The NFL Draft is nearly here! The Cincinnati Bengals won’t be picking on Thursday night as their first-round pick was sent to New York in exchange for Dexter Lawrence. So now, the team heads into the draft with seven total picks. There is a growing sentiment that Cincinnati will trade back in either the second or third round to recoup that lost pick.
So, let’s have some fun with the PFSN Mock Draft machine and trade back once or twice.
One Last Bengals Mock Draft: Trade Back Chaos!
Round 2, Pick 55: D’Angelo Ponds, CB, Indiana
Trade! Bengals send pick 41 to the Los Angeles Chargers for picks 55 and 86.
When we did a mock draft in the wake of the Lawrence trade, D’Angelo Ponds was the pick. Being able to get him and net a third-round pick is an absolute win. Now, would the Bengals pull this off? Peter Woods and Jacob Rodriguez were on the board at this point, so it would be difficult to pass up, especially considering there were rumblings that Woods was going to be the pick at 10.
Ponds would be a great addition to the defense and would add that dawg mentality the unit has been missing.
Full D’Angelo Ponds Draft Profile
Round 3, Pick 86: Skyler Bell, WR, UConn
Trade! Bengals send pick 72 to the Jacksonville Jaguars for pick 81 and a 2027 fourth.
Trade! Bengals send picks 81 and 189 to the Buffalo Bills for Pick 91 and a 2027 third.
In total, the Bengals trade out of 72 to net two future picks and a late third, thanks to the fact that they got 86 from the Chargers. There wasn’t a linebacker to take there, so let’s get the receiver we got last time.
Bell would add another element to the offense. He can line up anywhere on the field and would force the defense to respect his YAC ability. Bell would take some pressure off Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.
Full Skyler Bell Draft Profile
Round 3, Pick 91: Kyle Louis, LB, Pitt
At this point, the Bengals choose to stick and pick their third top-100 choice. This time, it’s Kyle Louis.
Louis was the leader of the Pitt defense over the last two seasons, totalling 182 tackles, 24 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, six interceptions, six pass breakups, two forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries.
He’s a cerebral defender and could take over as the leader in the linebacker room to allow Demetrius Knight to be a primary pass rusher. He’s solid in coverage and has great instincts.
Round 4, Pick 126: Trey Zuhn III, OL, Texas A&M
Trade! Bengals send pick 110 to the Bills for Picks 126, 165, and 189.
In the final trade back, the Bengals make another deal with the Bills. This time, the Bengals move back 16 picks for two more picks. The Bengals want to bolster their depth as best they can, so amassing nine picks is likely what they would be looking for.
Trey Zuhn III is exactly what the Bengals are looking for in their interior offensive lineman. He adds to the depth at every position, but primarily at guard. He was a four-year starter in the SEC with 48 starts at left tackle and two at center. Zuhn is projected to slide inside due to length, but you can’t beat fifty starts in four years in the SEC.
He is incredibly athletic (9.96 RAS) and brings that leadership the Bengals covet.
Round 5, Pick 165: Kaleb Proctor, DL, Southeastern Louisiana
The Bengals enter this year’s draft without a fifth-round pick (thanks to the Joe Flacco trade). After these trades, they get one back and add to the interior defensive line.
Proctor looks to be a developmental 3-tech with high upside. He did play his ball at a lower level, but when SELA played LSU, he stood out with two sacks and three tackles for loss.
The Bengals have to plan for the post-BJ Hill era, and Kris Jenkins has not stepped up as that rotational pass-rushing 3-tech. Proctor could be that piece. He would be a pass-rushing specialist and has impressive athleticism for his size.
Full Kaleb Proctor Draft Profile
Round 6, Pick 189: TJ Hall, CB, Iowa
If there is a position the Bengals could afford to double dip, it’s corner. DJ Turner and Dax Hill are currently slated to be free agents after 2026, so improving depth is key.
Ponds and TJ Hall would be a fun duo to add. Hall appeared in a total of 42 games on an Iowa defense that is consistently solid. He plays faster and more smoothly than his testing would suggest, and would add another level of physicality to the room.
Round 6, Pick 199: Tyreak Sapp, EDGE, Florida
Adding to EDGE depth is a must this year. The Bengals have Boye Mafe, Myles Murphy (not a pass rusher), Shemar Stewart (?), and Cedric Johnson in the room.
Sapp is a guy who is versatile, just like Murphy and Stewart. He does the dirty work and doesn’t flash, hence his positioning in the sixth round. He’s more of a power EDGE than he is a finesse kind of player.
Full Tyreak Sapp Draft Profile
Round 7, Pick 221: Aamil Wagner, OT, Notre Dame
From just up the road in Yellow Springs, Ohio, Aamil Wagner started 28 games over the last two seasons for Notre Dame. He’s a former captain and is, by all accounts, a good guy and solid player.
He’s not a future superstar, but the Bengals could use some competition at swing tackle, at the very least.
Round 7, Pick 226: Robert Henry Jr., RB, UTSA
Finally, let’s add to the running back room. Chase Brown is the guy, and Tahj Brooks was a rookie last year, but why not add another athlete?
Robert Henry Jr. is a bit older of a prospect, but he looked really good at UTSA. In three seasons, he ran the ball 408 times for 2,339 yards and 27 touchdowns. He might not end up as a superstar, but he showed plenty of NFL-ready traits.
He gets up to speed quickly, has a solid ability for jump cuts, and is difficult to bring down. Henry isn’t a burner, however.