Who will the Bengals pick in the 2026 NFL Draft?
The Cincinnati Bengals select two impact players on defense in the second and third rounds of the NFL draft, according to Kelsey Conway.
The Cincinnati Bengals are slated to have seven picks in the 2026 NFL Draft. The Bengals, however, aren't scheduled to make their first selection until Friday's second round because the team traded it's 10th overall pick in the first round for defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence. Cincinnati also doesn't have a fifth-round pick, which was used to acquire quarterback Joe Flacco and a sixth-round pick from the Cleveland Browns last season.
The Bengals need to nail this draft after three consecutive years of missing the playoffs. It's important for Cincinnati to come away with at least three impact players on defense. So, without further ado, here is my two-round mock draft.
Round 2, pick No. 41: Linebacker Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech The Bengals will use their second-round pick on a linebacker for a second year in a row. In 2025, Bengals’ director of personnel Duke Tobin used two of his six picks on linebackers Demetrius Knight (second round) and Barrett Carter (fourth round).
Knight and Carter’s rookie seasons were full of ups and downs. The franchise is hopeful both players take a step forward in Year 2. But the pick of Rodriguez gives the Bengals a safety net if the plan doesn’t go as expected for Knight and Carter.