Cincinnati Bengals Draft Targets From ESPN’s Mel Kiper’s Initial 2026 NFL Draft Big Board

Cincinnati Bengals Draft Targets From ESPN’s Mel Kiper’s Initial 2026 NFL Draft Big Board

[Music] What’s going on, Bengals fans? Chris Dori back with you guys here on Bengals Breakdown. And considering the front office doesn’t want to do anything at the NFL trade deadline, we’re going to look way off into the future and look at some top Bengals 2026 NFL draft targets. Before we get into some of these names, though, I want to hear from you guys down inside the comments section. Where will the Bengals pick in the first round this year? Let me know what you guys think. Put your predictions in down inside the comment section. All right, so right now the current 2026 NFL draft order. Saints currently are at number one, Titans at number two, Jets at number three, Dolphins at number four, the New York Giants at number five, and you can see all the way down to that number eight spot is the Cincinnati Bengals. Now, I do also want to make note the Raiders do play tonight, so some things could change and they’re definitely going to change as the season progresses here, but as we sit right now on the by-week, the Bengals would be sitting at that number eight pick. And they do they are going to have some holes that they’re going to have to fill this year in free agency. You got a lot of players that um are ending their contracts after this season. Now, obviously, some of these guys are going to be resigned, but as it sits right now on the offensive side of the ball, you have 10 guys whose contracts are going to be done. Joe Flacco obviously was just a one-year deal there. Uh, but Jake Browning, you know, he’s your current uh, you know, QB2 technically right now, you know, so we’ll see if the Bengals end up, you know, resigning him to any kind of extension there or do they pick somebody, you know, later in the draft to be Joe Burrow’s backup. Couple of tight ends as well. Noah Fant, Tanner Hudson, Cam Grandandy, all three of those guys contracts going to be expiring. Mitchell Tinsley, and then man, your offensive line right now. Cordell Volen, Lucas Patrick, Dalton Risner, all three of those guys um you know, their contracts are going to be expiring here. And I do also want to make note too, Orlando Brown Jr. is good through the 2026 season, but uh you know, considering his play right now, there might be a good chance that the Bengals might end up cutting Orlando Brown after the season. Over to the defensive side of the ball, he also got 10 more guys over there as well. Trey Hendrickson, uh you know, we’ll see what happens there. He does not have a no tag clause in his uh you know, redone contract there. Bengals ended up giving him a raise earlier in the season. Um, you know, so technically the Bengals could end up tacking Trey Hendrickson, but you know, I I I just really don’t know what’s going to happen on that front there. Joseph Osai, Cam Sample, also going to be free agents. Marco Wilson, Cam Taylor Britt on the last year of his deal. Gino Stone, I would expect with the age there, he’s probably not going to be back next year. Uh, Tyson Anderson, PJ Jules. So, um, you know, there’s some question marks at that safety spot as well. and then Shaka Haywork and Joe Giles Harris. Both of those guys, mainly special teamers, but still at that linebacker spot. I don’t necessarily think that the Bengals are going to go out and try to draft another linebacker considering right now, uh, you know, you have the two rookies that are starting at that linebacker spot. But those guys being special teamers, you never really know what kind of direction they end up going there. Which brings us now to the Bengals top needs. This is what I think they are anyways. uh you know, safety, edge, I think defensive tackle, you know, whether or not McKinley Jackson, what’s going to happen with him after the season? Is he going to get cut? Uh you know, could he be traded before next season? Um you know, cornerback, you know, you’re good on one side of the ball with DJ Turner. I think Dax Hills played pretty good so far this year as well, but you know, CTB being a free agent still hasn’t signed that, you know, contract extension. He’s had some ups and downs here with the Bengals. So, we’ll see what happens there. offensive line obviously a need whether it’s the guard tackle or even center spot even there too. So uh you know you do have Matt Lee he’s currently on injured reserve right now and Ted Carris is also going to be good through that 2026 season but still uh you know planning for your future is going to be a big thing and still there with the tight ends as well. We’ll talk about all these different types of position groups here in just a little bit but right now the Bengals 2026 draft picks. You have your first, second, third, fourth round picks. You do not have your fifth round pick because you gave that up in that Joe Flacco trade, but you do have two sixth round picks now and two seventh round picks by trading Logan Wilson to the Dallas Cowboys. All right, so what position group do you think the Bengals should target in the first round? Let