Bengals' showing in 7-round NFL mock draft starts with a surprise

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. ” 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.