2026 Cincinnati Bengals Mock Draft: 7-Round Projection
Draft Capital: 7 picks | Overall Grade: B Last Updated: October 19, 2026Overview
Cincinnati Bengals enter the 2026 NFL Draft with 7 selections. Biggest needs: IOL, Edge Rusher, Linebacker.
Complete Draft Class:- Round 1 (#11): Dylan Stewart, Edge Rusher, South Carolina — Grade A
- Round 2 (#50): KJ Duff, Wide Receiver, Rutgers — Grade B-
- Round 3 (#81): Luke Reynolds, Tight End, Virginia Tech — Grade C+
- Round 4 (#112): PJ Williams, Offensive Tackle, SMU — Grade C+
- Round 5 (#143): Payton Pierce, Outside Linebacker, Ohio State — Grade C-
- Round 5 (#174): Adon Shuler, Safety, Notre Dame — Grade C-
- Round 6 (#205): Darius Taylor, Running Back, Minnesota — Grade C-
Complete Pick-by-Pick Analysis
Pick #11 - Cincinnati Bengals: Dylan Stewart, Edge Rusher, South Carolina
Rank: #9 overall | Grade: A Why This Pick:Critical need filled. Cincinnati Bengals desperately needed Edge Rusher help (need #2), and Dylan Stewart was the best available at this spot. This pick addresses an immediate roster weakness.
The Fit:Dylan Stewart brings immediate impact to Cincinnati Bengals. Dylan Stewart arrived at South Carolina as a five-star recruit out of Friendship Collegiate Academy in Washington D.C., the No. 17 recruit in the 2024 class, and has been an impact edge rusher since his first snap. At 6-5 and roughly 250 pounds, he p... His best trait—explosive get-off on the snap—fits perfectly with what this team needs. Projects as a Von Miller-style bend and burst-type player at the NFL level.
- Strengths: Explosive get-off on the snap
- Weaknesses: Counter package is underdeveloped once his first move fails
- NFL Comp: Von Miller-style bend and burst
Pick #50 - Cincinnati Bengals: KJ Duff, Wide Receiver, Rutgers
Rank: #53 overall | Grade: B- Why This Pick:Addresses key depth concern. While Wide Receiver wasn't the top priority, KJ Duff's talent at #53 overall was too good to pass up. Sometimes value trumps need.
The Fit:KJ Duff brings immediate impact to Cincinnati Bengals. KJ Duff is a 6-foot-6, 225-pound boundary receiver who turned Rutgers' passing game into his own in 2025 and carried that into a hot start to 2026. A three-star recruit out of St. Anthony's in New York, he played all 13 games as a freshman, started f... His best trait—elite size for the position at 6-foot-6 and 225 pounds with long arms and a huge catch radius—fits perfectly with what this team needs. Projects as a Dyami Brown as the closest role match on the boundary-type player at the NFL level.
- Strengths: Elite size for the position at 6-foot-6 and 225 pounds with long arms and a huge catch radius
- Weaknesses: Lacks elite straight-line speed and cannot consistently run past defenders downfield
- NFL Comp: Dyami Brown as the closest role match on the boundary
Pick #81 - Cincinnati Bengals: Luke Reynolds, Tight End, Virginia Tech
Rank: #81 overall | Grade: C+ Why This Pick:Addresses key depth concern. While Tight End wasn't the top priority, Luke Reynolds's talent at #81 overall was too good to pass up. Sometimes value trumps need.
The Fit:Luke Reynolds brings immediate impact to Cincinnati Bengals. Luke Reynolds arrived at Virginia Tech as a transfer from Penn State and is one of the more divisive tight end evaluations of the 2027 cycle. A former five-star recruit, he carries the pedigree and the frame teams look for at 6-foot-4, 250 pounds, an... His best trait—former five-star recruit with the frame nfl teams want at 6-foot-4, 250 pounds—fits perfectly with what this team needs. Projects as a Movement and after-catch physicality in the mold of a bigger-slot H-back-type player at the NFL level.
- Strengths: Former five-star recruit with the frame NFL teams want at 6-foot-4, 250 pounds
- Weaknesses: Run blocking is the clear weak point, with inconsistent footwork causing balance issues
- NFL Comp: Movement and after-catch physicality in the mold of a bigger-slot H-back
Pick #112: PJ Williams (Offensive Tackle, SMU) - Grade C+. Day 3 value pick. Depth addition with special teams potential. Pick #143: Payton Pierce (Outside Linebacker, Ohio State) - Grade C-. Day 3 value pick. Depth addition with special teams potential. Pick #174: Adon Shuler (Safety, Notre Dame) - Grade C-. Day 3 value pick. Depth addition with special teams potential. Pick #205: Darius Taylor (Running Back, Minnesota) - Grade C-. Day 3 value pick. Depth addition with special teams potential.