me know what you guys think down at the pin comment of today’s video. No matter where the Bengals are picking in the first round, what position group do you think that they should target? All right, so coming up next on today’s show, we are looking at Mel Kyper Jr.’s big board and kind of, you know, picking and choosing, you know, specific areas of need that the Bengals need going into next year. And I will say this, a reminder as well, most of these guys are probably going to be taken really in the top two rounds. Maybe some of these guys drift off into the third round as well, but you know, it’s highly unlikely that, you know, a lot of these guys on Mel Kyper’s big boards will, you know, end up going that far. But, you know, we have seen it happen before. So, uh, you know, if you’re going to draft some of these guys that we talk about today, it’s going to have to be in the top two rounds this year. So, let’s get into it right now. Starting off on the defensive side of the ball first. First name here is Arll Reese, linebacker out of Ohio State. Now, at the top of today’s show, I did say that, hey, I don’t think, uh, you know, the Bengals might not necessarily go after a linebacker, you know, very high up here in the draft, but, you know, I’ve been talking to Tom, uh, you know, our draft guy here at Chad Sports, and he’s saying, you know, Arll might end up playing some edge rusher, maybe outside linebacker when he gets to the National Football League. Right now, he’s number four on Mel Kyper’s big board. and you know, he’s done a lot of really, really good things for this Ohio State defense. So maybe he’s just another guy, another option that the Bengals could look at at that linebacker spot and maybe even put him at that edge rusher spot. You know, he’s got a bunch of tackles for loss, a a bunch of sacks so far this year. You know, sometimes they um you know, ask those edge rushers on this Bengals defense to uh you know, drop in coverage a little bit. I think you know, he’s athletic enough to be able to do that as well. And you see right there, man, 30% pressure rate is out of this world. Arl Reese very well could be a um All-American coming out of Ohio State this year. I would not scoff at all if the Bengals ended up picking him in the first round. All right, the next player here, I think defensive tackle is another need for the Bengals here. And Peter Woods, while he hasn’t necessarily had the greatest season this year, this this kid’s still really really good. But I think a lot of that just has to do with Clemson overall just isn’t very good this year. Um, you know, number six right now on Mel Kyper’s big board. You know, before the season there was some speculation, you know, could he go um, you know, number one, number two overall in this draft. I think with the play this year has kind of slipped down a little bit there, but uh, can definitely help you run stopping as well. And I do think, uh, you know, he could help you out a little bit pass rush too, uh, you know, there on the interior. you know, I do like uh you know, TJ Sllayton and BJ Hill, but right now, you know, McKinley Jackson’s just not really working out for you. Um, you know, and I do know that, you know, Chris Jenkins Jr. has been playing a little bit more there, too. But, uh, you know, Peter Woods, is he a step up from McKinley Jackson? Right now, he’s just constantly a healthy scratch. And then last week, he wasn’t and still didn’t end up playing in that game there. So, uh, defensive tackle might be another need for the Bengals. All right, my favorite player in this 2026 NFL draft is Caleb DS. He’s number eight on Mel Kyper’s big board. And I really think he’s only number eight because he is a safety and a lot of times that’s not really a uh, you know, premier position that, you know, a lot of teams want to, you know, go and draft a safety, you know, super high. But, uh, this kid, in my opinion, he he is the top player in my opinion in this year’s draft. He is smart. He is the quarterback of the defense. you know, some people are saying uh that, you know, this year he’s kind of having a little bit of a down year. I kind of just disagree with that, you know, type of statement there. You know, you look at his numbers and say, yeah, he might be having a down year, but when it comes to what he’s being asked to do in this Ohio State defense this year under Matt Patricia, it’s just different this year. And, you know, you got three other players on this Ohio State defense that could be all-americans as well. A lot of guys are getting tackles and, you know, doing a lot of really good things on that Ohio State defense. But Caleb DS, man, he is very, very smart. Started 14 games at Alabama as a true freshman under Nick Sabin. Was a freshman all-American that year as well. Um, you know, I I would be ecstatic uh if the Bengals ended up picking him in this year’s NFL draft. And considering that draft value at safety, you know, there there could be a real possibility that Caleb DS could slip down all the way to wherever the Bengals end up picking in this year’s draft. So, who do you want the Bengals to draft in the first round this