There are three full months between us and the 2026 NFL Draft. All we know for sure is the Cincinnati Bengals need as much help as they can find on the defensive side of the roster.

NFL Draft expert Daniel Jeremiah’s first 2026 NFL Mock Draft does give the Bengals a defensive player, but it’s a name many fans may not be familiar with. Jeremiah mocked Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy to Cincinnati’s No. 10 selection in the first round.

McCoy missed all of the 2025 season due to injury, but was a productive one-year starter for the Vols in 2024. The Bengals have both of their starting CBs, Dax Hill and DJ Turner II, locked in for the 2026 season, but each will be looking for a contract extension this offseason.

The McCoy selection is interesting enough, but Jeremiah is well connected in the industry and his mock drafts usually provide intel based on where some players fall or rise. This is a good opportunity to take note of where some fan-favorite prospects have landed in Jeremiah’s first go-around of the pre-draft period.

Three EDGE prospects go off the board in the first nine picks

The Bengals are surely going to be interested in defensive linemen this offseason, and with Trey Hendrickson likely out the door, finding a new defensive end will be a priority. Ohio State’s Arvell Reese, Texas Tech’s David Bailey, and Miami’s Rueben Bain Jr. would all make sense for Cincy to draft, but none of them made it to the No. 10 pick in Jeremiah’s mock draft.

Not ideal, but a sign for the Bengals to try and figure out that need in free agency instead of waiting for a lucky break in April.

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Ohio State safety Caleb Downs goes one pick after the Bengals

This would surely get some fans to rage. Caleb Downs has become a popular mock draft selection for Cincinnati as an Ohio State star who plays one of the Bengals’ biggest positions of need. Downs could theoretically slide in at safety where Geno Stone played the last two years and provide a needed upgrade.

While he doesn’t go to Cincy in this mock draft, Downs sliding outside the top 10 is noteworthy. He’s the No. 5 prospect in A to Z Sports’ NFL Mock Draft Database, but his position may push him down the board for teams picking ahead of the Bengals.

Clemson defensive tackle Peter Woods nearly falls out of the first round entirely

If an EDGE or Downs isn’t the pick, Peter Woods makes a ton of sense. Woods is the No. 15 prospect in the A to Z Database, but in Jeremiah’s mock draft, he lasts 30 picks and is available for the Denver Broncos to select/ He’s the second DT off the board behind Texas Tech’s Lee Hunter, who went No. 22 overall to the Los Angeles Chargers.

“Folks around the league are split on Woods’ evaluation. Some don’t view him as a first-round pick, but he has the quickness to add to the league’s best pass-rush group as an inside rusher.” – NFL Media’s Daniel Jeremiah on Peter Woods

Is Woods really considered a fringe first-round prospect, or are teams hoping he falls to them and is viewed higher than that by certain teams like the Bengals? This is what the next three months are all about.

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It’ll be worth looking back at this mock draft when the real draft arrives to see how accurate Jeremiah was, and if the Bengals end up going in a similar direction.

Related: Bengals coach has a fantastic opportunity to help himself and Cincinnati at the Senior Bowl

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This story was originally published by A to Z Sports on Jan 26, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add A to Z Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.