{"id":18906,"date":"2025-03-27T14:58:19","date_gmt":"2025-03-27T14:58:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/breakingnews.azontree.com\/?p=18906"},"modified":"2025-03-27T14:58:19","modified_gmt":"2025-03-27T14:58:19","slug":"breaking-news-cincinnati-bengals-select-multiple-defensive-players-in-latest-major-mock-draft","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/breakingnews.azontree.com\/?p=18906","title":{"rendered":"BREAKING NEWS : Cincinnati Bengals Select Multiple Defensive Players in Latest Major Mock Draft"},"content":{"rendered":"
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CINCINNATI \u2014<\/strong>\u00a0ESPN’s\u00a0Matt Miller\u00a0released a full 2025 NFL Mock Draft\u00a0with all 257 picks on Thursday.\u00a0He had the Bengals rolling with\u00a0South Carolina safety Nick Emmanwori\u00a0at Pick 17,\u00a0who\u00a0Cincinnati has shown interest in\u00a0in recent weeks.<\/p>\n

Emmanwori is the\u00a0consensus big\u00a0board’s\u00a0second-best safety and 24th-best player overall.<\/p>\n

“While\u00a0Trey\u00a0Hendrickson’s\u00a0trade request\u00a0is out there, for now\u00a0we’re\u00a0assuming that cooler heads prevail and the 2024 NFL sack leader stays in Cincinnati,”\u00a0Miller wrote.\u00a0“With Hendrickson in the fold, the Bengals desperately need a playmaker in the secondary. The 6-foot-3, 220-pound Emmanwori is a\u00a0Derwin James Jr. clone in size, strength, speed and playmaking ability. Emmanwori put on a show\u00a0at the combine, running a 4.38 40 and leaping 43 inches in the vertical and 11-foot-6 in the broad jump. He also produced on tape in\u00a02024,\u00a0with four interceptions (two returned for touchdowns) and 88 tackles. Line him up at free or strong safety and let him spy\u00a0Lamar Jackson\u00a0twice a season.”<\/p>\n

Next, he had Cincinnati taking Tennessee edge rusher James Pearce Jr. at Pick 49.<\/p>\n

Pearce is the consensus 22nd-best player overall and fifth-best edge rusher.<\/p>\n

“Getting Hendrickson to return is\u00a0Cincinnati’s\u00a0biggest priority, but they need help opposite him with\u00a0Sam\u00a0Hubbard’s retirement\u00a0and\u00a0Joseph\u00a0Ossai’s\u00a0lack of development,”\u00a0Miller noted.\u00a0“Pearce is a productive player, though slightly undersized at 6-foot-5, 245 pounds. He had 17.5 sacks the past two seasons combined and has speed scouts love, running the 40 in 4.47 seconds with a 1.56-second 10-yard split. Pearce was once considered a top-10 overall prospect, but a lack of play strength and a pass-rush plan beyond speed rushes have caused concern around the league. But he has a high immediate ceiling as a pass-rush specialist.”<\/p>\n

The Bengals took Louisville cornerback Quincy Riley at Pick 81.<\/p>\n

“Mike Hilton\u00a0hasn’t\u00a0re-signed with the Bengals, opening the door for a nickel cornerback who could step right into the lineup,”\u00a0Miller wrote.\u00a0“Riley is\u00a0one of\u00a0the most underrated playmakers (15 career interceptions) in the draft.”<\/p>\n

Riley is the consensus 119th-best player in the draft and 14th-best cornerback.<\/p>\n

The rest of the draft went in this order: Bowling Green tight end Harold Fannin Jr. at Pick 119 (67th on consensus big board), Tennessee wide receiver Bru McCoy at Pick 153 (268th on consensus big board), and USC center Jonah Monheim at Pick 193 (414th on consensus big board).<\/p>\n

Cincinnati has six selections in the 2025 NFL Draft.<\/p>\n

For more on the Bengals,\u00a0subscribe to our YouTube Channel\u00a0and watch the video below as part of our in-depth coverage of the team:<\/p>\n