year? I know the past two years there’s been, you know, some question marks with uh, you know, the pick of Amarius Mims there and then the pick of Sheamar Stewart. So, let me know what you guys think. Who do you want the Migles to pick in the first round of this coming year’s NFL draft? All right, the next player here, I think you might also need some edge rusher help as well, considering, you know, there’s question marks on Trey Hendrickson. What’s going to happen with Joseph Osai? Are they going to extend him? Cam Sample also going to uh be a free agent after this year as well. Ruben Bane Jr. is another guy who is just an absolute dog. He’s number nine right now on Mil Kyper’s big board. And you know, his freshman year at Miami was just really, really damn good. Uh you know, he had uh 12 and a half tackles for loss, seven and a half sacks. Last year kind of got banged up a little bit, but you know, this year he’s doing some really good stuff as well. Uh, you know, speed to power is a big thing in Ruben Bane’s game. You know, he’s just uh he’s not just running around, guys. He is running through offensive tackles right now. So, um, you know, I would not be surprised if the Bengals, you know, end up going that direction, especially if they don’t uh, you know, tag Trey Hendrickson and he goes off to free agency. Same thing with, uh, you know, Joseph Osai as well. All right, so I just kind of wanted to do an overview of what some of these corners are looking right now. Uh, number one cornerback on Mel Kyper’s big board is Germod McCoy. Now, the big thing with him, he hasn’t played yet this year. He got hurt in the college football playoffs last year and uh, you know, just hasn’t really been able to make his way back to that Tennessee defense. But, uh, you know, there’s still a lot of buzz out there. I personally wouldn’t want to go out there and draft a guy who hasn’t played so far this year. Uh Avon Terrell hasn’t necessarily had the greatest year so far. I do like what Colton Hood has done. He’s the other corner at Tennessee right now. One of my favorite ones though, I think right now is Mansour Delane out of LSU. I think he might end up, you know, uh as the season goes on. I know LSU ended up firing Brian Kelly, but Mansor Delane, man, this kid’s a dog. He flies around the football field. He makes a lot of big hits and he’s really, really good in coverage as well. So, he is definitely another guy that I would consider. All right, up next uh on today’s show, we are going to flip over to the offensive side of the ball and look at some of those draft targets there. Offensive line, tight end are really going to be the main concerns there, I think, for the Bengals. So, we’ll talk about some offensive targets here in just a second, but first, we want to give a shout out to the sponsor of today’s show. That is Prize Picks. The hard-hitting football action is even better with prize picks. And the weather might be changing, but the feeling of being right never gets old. So keep the season rolling on Prize Picks by getting $50 instantly in lineups when you play your first $5. Prize Pick is the only app that offers stacks, meaning that you can pick the same player up to three times in the same lineup. You want passing yards, rush yards, and touchdowns all from any, you know, certain quarterbacks out there. Now you can pick all of them in the same lineup only on Prize Picks. And we’ve talked about a couple of Ohio State players here today. So, I said, might as well, since the Bengals are off this week, might as well go with an Ohio State lineup here. Going with running back Bo Jackson more than rush yards plus receiving yards. I love when Ohio when um when Prize Picks puts those uh you know, dual stat projections in there. Rush yards plus receiving yards. Also going with Jeremiah Smith, more than uh just a half touchdown for him. Could be rushing, could be receiving. And then Ryan uh Brown also going with a half interception for him. I think he has nine touchdowns this year to seven interceptions. That one definitely could uh you know end up happening there. Um you know, one of my favorite things, by the way, about prize picks is, you know, how you play is up to you. I personally love doing the flex play where you can get paid even if one of your picks misses. But if you think you’re solid with all of your prize picks uh selections, go for the biggest payout and go for the power play. No matter how you play, Prize Pix is a great way to put your takes to the test. So download the Prize Pix app today and use promo code CLNS to get $50 in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup. That’s promo code CLNS to get $50 in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup. That link’s down in the comments section and the description of today’s video prize picks. It’s good to be right. All right, over to the offensive side of the ball now here with these draft talkets. Spencer Fono, uh, offensive tackle out of Utah. He’s number 12 right now on Mel Kyper’s big board. U, you know, he is the top offensive lineman regardless of position on his big board. Hasn’t allowed a sack through eight games so