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The Cincinnati Bengals are scheduled to make six picks during NFL draft in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The first round starts Thursday night.
The Bengals are hoping to get several players in this year’s draft who can make an impact right away because of Super Bowl expectations. Cincinnati needs their early picks to be contributors in the upcoming season and this mock draft will outline who I think the Bengals could select in the first three rounds.
So, let’s go to it.
I’ve gone back and forth in the last week debating a few players to take in this spot. After talking to multiple league sources about this year’s edge class, the one name I heard most that checks every box I inquired about was Mykel Williams. If Alabama linebacker Jiihad Campbell was still on the board, I would take him here over Williams but I think he'll be gone by the time the Bengals make their pick. Defensive tackle Walter Nolen was also in play here for me, but there's too many unknowns with his character.
This year’s edge class is deep and talented and it’s a major need for the Bengals. With defensive end Trey Hendrickson’s future in flux at the moment and not enough production from Myles Murphy last season, outside of guard, edge No. 2 is the biggest priority for the Bengals. Sam Hubbard retired leaving a hole for Cincinnati’s defense to fill in terms of acquiring a player who can rush but is also sound in the run game.
Williams is the guy for the job. The term I heard most when asking about Williams were “tough” and “physical.” He fits what the Bengals need playing in the AFC North. There are no questions about his love for the game or character concerns. He played through an ankle injury last season and pundits say it impacted his production. Playing through an injury speaks to Williams’ football character.
He's got the NFL frame needed for an edge rusher at 6-foot-5 and 267 pounds with long arms. The Bengals ranked in the bottom half of the NFL in sacks last year and the season before. They need more production in this specific area opposite Hendrickson. When one player accounts for 17.5 of the total 36 sacks, it shows a lack of balance from a production standpoint at the edge position.
In three seasons at Georgia, Williams recorded 14 sacks, four pass deflections and three forced fumbles. If Williams is on the board when the Bengals get on the clock, Cincinnati can’t go wrong in picking him given his profile and the positional need.
I know you want a guard in the second round if the team doesn’t select an offensive lineman in the first round. But I couldn’t turn down the possibility of drafting Xavier Watts and reuniting him with new defensive coordinator Al Golden. Especially when Tobin mentioned how important Golden’s vision for each player is when they acquire a player on defense. Prior to being hired as the Bengals’ defensive coordinator, Golden held the same title at Notre Dame where he coached Watts.
Watts immediately upgrades the Bengals’ secondary. Cincinnati has struggled to hit on safeties since the pick of Jessie Bates in 2018. Since Bates left for free agency in 2023, the Bengals have yet to solidify the safety room. They’ve tried multiple combinations and nothing has stuck.
Jordan Battle and Geno Stone are slotted as the starters right now. While the hope is both players will perform at a higher level under Golden, it’s too risky and that’s why Watts makes so much sense.
The Bengals need to generate more turnovers on defense to give quarterback Joe Burrow and his star wide receivers the ball more. Watts was the best in the business at doing just that in college football over the last two season logging 13 interceptions. No other FBS player reached double digits in this metric.
Watts has a knack for finding a way to take the ball away and so much of his ability to do so stems from his instincts.
It’s a no-brainer pick for me if I’m the Bengals and Watts is on the board at pick No. 49. Cincinnati could finally solve their safety problem for years to come if they draft Watts.
When evaluating offensive line prospects for the Bengals, it’s important to highlight how often Cincinnati wants to throw the ball with Burrow.
Not every player is a fit in the Bengals’ offense because of this. Burrow drops back to throw the ball more than any other quarterback in the NFL. This is the main reason why Dylan Fairchild is my selection in the third round for the Bengals.
Fairchild settled in at right guard last season for the Bulldogs. Cincinnati needs at least one starting guard out of this draft. At 6-foot-5 and 325 pounds, he’s proven to be able to hold his own at the point of attack. He’s powerful, tough and can move well in space – traits the Bengals need on the interior of their offensive line.
If the Bengals select Fairchild, they’ll be reuniting Amarius Mims with his former teammate. Continuity is key on the offensive line.
Fairchild has a wrestling background which is intriguing as pundits say this mentality translates on the football field when watching his tape. Despite suffering injuries, Fairchild played in all 28 games over the last two seasons at UGA.
The main knock on Fairchild heading into the draft is his lack of experience. The Bengals could be willing to bet on Fairchild’s upside with new offensive line coach Scott Peters in house.
Tobin and Taylor nailed the selection of Mims last year ending a long spell of missing on offensive line prospects. If they can hit on Fairchild and Mims, the right side of Cincinnati’s offensive line could be young and strong for years to come.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Bengals 2025 NFL mock draft first 3 round picks
Continue reading...
