The Cincinnati Bengals finally paid their dues to receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, keeping the league’s most dangerous trio intact as they hope to return to the playoffs. Of course, the Bengals didn’t make the playoffs in 2024, wasting a year of quarterback Joe Burrow’s prime at the hands of a catastrophic defense.
Regression to the mean and a change at coordinator may be enough to return Cincinnati to the playoffs. Winning meaningful January games, though, requires additional reinforcement, and after a benign free agency, that must be addressed in the 2025 NFL Draft.
With the No. 17 pick, the board should fall favorably for a first-round defender. As de facto general manager Duke Tobin works the phones on Day 2, his draft class and short-term future may be defined.
Beyond improving the defense, the Bengals as a whole must be more physical, winning in the trenches as much as they win on the perimeter. As such, they prioritize physicality in the following three-round mock draft, made using Pro Football and Sports Network’s simulator.
Round 1, Pick 17: Georgia Edge Rusher Mykel Williams
On Monday, Sports Illustrated’s Max Toscano wrote a long-form piece on building a more modern defensive line by trading speed for mass and proficiency against the run.
Few edge rushers fit that billing quite like Williams. Once a superstar freshman, Williams is a well-built 260 pounds with enough athleticism to be deemed a freak. He can win with those tools, along with impressive 34-inch arms, but where he should make an impact first is on early downs.
Giving Cincinnati credibility against the run as he develops into a more well-rounded pass rusher is an easy way to amplify, if not replace, Trey Hendrickson.
Round 2, Pick 49: Ohio State Running Back TreVeyon Henderson
Perhaps it’s ambitious to rant about physicality while taking the less powerful Ohio State back, but Henderson meshes nicely with the Bengals backfield.
Henderson is a quick-twitch athlete with more long speed than his partner in crime Quinshon Judkins. For Cincinnati, his ability to pass protect sets him apart and keeps him on the field on passing downs.
He may not take on a full workload, but tacking on Henderson’s pass protection and ball security to an already explosive backfield is enticing, even if it isn’t the natural power back many would expect to complement Chase Brown.
Round 3, Pick 84: Tennessee Defensive Tackle Omarr Norman-Lott
In one form or another, the Bengals’ pass rush must improve. An edge rusher would certainly force the issue, but pushing the pocket from the interior will help Hendrickson and whoever is rushing opposite him in 2025.
Norman-Lott isn’t the biggest 3-tech in the class, but he has enough power to create an impact in the passing game and is among. More notable is his standout acceleration that outpaces his raw speed. He converts speed to power well, perhaps the backbone of his arsenal as he improves his technique.
His hand usage and down-to-down consistency against the run are issues and may lend itself to part-time play. As long as he can win on passing downs, he’ll be a welcome addition to Cincinnati’s defensive line.