far this year and has only allowed five pressures. He’s got a lot of experience. Played over 2,000 snaps in three seasons at Utah. So, he’s got plenty of experience there. And, you know, he would not be a project guy. He is a plug-and-play type of guy here. This is what Mel Kyper Jr. said about Spencer Fono, saying Fono started 12 games at left tackle in 2023 before moving to the right side in 2024 and he has started 20 games there over the past two seasons working opposite another highly regarded uh bookend in Caleb Lomu. Uh Fanu does a great job of keeping his big frame between pass rusher and his quarterback. He is technically sound and shows uh you know good punch to compensate for his lack of ideal arm length. So that if there’s one downside there for Spencer Fanu, it might end up being that arm length. The next guy here, another offensive tackle out of Miami, Francis Maui Noah. I’m glad I said that right. 16 overall in Mel Kyper’s big board. has also been a three-year starter for Miami and he has only played right tackle in college. 100% of his snaps at that right tackle spot. So that might be another issue. You know, can you put him over to that left side there if you end up going away from Orlando Brown Jr. Run block grade, pass block grade from PFF, both of those are in the 80s right now, which is really, really good. He’s another guy that um you know I I probably wouldn’t you know end up considering a you know project type of guy. When you’re that good on the right side, you’re probably going to be that good on the left side as well. All right, flip over to the interior of the offensive line right now. Just kind of give you guys a grand scale here because there were no interior guys in Mel Kyper’s top uh 25 of his big board there. Um, you know, one of one guy that I have heard about a lot, by the way, is Jake uh Slater out of Florida. You know, there’s just some question marks whether or not you’re going to go uh, you know, try to pick up a guard, pick up a center, what it is there. Parker Braillesford’s another guy that might end up being one of the best centers in college football right now. He just missed out on Mel Kyper’s big board here. So, uh, you know, there’s, uh, you know, another 10 names at least right there that you could look for along the interior of the offensive line. So, it might end up being mockdraft season here sooner rather than later. So, if you guys want us to start doing some Bengals mockdrafts to help try to fix this team, drop a like on today’s video. All right, the last guy here, offensive tackle Kaden Proctor out of Alabama, comes in at number 25 on Mel Kyper’s big board. He’s kind of had some ups, kind of had some downs here this season. you know, there were some rumblings early on in the season that he might end up going number one overall, but um you know, like I said, he’s kind of had some ups, kind of had some downs. Only given up one sack so far this year, run block grade, pass block grade in a pretty good spot. But, you know, sometimes I think he just gets out over his heels a little bit, falls into pass rushers, and you know, they put the swim move on him, whatever it is there. But uh you know he’s he’s another guy that I don’t necessarily think is going to end up being a uh you know project type of guy. There is one different way that Kaden Proctor could end up being a project type of guy and Mike Rener from CBS Sports talks about it here saying Proctor has shown some legitimate pass protection this year and is most likely going to kick inside at the next level. This is the first time, by the way, I’ve heard anybody actually mention that Kaden Proctor could be a guard once he gets to the uh once he gets to the NFL here. Um, you know, he talked about once he gets to the next level outside a couple different schemes there. Um, you know, you’re still going or you’re still getting the single best lineman at moving people against their will in the run game. That’s one thing I think I can uh, you know, confidently say is Kaden Proctor is a very, very good run blocker. I think he’s got a lot of maul to him. He likes, you know, getting those pancake blocks there. The last position group on the offensive side of the ball we’re going to look at here is tight end because you do have a couple guys that, you know, their future with the Bengals here is up in the air. One of my favorite guys, Max Clar out of Ohio State when he was at Purdue last year. Um, you know, he was absolutely incredible. kind of, you know, Ohio State doesn’t necessarily use him a ton this year, but he can run block, he can pass block, and he can do some good things in the pass game as well. Um, he really does remind me of a lot of these Bengals tight ends that they have right now. Another guy I think to keep an eye on, Miles Kitselman out of Tennessee. Kind of the same thing there is Max Claire. does a really or he does some good job p uh run blocking as well and you know um really big guy and he can do some really good things uh catching the football and making some plays there. So a lot of names there but you know we’ll see what the Bengals end up doing in this 2026 NFL draft. [Music]

