Why Bengals mock drafts keep exposing the team's defensive drafting failures

The Cincinnati Bengals head into draft season needing to revamp one of the NFL’s worst defenses. Now, because of the missed tackles, points allowed, and lack of productivity, many mock drafts have Cincinnati taking a defensive approach in the first round.  

Unfortunately, especially along the defensive line, that is a major indictment of recent drafts that should have mitigated the porous performances.

Authors of mocks this draft season have taken notice of the Bengals' need for defensive help via the draft and have acted accordingly. However, the team must do the same to overcome recent self-inflicted misses.

The Bengals' defensive line draft misses are adding up

While the vast majority of mock drafts have the Bengals taking a player from the defensive side of the ball, most of those have the team selecting a defensive lineman. And many of those have Cincinnati taking the same prospect. 

This occurrence is extremely concerning, given the Bengals’ first, second, and third-round picks over the past four drafts.

The ten Day 1-2 defensive draft picks in the past 4 years are:

• 2025: Shemar Stewart (17th overall), Demetrius Knight (49th)

• 2024: Kris Jenkins (49th),  McKinnley Jackson (97th)

• 2023: Myles Murphy (28th), DJ Turner (60th), Jordan Battle, (95th)

• 2022: Dax Hill (31st), Cam Taylor-Britt (60th), Zach Carter (95th)

The Bengals did the inexplicable in last year’s draft, taking a project in the first round while counting on second- and third-round picks to start immediately, hoping that formula would help get Cincinnati back to the playoffs. 

Predictably, that plan failed spectacularly. Hopefully, Cincinnati will take a note from Curt Cignetti’s approach to putting a team together and rely on production over potential when it comes to this year’s selection process.

The Bengals’ decision to forgo players such as Craig Woodson, Xavier Watts, and James Pearce Jr., who could have helped the 2025 defensive unit as rookies, has been well documented. 

It is those decisions, along with several other missteps, that have led us to 2026, and the team’s need for pass-rush and safety help beyond Trey Hendrickson and after Jessie Bates’ departure. 

Some are paying dividends, but not enough ROI

While the Bengals have benefited from a nice return on investment from defensive backs Dax Hill and DJ Turner, picks along the line have been weighed, measured, and left wanting. 

Cincinnati finished last in rushing yards allowed and 31st in total yards surrendered. 

And while most of the attention goes to the d-line, it is not limited to it. 

The linebacker’s room was a liability. And even though some believe in the 25-year-old rookie Demetrius Knight, the team must make upgrades at the position.

The safety room was just as bad, but at least the only Day 1 or 2 pick in the safety room was Jordan Battle. However, that also points out that the team has not invested wisely enough in that position.

While some will consider Hill as a safety pick, he spent most of his time at cornerback at Michigan. The team projected him as a safety. 

Nevertheless, as a team, they finished last in yards after catch allowed, reflecting the linebackers and secondary missing tackles. Speaking of which, another category in which the Bengals were the worst team was in missed tackles. 

Thanks to the lack of addressing the safety position in the draft and missing on free-agent acquisitions such as Geno Stone, many in Bengalsldom are holding their breath, hoping Ohio State safety Caleb Downs falls to their pick at 10 overall. 

Why Bengals mock drafts reflect more than hope

As you read the ‘experts’ mock drafts or think about your own, remember that each one is a reflection of what went wrong and what every team ‘should’ do to improve their biggest perceived weaknesses. 

The Bengals are no different. Where they differ from the best teams is that they have more to fix. And unfortunately, it all comes from the same side of the ball as we see in the vast majority of first-round and even seven-round mock drafts. 

Hopefully, the team’s own mock exercises will lead to the actual drafting of productive talent that can help turn around one of the league’s worst defenses. 

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