeper like Boykin who's missed two tackles all season. He is the No. 1 run defender in the country among safeties, per PFF, and has the ninth-best overall grade. PFF lists him at 5'10", 195 pounds. Boykin has allowed just one TD to go with two INTs, a 70.5 passer rating and only one called penalty this season.
Take a peek at what Boykin did in the 38-3 Rose Bowl blowout of Alabama:
Devan Boykin #iufb https://t.co/LKDOpQWLkK pic.twitter.com/mqsBLapdQv
— Hoosier Review (@Hoosier_Review) January 8, 2026
Also noteworthy: Boykin's snaps by position in 2025:
- Slot CB: 367
- Box safety: 80
- Deep safety: 58
- Defensive line, outside of tackle: 56
- Boundary CB: 1
Now here's how Boykin relates to the Bengals. Their traditional practice squad stalwart, Jalen Davis, got the call up when it became clear Cam Taylor-Britt couldn't keep his football life together enough to be employable on Sundays.
Davis answered the bell as the starting slot corner. He was a key reason Cincinnati's defense made strides down the stretch. The shakeup in the secondary allowed Dax Hill to flex out to the boundary opposite DJ Turner, where he's easily most comfortable and performs the best.
It shouldn't take a massive contract to keep Davis around. That probably won't stop the Bengals from low-balling him. Thus, it isn't out of the realm of possibility that the 30-year-old Davis explores the open market.
But if you think doubling up on certain position groups when it doesn't make sense to isn't something Cincinnati will do, or can afford to do, I've got news for you. Well, not really. More of a reminder that the ingenious Bengals brass drafted linebackers Demetrius Knight Jr. and Barrett Carter despite having Logan Wilson, Germaine Pratt, Oren Burks, and others under contract.
See what I mean by the draft-free agency disconnect? Now to tie it all together.
Devan Boykin. Remember the name. This young man is shades of Mike Hilton, who went undrafted once upon a time, only to shine for the Steelers before becoming an all-time great Bengals free-agent signing.
We've landed the plane. Keep a close eye on Boykin, Who Dey Heads. He could be the nickel of the future.