The 2026 NFL Draft is still months away and the 2025 NFL season is far from over, but ESPN’s Mel Kiper has dropped his 2026 NFL Draft Big Board. Who could the Bengals target based on Kiper’s Top Prospects? Visit https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/CLNS and use code CLNS and get $50 in lineups when you play your first $5 lineup! Bengals Breakdown host Chris Daughtery runs through some of the top 2026 NFL Draft prospects and who stands out for the Bengals.

Visit https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/CLNS and use code CLNS and get $50 in lineups when you play your first $5 lineup!

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Top Cincinnati Bengals 2026 NFL Draft Targets on Mel Kiper Jr.’s Big Board:
Arvell Reese (LB, Ohio State)
Peter Woods (DT, Clemson)
Caleb Downs (S, Ohio State)
Rueben Bain Jr. (DE, Miami)
Spencer Fano (OT, Utah)
Francis Mauigoa (OT, Miami)
Kadyn Proctor (OT, Alabama)

Arvell Reese 2025 Stats: 8 GP, 54 TKL, 9 TFL, 6.5 Sacks, 2 PBU, 30.9% Pressure Rate

Peter Woods Career Stats:
2023: 12 GP, 26 TKL, 2.5 TFL, 0 SACK, 17 STOPS
2024: 11 GP, 28 TKL, 8.5 TFL, 3.0 SACK, 20 STOPS
2025: 8 GP, 25 TKL, 2.5 TFL, 2.0 SACK, 20 STOPS

Caleb Downs Career Stats:
2023 Stats (14 GP – BAMA): 107 TKL, 3.5 TFL, 2 INT, 4 PBU
2024 Stats (16 GP – OSU): 82 TKL, 7.5 TFL, 2 INT, 6 PBU
2025 Stats (8 GP – OSU): 39 TKL, 3 TFL, 2 INT, 0 PBU

Rueben Bain Jr. Career Stats:
2023 Stats (13 GP): 44 TKL, 12.5 TFL, 7.5 SACK, 3 FF
2024 Stats (9 GP): 23 TKL, 5.5 TFL, 3.5 SACK, 0 FF
2025 Stats (8 GP): 30 TKL, 5.0 TFL, 2.0 SACK, 1 FF

Kadyn Proctor 2025 Stats: 548 Snaps, 1 Sack, 14 Pressures, 78.3 RBLK Grade, 74.4 PBLK Grade

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Bengals 2026 Free Agents:
– Joe Flacco (QB)
– Jake Browning (QB)
– Sean Clifford (QB)
– Noah Fant (TE)
– Tanner Hudson (TE)
– Cam Grady (TE)
– Mitchell Tinsley (WR)
– Cordell Volson (G)
– Lucas Patrick (G)
– Dalton Risner (G)
– Trey Hendrickson (EDGE)
– Joseph Ossai (EDGE)
– Cam Sample (EDGE)
– Marco Wilson (CB)
– Cam Taylor-Britt (CB)
– Geno Stone (S)
– Tycen Anderson (S)
– PJ Jules (S)
– Shaka Heyward (LB)
– Joe Giles-Harris (LB)

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Current 2026 NFL Draft Order:
#1: Saints (1-8)
#2: Titans (1-8)
#3: Jets (1-7)
#4: Dolphins (2-7)
#5: Giants (2-7)
#6: Browns (2-6)
#7: Raiders (2-6)
#8: Bengals (3-6)
#9: Commanders (3-6)
#10: Ravens (3-5)

Mel Kiper’s Top 2026 CBs:
#1: Jermod McCoy, Tennessee
#2: Avieon Terrell, Clemson
#3: Brandon Cisse, South Carolina
#4: Mansoor Delane, LSU
#5: Colton Hood, Tennessee

Mel Kiper’s Top 2026 IOL:
#1: Olaivavega Ioane, Penn State
#2: Connor Lew, Auburn
#3: Cayden Green, Missouri
#4: Logan Jones, Iowa
#5: Emmanuel Pregnon, Oregon

Mel Kiper’s Top 2026 TEs:
#1: Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon
#2: Joe Royer, Cincinnati
#3: Max Klare, Ohio State
#4: Lake McRee, USC
#5: Eli Raridon, Notre Dame
#6: Jack Endries, Texas
#7: Miles Kitselman, Tennessee
#8: Brett Norfleet, Missouri
#9: Peter Clarke, Temple
#10: Chamon Metayer, Arizona State

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