Although the Cincinnati Bengals almost made a heroic end-of-season push to make the NFL Playoffs, they fell just short after the Kansas City Chiefs lost 38-0 in Week 18 against the Denver Broncos. However, the Bengals are a team that has holes in their roster. So, with the 2025 NFL Draft coming up, specific parts of this Bengals roster need dire attention.

Yes, they have the quarterback.

Yes, they have the receiver(s).

Yes, they have the edge rusher — as long as Trey Hendrickson gets a contract extension.

Yes, they have pass protection — as long as Trent Brown and Orlando Brown Jr. stay healthy.

And with the free agency window opening up for the Bengals shortly, they can address some of their needs there.

The Bengals are in the top half of the league in cap space, having approximately $49.5 million of cap space to work with in 2025, ranking 12th in the NFL, per Spotrac.

Here’s where the PFF Mock Draft Simulator comes in handy. This tool is a database comprising of PFF’s NFL Draft big board date and user-submitted mock drafts, giving fans an idea of where prospects could get drafted.

Now, it’s not a perfect product, but it can at least give fans the ability to feel like a general manager of an NFL franchise — which is a pretty cool feeling.

So, here’s who the PFF Mock Draft Simulator has the Bengals selecting in the first three rounds.

Bengals No. 17 pick: Ashton Jeanty, HB, Boise State

Once the Bengals traded Joe Mixon to the Houston Texans, Cincy had to rely on a backfield that consisted mostly of Chase Brown and Zack Moss. The Bengals also added Khalil Herbert from the Chicago Bears in a trade midseason, however, he wasn’t much of a factor in the offense.

As a fifth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, Brown led the Bengals’ rushing attack in the 2024 season. Brown ended the season with 229 carries, 990 rushing yards, and seven rushing touchdowns in 16 games.

So, while Brown was a competent back for the Bengals in 2024, Ashton Jeanty would be an immediate upgrade as one of the best prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft class.

Jeanty was the 2024 Heisman Trophy runner-up, trailing Colorado football’s Travis Hunter.

However, that shouldn’t diminish the talent Jeanty brings to the football field.

Jeanty ended his three-year college career as a one-time All-American (2024) and a two-time MWC Offensive Player of the Year (2023, 2024).

In his final year of college football, Jeanty had one of the most prolific seasons by a running back ever. In fact, Jeanty was just 27 yards short of breaking Barry Sanders’ single-season rushing record of 2,628 yards.

Through 14 games, the Boise State running back had 374 carries, 2,601 rushing yards, and 29 rushing touchdowns.

Although there’s a knock against him since he played at Boise State and faced lower-level opponents, Jeanty is still the top running back in the 2025 class, and the Bengals getting him at No. 17 would be a gift.

The Dallas Cowboys are the front-runners for landing Jeanty, per PFF, and they’re slotted as the No. 12 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Another team in the Jeanty sweepstakes is the Bears, who have the No. 10 pick. So, if one of those teams wants to take a swing on Jeanty, the Bengals might not be so lucky.

However, based on this PFF Mock Draft Simulation, Jeanty joins Joe Burrow and the Bengals in 2025.

Bengals No. 49 pick: Kyle Kennard, EDGE, South Carolina

While the Trey Hendrickson saga could spell trouble for the Bengals, the PFF Mock Draft Simulator handed Cincy an edge rusher in the second round.

Although Hendrickson could cost Bengals owner Mike Brown a pretty penny, it could be worth it if they can pair him with Kyle Kennard out of South Carolina.

Kennard won’t get the same reaction as Jeanty, but in a draft class full of outstanding edge rushers, the South Carolina Gamecock is an intriguing prospect.

Standing 6-foot-5 and weighing 254 pounds, he is a relatively average-sized edge rusher. He’s a bit a bit taller, although his build is strikingly similar to Pittsburgh Steelers pass rusher TJ Watt.

No, I’m not saying Kennard will be the same as Watt, but physically, they’re very similar in size.

Kyle Kennard: 6-foot-5, 254 pounds, 33.38″ arms, 80″ wingspan
TJ Watt: 6-foot-4, 251 pounds, 33.13″ arms, 78.13″ wingspan

Hendrickson comes in a bit heavier (270 pounds), but Kennard shows a bit more speed with his 254-pound frame.

When watching Kennard, his best tape is on pass-rushing downs. Against the run, his abilities are less effective, however.

While he might not be as talented of a prospect as Abdul Carter, Bengals fans will be happy in a year or two that they brought in a guy like Kyle Kennard in the second round.

Bengals No. 81 pick: Tez Johnson, WR, Oregon

With the likelihood of Tee Higgins testing free agency, the Bengals could be in a spot where their receiver room looks a lot different in 2025 than it did just two seasons ago.

Ja’Marr Chase still needs a new contract, Higgins could hit free agency, and Tyler Boyd signed with the Titans after the 2023 season.

So, if Higgins walks, these are the receivers remaining for Burrow in Cincy:

• Ja’Marr Chase
• Andrei Iosivas
• Jermaine Burton
• Charlie Jones
• Isaiah Williams
• Kendric Pryor
• Cole Burgess
• Mitchell Tinsley

Of those remaining eight receivers, only one is an elite target.

Not long ago, the Bengals had one of the most talented receiving trios in the league. Now, if Higgins leaves, the Bengals could be one of the least talented groups across the NFL.

Iosivas is a talented receiver, but through his first two years, he has yet to eclipse 500 yards in a season.

Along with Iosivas, Jermaine Burton hasn’t proven he’s an NFL starter.

With Burton’s off-the-field issues hindering opportunities to see the field, his role in the Bengals offense could be getting slimmer and slimmer.

However, the PFF Mock Draft Simulator handed the Bengals Oregon football receiver Tez Johnson, one of the smallest receivers in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Johnson stands just 5-foot-9 and weighs 156 pounds, making him even smaller than Texans receiver Tank Dell (5-foot-10, 165 pounds).

Now, with his size, he’s a matchmaking nightmare. That can go both ways, however. He can burn bigger, slower corners, but at the same time, stronger corners can nullify his presence with press coverage.

He’s a talented receiver, but his size is a factor to keep in mind.

As a receiver with loads of skills with the ball in his hand, the biggest obstacle will be getting him the ball.

But, in an offense with Burrow, Chase, and Jeanty, Johnson could be a player who’s forgotten about, resulting in explosive plays from the receiver.

He’d be a bit of a gamble, but with what’s been seen by Xavier Worthy — another comparably small receiver — Johnson could make a serious impact at the NFL level.

If the PFF Mock Draft Simulator got this one correctly, Bengals fans would likely be rather excited — especially with their first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.