2026 Cincinnati Bengals Mock Draft: 7-Round Projection
Draft Capital: 7 picks | Overall Grade: B Last Updated: September 07, 2026Overview
Cincinnati Bengals enter the 2026 NFL Draft with 7 selections. Biggest needs: Linebacker, IOL, Offensive Tackle.
Complete Draft Class:Miami
— Grade B+
Michigan
— Grade C
Notre Dame
— Grade C
Ohio State
— Grade C-
LSU
— Grade C-
View Full 3-Round Mock Draft →---
Complete Pick-by-Pick Analysis
Pick #19 - Cincinnati Bengals: Jamari Johnson, Tight End, Oregon
Rank: #14 overall | Grade: A- Why This Pick:Cincinnati passes on three bigger positional needs, linebacker, interior line, and tackle, to grab a tight end who slid five spots past his ranking. That kind of value at pick 19 is hard to pass up, even for a team that lists TE fourth on its priority board, and taking the best player available with a talent gap like this over the next names on the board is a defensible bet on upside outweighing need order.
The Fit:Johnson gives the Bengals a big, athletic Y at 6-foot-5 and 257 pounds who can align inline over half the time while still threatening downfield, evidenced by his 15.9-yard average per catch and 2.02 yards per route run in his lone Oregon season. He's raw, a converted quarterback still cleaning up route depth, hand placement and blocking technique, so he projects as a developmental piece early on rather than an instant featured target, but his sure hands and after-the-catch burst fill a skill-position gap the depth chart lacked.
---
Pick #31 - Cincinnati Bengals: Ahmad Moten Sr, Defensive Line,
Miami
Rank: #31 overall | Grade: B+ Why This Pick:Best player available. Cincinnati Bengals needed Linebacker help, but Ahmad Moten Sr (ranked #31) represents elite value here. You can't pass on top-tier talent when it falls to you.
The Fit:Ahmad Moten Sr brings immediate impact to Cincinnati Bengals. Ahmad Moten Sr is a penetrating interior defensive lineman who profiles as an attacking three-technique at the next level. He wins with a dynamite first step and rare suddenness for the position, firing off the snap to shoot gaps and land the first p... His best trait—explosive, dynamite first step to shoot gaps and win reps early in both run and pass—fits perfectly with what this team needs. Projects as a Kobie Turner (productive undersized interior winner)-type player at the NFL level.
---
Pick #83 - Cincinnati Bengals: Clev Lubin, Edge Rusher, Louisville
Rank: #81 overall | Grade: C+ Why This Pick:Best player available. Cincinnati Bengals needed Linebacker help, but Clev Lubin (ranked #81) represents elite value here. You can't pass on top-tier talent when it falls to you.
The Fit:Clev Lubin brings immediate impact to Cincinnati Bengals. A productive, high-motor edge rusher who arrived at Louisville from Coastal Carolina and immediately proved his breakout was no fluke. After pressuring quarterbacks on 22.2% of his pass-rush snaps for Coastal in 2024, Lubin posted a 21.3% pressure ra... His best trait—elite, relentless motor with second-effort production—fits perfectly with what this team needs. Projects as a Josaiah Stewart (Kiper's comp-type player at the NFL level.
---
Pick #115: Blake Frazier (Offensive Tackle,Michigan
) - Grade C. Day 3 value pick. Depth addition with special teams potential.
Pick #147: Christian Gray (Cornerback,Notre Dame
) - Grade C. Day 3 value pick. Depth addition with special teams potential.
Pick #179: Carson Hinzman (Center,Ohio State
) - Grade C-. Day 3 value pick. Depth addition with special teams potential.
Pick #211: Jayce Brown (WRS,LSU
) - Grade C-. Day 3 value pick. Depth addition with special teams potential.
---
Draft Class Summary
Overall Grade: B | 7 positions addressed across 7 picks.---