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Daniel Jeremiah has the Bengals selecting a cornerback in his mock draft
After having the third-worst scoring defense in the 2025 season, the Cincinnati Bengals must address that unit this offseason. With Trey Hendrickson likely to depart in free agency, the pass rush is one of their primary needs
The Bengals have three choices regarding their pass rush. They can go out and sign a veteran free agent like Joey Bosa who will likely command a mid-level salary for a short-term deal and provide a band-aid at the position. They could hope 2025 first-round pick Shemar Steward improves drastically; however, that comes at risk because if he does not take a leap in production, the team would still have a hole at the position. Most people seem to think the Bengals will utilize their No. 10 overall selection in the 2026 NFL Draft to address the pass rush issue.
One person who does not think the Bengals will select a pass rusher is NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah, who has Cincinnati going in a different direction in his mock draft.
Cincinnati Bengals Select Jermod McCoy in Mock Draft
With the NFL season nearing an end, coverage is shifting toward free agency and the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft. The Bengals possess the No. 10 selection, which marks their highest since drafting Ja’Marr Chase with the fifth overall pick in the 2021 draft. A new mock draft by NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah has the Bengals selecting Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy with their first selection.
Jeremiah wrote, “Cincinnati needs help all over the field on defense. McCoy missed the 2025 season due to an ACL injury, but his 2024 tape was outstanding. He’s squarely in the mix to be the top CB in the draft.” McCoy would join a Bengals secondary with Dax Hill, who thrived as a nickel cornerback in the second half of the 2025 season. If McCoy lives up to his billing and stays on the field, the Bengals secondary could potentially go from a weakness to a strength.
Despite McCoy missing the 2025 season with an injury, he’s still considered the top cornerback in the draft. A player missing a season has not stopped the Bengals from using their top selection on them. Perhaps the most obvious example is Ja’Marr Chase, who sat out his final college season in preparation for the draft.
Bleacher Report had McCoy as their ninth-best prospect in the draft. They wrote, “He was B/R’s clear No. 1 cornerback entering the season based on last season’s performance because of great athletic burst to stay connected, scheme versatility, physical nature of play and a high football IQ.”
Bengals’ Needs
If the Bengals were to go that route, they would have to explore some of the previously mentioned avenues in order to fix their pass rush. However, as Jeremiah mentioned, pass rush is not the only need; Cincinnati has needs all over the defense.
ESPN listed Cincinnati’s pass rush as their top priority this offseason; however, the secondary was the second priority listed. They wrote, “While safety Geno Stone deserves due credit for helping fix the defense at the end of the season, he will be a free agent next season. Finding someone to pair with Jordan Battle, as well as landing a starting slot cornerback, will be critical.”
Jose Esquer Jose Esquer is a Mexican-American sportswriter and communications student based in San Diego, CA. His work spans football, basketball, baseball, and soccer. He has written for platforms like RotoWire and DolphinsTalk. You can find him on Twitter/X @JEsquer8, usually talking Dolphins, world football, or both. More about Jose Esquer
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