Jan. 23, 2026, 9:41 a.m. ET
With the 10th overall pick at their disposal, the Cincinnati Bengals will have plenty of options, especially on the defensive side of the football, where the team needs plenty of pieces.
One area in particular is the interior defensive line, where the Bengals again struggled to get high-level play in 2025 and lacked depth behind BJ Hill. Could that be a direction the Bengals go in the first round in April?
That was the case in a recent mock draft from Daniel Flick of Sports Illustrated, as he gives the Bengals defensive tackle Peter Woods of Clemson.
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Woods played at a very high level in 2025, even if he didn’t pack the stat sheet. Woods recorded just two sacks and three tackles for a loss this past season. In three years at Clemson, Woods had five sacks and 13 tackles for a loss. But it’s his strength, speed, excellent run defense and versatility that make him a high prospect in this class. He can play multiple positions along the defensive line and play them very well. Defensive coordinator Al Golden would love that type of versatility.
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The Bengals have long struggled defensively, and 2025 was no different. They were last in run defense, second-to-last in total defense and third-to-last in scoring defense. There are holes in several places, but Cincinnati’s interior defensive line stands out as an area of key concern, and Woods is the draft’s best defensive tackle. While the 6′ 3″, 315-pound Woods didn’t have the junior season expected of him, he’s a twitchy, smooth-moving big man who can stop the run and create interior disruption.
By the way, if you’re wondering about Ohio State safety Caleb Downs, he went No. 5 to the New York Giants in this mock. With him off the board, Woods is more than fine as a consolation prize.
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