The Cincinnati Bengals sit 10th overall in the 2026 NFL draft and should get a shot at one or two building blocks for the defensive side of the football.
Fitting, really, as one building block figures to be on his way out the door if Trey Hendrickson follows the reports that he won’t be back with the team next year.
Brent Sobleski of Bleacher Report just threw out a list of defenders capable of redefining pro units and a few must-know Bengals targets make the cut.
Take, for example, Ohio State safety Caleb Downs:
“His instincts and ability to excel in all phases from multiple alignments will automatically make him an eraser along a defensive back line. More importantly, his on-field intelligence can stabilize an entire unit because of the 21-year-old’s understanding of where everyone needs to be, as well as excellent concept recognition.”
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Adding Downs to a secondary that already appears to have upstart secondary members with DJ Turner and Dax Hill would be a dream scenario.
But…Downs might not make it to 10.
Brent Sobleski also lists Miami edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr.:
“Bain’s game is predicated on violence. He displays excellent first-step quickness, as is necessary for any elite edge prospect. At the same time, his ability to jolt, displace and even play through offensive linemen is impressive. He can convert speed-to-power better than any prospect in the class.”
The whole list is worth a look, of course. But Downs and Bain sum up the best-case scenarios really well.
The Bengals need a Geno Stone replacement and blue chip secondary member. That, or a blue-chip edge rusher to help out first-round products Myles Murphy and Shemar Stewart.
A new addition at 10 might not fix the defense right away, but paired with smart free agency moves, the unit could take a massive turn for the better.
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