<\/p>\n
Mock drafts are undeniable. A select few are even useful. Any mock draft conducted before free agency would not be one of them.<\/p>\n
That doesn\u2019t mean we can\u2019t enjoy the exercise.<\/p>\n
In the case of this Cincinnati Bengals four-round mock draft based on Dane Brugler\u2019s top 100 players, it\u2019s a great chance to consider the depth of options at critical positions come April.<\/p>\n
What Cincinnati needs, specifically, could change dramatically once free agency rips through the NFL, but we can accurately say no matter what they do in March, they will still need more defense in April.<\/p>\n
I won\u2019t be held responsible for, or consider this an official prediction of, what Cincinnati will do since it\u2019s so early \u2014 hence, 0.5 \u2014 but using Brugler\u2019s rankings, we can take a closer look at the direction and depth available in the first four Bengals picks.<\/p>\n
(As for criteria, I use the 80 percent rule. Any player 80 percent of the way to the pick in each round in the top 100 is available. So, at No. 10, the top seven are considered off the board. At No. 41, the top 33 are not available. At No. 72, the top 57 are gone. At No. 110, the top 88 are crossed off.)<\/p>\n
Thank the body-type police for this gift. Brugler has Bain listed as the No. 9 prospect, which makes him available to Cincinnati in this exercise. Bain doesn\u2019t have the jaw-dropping get-off that\u2019s the most accurate predictor of NFL pressure. He doesn\u2019t have the length boasted by the game\u2019s best edges.<\/p>\n
If those dings pushed him down from the top five to the Bengals\u2019 lap, there would be no hesitation in their draft room, just an avalanche of man hugs.<\/p>\n
Bain wrecks games. He did so repeatedly on the biggest stages college football had to offer. He\u2019s exactly what the Bengals need if they were so lucky for him to still be around.<\/p>\n
If looking for hope, NFL.com\u2019s Daniel Jeremiah had Bain going ninth to the Chiefs, and Brugler has him at the back of the top 10 as well. You can project he won\u2019t be around for Cincinnati, but there\u2019s reason to believe it\u2019s possible as teams consider great players at less premium positions such as linebacker Sonny Styles, running back Jeremiyah Love and safety Caleb Downs, along with a rising group of receivers and offensive tackles in the top 10 after quarterback Fernando Mendoza goes off the board.<\/p>\n
Honorable mentions<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami. Immediate, needed offensive line depth plus starting tackle of the future. The Bengals should never hesitate to select Georgia defensive tackles, especially since they still haven\u2019t found a game-changing defensive tackle since former Bulldog Geno Atkins retired. Miller doesn\u2019t operate like Atkins, but he looks the part and would bring immediate value against the run while learning to advance his pass rush technique. Cincinnati can hand him to defensive line coach Jerry Montgomery and keep taking swings at finding answers up front. Nobody would fault them for that strategy.<\/p>\n The notable trend when parsing through options in Brugler\u2019s top 100 in this zone is the number of defensive linemen in this range. Five of the seven players ranked between 33 and 39 are on the defensive front. That\u2019s a clear pocket where the Bengals would be looking to take advantage.<\/p>\n Christen Miller could give the Bengals\u2019 interior defensive line a much-needed boost. (Todd Kirkland \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Honorable mention<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 Max Iheanachor, OT, Arizona State. Raw, but physically imposing and rising fast. Would be ideal to put behind Amarius Mims\/Brown for now. The Bengals will be hunting tackles in the first three picks unless a reliable tackle is added in free agency. I don\u2019t love one as much in this range, but they\u2019d be better leaning into a higher-traits prospect who just requires a bit of development in the background, since that\u2019s an advantage the Bengals would possess in this case. Still, finding a tackle with a specialty as a pass protector would provide a snug fit. Tiernan brings more polish from 43 straight starts for the Wildcats and could slide into a swing tackle role for now, then see what happens.<\/p>\n Honorable mention<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 Keionte Scott, S, Miami. The way he tackles and plays aggressively would offer a nice change of pace. Corner could be a sneaky position for the Bengals in this draft. They are set with DJ Turner and Dax Hill on the outside but must figure out the slot\/safety combo spot. Beyond that, they need to add depth to the position. That\u2019s why I listed McCoy among honorable mentions in the first round. There\u2019s not much behind Turner and Hill right now, and also no certainty that the Bengals can lock both up long-term.<\/p>\n In Rivers\u2019 case, he\u2019s available because he\u2019s undersized, but he plays bigger than 5-feet-10, 185 pounds. It\u2019s hard to imagine much tolerance for tape that lacks effort in tackling, considering what defensive coordinator Al Golden witnessed in his back seven last year.<\/p>\n Honorable mention<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 Bryce Lance, WR, North Dakota State. This would be the point at which the Bengals start thinking about receiver. Looking for speed and a pick similar to Andrei Iosivas from 2023. Cincinnati’s draft direction will hinge on what it does in free agency, but if it were now, defense would be the focus.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":43228,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[65],"class_list":["post-43227","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cincinnati-bengals","tag-cincinnati-bengals"],"yoast_head":"\n
\n\u2022 Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama. Intrigued by his potential rise (see: Wright, Darnell) as his traits get teams buzzing. Plus, the Bengals could give him time to develop behind Orlando Brown Jr.
\n\u2022 Keldric Faulk, edge, Auburn. Bengals fans know the drill. Crazy upside, rare traits, limited production.
\n\u2022 Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee. Could be a steal at a premium position after missing 2025 with a torn ACL. True best-player-available pick.<\/p>\nSecond round (No. 41): Christen Miller, DT, Georgia<\/h2>\n
\n\n![\"Bengals](\"https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/athletic\/uploads\/wp\/2025\/11\/10121632\/GettyImages-1654722502-scaled.jpg\")
<\/p>\n\n
\n\u2022 Zion Young, edge, Missouri. Every pass rusher makes sense. Pick one.
\n\u2022 T.J. Parker, edge, Clemson. Every pass rusher makes sense. Pick one.
\n\u2022 D\u2019Angelo Ponds, CB, Indiana. Small corner, but a team that embraced Mike Hilton\u2019s play style should embrace his replica.<\/p>\nThird round (No. 72): Caleb Tiernan, OT, Northwestern<\/h2>\n
\n\u2022 Lee Hunter, DT, Texas Tech. Many are higher on Hunter than Brugler, and you wouldn\u2019t hesitate to go back-to-back defensive tackles, a move the Bengals have utilized before.
\n\u2022 Dani Dennis-Sutton, edge, Penn State. Every pass rusher makes sense. Pick one.
\n\u2022 Domonique Orange, DT, Iowa State. Here strictly so we can lean into the nickname \u201cBig Citrus.\u201d<\/p>\nFourth round (No. 110): Chandler Rivers, CB, Duke<\/h2>\n
\n\u2022 Malachi Lawrence, edge, UCF. Every pass rusher makes sense. Pick one.
\n\u2022 Chris McClellan, DT, Missouri. Looks the part and plays with strength. Start there and bank on development.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"