March 31, 2026, 9:15 a.m. ET
The Cincinnati Bengals are an interesting mix of easy-to-predict and not-so-easy-to-predict going into the 2026 NFL draft.
The easy part? The Bengals will almost assuredly go defense-heavy in the opening rounds, barring a stunner.
The who with those first three picks or so is where it actually gets harder to project.
Take, for example, the latest seven-round NFL mock draft effort from ESPN’s Matt Miller, who actually has the Bengals going with Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles at No. 10:
“It’s hard to imagine Styles lasting this long, but teams selecting early often prefer premium positions and draft for need over talent. Styles is a top-five talent on my board, so the Bengals would be wise to stop his slide and make him their new enforcer in the middle of the field. Last year’s fourth-rounder, Barrett Carter, looks like a hit at middle linebacker, but Cincinnati could use an upgrade at weakside LB. A former safety, Styles has the range at 6-foot-5 (4.3 speed) to be an eraser against tight ends and in-breaking wide receivers. He also provides pass-rush upside, with seven sacks the past two seasons.”
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Bengals fans will rightfully feel heated at the notion Barrett Carter has been a hit, but that just might reflect how the Bengals will move through the draft anyway.
Generally, linebacker feels like the distant third possibility behind defensive line and secondary in Round 1. But if Styles falls, he could easily be best player available.
In this mock, the Bengals then go to the secondary and grab cornerback Chris Johnson out of San Diego State. They need as much help as they can get in the secondary since they have yet to find a starter for the slot.
Lee Hunter in the third round is more of a nose tackle, but competition is a must at this point.
Overall, it’s one of the stronger possible showings for the Bengals on draft day, and certainly one of the more plausible ones, all things considered.