The Bengals are hoping to get several players in this year’s draft who can make an impact right away because of Super Bowl expectations. Cincinnati needs their early picks to be contributors in the upcoming season and this mock draft will outline who I think the Bengals could select in the first three rounds.
So, let’s go to it.
Round 1, pick No. 17: Mykel Williams, EDGE, University of Georgia
I’ve gone back and forth in the last week debating a few players to take in this spot. After talking to multiple league sources about this year’s edge class, the one name I heard most that checks every box I inquired about was Mykel Williams. If Alabama linebacker Jiihad Campbell was still on the board, I would take him here over Williams but I think he'll be gone by the time the Bengals make their pick. Defensive tackle Walter Nolen was also in play here for me, but there's too many unknowns with his character.
This year’s edge class is deep and talented and it’s a major need for the Bengals. With defensive end Trey Hendrickson’s future in flux at the moment and not enough production from Myles Murphy last season, outside of guard, edge No. 2 is the biggest priority for the Bengals. Sam Hubbard retired leaving a hole for Cincinnati’s defense to fill in terms of acquiring a player who can rush but is also sound in the run game.
Williams is the guy for the job. The term I heard most when asking about Williams were “tough” and “physical.” He fits what the Bengals need playing in the AFC North. There are no questions about his love for the game or character concerns. He played through an ankle injury last season and pundits say it impacted his production. Playing through an injury speaks to Williams’ football character.
He's got the NFL frame needed for an edge rusher at 6-foot-5 and 267 pounds with long arms. The Bengals ranked in the bottom half of the NFL in sacks last year and the season before. They need more production in this specific area opposite Hendrickson. When one player accounts for 17.5 of the total 36 sacks, it shows a lack of balance from a production standpoint at the edge position.
In three seasons at Georgia, Williams recorded 14 sacks, four pass deflections and three forced fumbles. If Williams is on the board when the Bengals get on the clock, Cincinnati can’t go wrong in picking him given his profile and the positional need.
Round 2, pick No. 49: Xavier Watts, safety, Notre Dame
I know you want a guard in the second round if the team doesn’t select an offensive lineman in the first round. But I couldn’t turn down the possibility of drafting Xavier Watts and reuniting him with new defensive coordinator Al Golden. Especially when Tobin mentioned how important Golden’s vision for each player is when they acquire a player on defense. Prior to being hired as the Bengals’ defensive coordinator, Golden held the same title at Notre Dame where he coached Watts.
Watts immediately upgrades the Bengals’ secondary. Cincinnati has struggled to hit on safeties since the pick of Jessie Bates in 2018. Since Bates left for free agency in 2023, the Bengals have yet to solidify the safety room. They’ve tried multiple combinations and nothing has stuck.
Jordan Battle and Geno Stone are slotted as the starters right now. While the hope is both players will perform at a higher level under Golden, it’s too risky and that’s why Watts makes so much sense.
The Bengals need to generate more turnovers on defense to give quarterback Joe Burrow and his star wide receivers the ball more. Watts was the best in the business at doing just that in college football over the last two season logging 13 interceptions. No other FBS player reached double digits in this metric.
Watts has a knack for finding a way to take the ball away and so much of his ability to do so stems from his instincts.
It’s a no-brainer pick for me if I’m the Bengals and Watts is on the board at pick No. 49. Cincinnati could finally solve their safety problem for years to come if they draft Watts.
Round 3, pick No. 81: Dylan Fairchild, guard, University of Georgia
When evaluating offensive line prospects for the Bengals, it’s important to highlight how often Cincinnati wants to throw the ball with Burrow.
Not every player is a fit in the Bengals’ offense because of this. Burrow drops back to throw the ball more than any other quarterback in the NFL. This is the main reason why Dylan Fairchild is my selection in the third round for the Bengals.
Fairchild settled in at right guard last season for the Bulldogs. Cincinnati needs at least one starting guard out of this draft. At 6-foot-5 and 325 pounds, he’s proven to be able to hold his own at the point of attack. He’s powerful, tough and can move well in space – traits the Bengals need on the interior of their offensive line.
If the Bengals select Fairchild, they’ll be reuniting Amarius Mims with his former teammate. Continuity is key on the offensive line.
Fairchild has a wrestling background which is intriguing as pundits say this mentality translates on the football field when watching his tape. Despite suffering injuries, Fairchild played in all 28 games over the last two seasons at UGA.
The main knock on Fairchild heading into the draft is his lack of experience. The Bengals could be willing to bet on Fairchild’s upside with new offensive line coach Scott Peters in house.
Tobin and Taylor nailed the selection of Mims last year ending a long spell of missing on offensive line prospects. If they can hit on Fairchild and Mims, the right side of Cincinnati’s offensive line could be young and strong for years to come.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Bengals 2025 NFL mock draft first 3 round picks
Continue reading...
