The Bengals have seven picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, even after dealing the 10th overall selection to the Giants for Dexter Lawrence.
It’s no secret that Cincinnati still has plenty of needs. From linebacker to cornerback and edge to swing tackle, the Bengals need to add multiple players that can have an instant impact this season.
Who could the Bengals target at pick 41 overall?
Wide Open
Ideally, the Bengals would snag a faller in round two. Could a cornerback that ended up with a top 20 grade on their board fall to 41? What about a linebacker? Addressing one of those positions would be best case scenario, but only if the right player was there.
“I think there are good players in there,” Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said this week. “I hate to speak position by position, but we go through all the exercises that Duke puts us through, and you’re going to find players that help you, and it’s impossible to predict what position that’s going to be because if you if you say it’s going to be this position, and usually that one dries up because you want it. I just think we’re open to a lot of different possibilities there. And he does a good job putting us all through exercises, to hear his opinion and ultimately make decisions best for us.”
Don’t rule out edge or even defensive tackle.
“You can never have enough defensive linemen,” one source told me this week. Even after trading the 10th pick for Lawrence, the Bengals are certainly open to addressing the trenches again.
So who could the Bengals target at each position? At cornerback, they’re likely looking for someone who has the versatility to play the nickel spot or the boundary. They lost Cam Taylor-Britt in free agency, plus DJ Turner II and Dax Hill are entering the final year of their respective contracts.
Cornerback
Chris Johnson could be at the top of their board if he makes it to 41. Jermod McCoy is reportedly falling with teams concerned about his knee. If he’s there at 41, the Bengals will strongly consider him—assuming they aren’t as worried about the medicals surrounding the Tennessee star. And that’s a major question that we don’t have the answer to right now.
McCoy’s teammate Colton Hood would also be in the mix, but he’ll likely be picked on Thursday night. Three other cornerbacks that could be in play for the Bengals are Avieon Terrell, Brandon Cisse and D’Angelo Ponds.
Ponds is the smallest of the three. How important is the inside-outside flex that we mentioned earlier? He projects as a nickel-only cornerback in the NFL, but he was a baller for the National Champion Indiana Hoosiers.
Cisse and Terrell are more versatile than Ponds and certainly feel like they’d be possible targets if they fall to pick 41.
Toledo safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren is certainly a name to know. If he falls out of the first round, he’d be one of the “fallers” the Bengals could take, even though safety isn’t considered a bigger need than linebacker or cornerback.
Linebacker
Jacob Rodriguez is arguably the top realistic target at linebacker for the Bengals. He could come in and bring instant stability to that room. Cincinnati native Luke Kuechly called Rodriguez his top linebacker in this year’s draft.
Jake Golday is certainly a name everyone should know. He has good size, he’s athletic and has experience blitzing off the edge. C.J. Allen will be mentioned here if he falls to the Bengals. He doesn’t have the coverage skills that Golday has, but he was extremely productive, served as a captain at Georgia and finished as a first-team All-American. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Allen and Golday ranked near each other on the Bengals’ board.
Defensive Line
Is defensive line still in play at 41 after trading for Lawrence?
Don’t be shocked if the Bengals are tempted to take a defensive tackle. Peter Woods, Kayden McDonald and Caleb Banks could all be in the mix in the second round. If one of them falls, he’ll likely be high on Cincinnati’s board.
Defensive end is another spot that could make sense in round two for the Bengals. T.J. Parker, Malachi Lawrence and Gabe Jacas are three names to know.
Ultimately, it’s going to come down to who falls. The Bengals want to address their defense and they have plenty of holes to fill, but adding another defensive lineman could make sense too, especially if he’s high on their draft board.
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