The Bengals are in position to have their highest draft selection since they had the No. 5 overall pick in 2021 when they took Ja'Marr Chase.

Who will each NFL team target in the 2026 draft? Here's how four experts project the first round to go, and where Fernando Mendoza could land.

Make no mistake, Bain is an exciting prospect. Both Trey Hendrickson and Joseph Ossai are on the way to free agency. Myles Murphy has shown a few flashes, but the team has gotten nothing from last year’s first-rounder, Shemar Stewart. Bain makes sense.

As the 2025 NFL season enters its final stretch, the race for the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft is officially wide open. Tennessee’s surprising Week 14 win over Cleveland flipped the top of the board,

The Bengals, who still have a shot at winning the AFC North and making the playoffs, have their own first-round pick in 2026. Here is where they are set to pick in the 2026 NFL Draft as it stands. This post will be updated throughout the season. Draft order is courtesy of Tankathon.

The Cincinnati Bengals are currently sitting at 4-9 on the season. With the playoffs likely out of reach, let’s take a look at some of the top positions of need and players at each one for the 2026 NFL Draft. As always, free agency can change what this list ultimately looks like.

CINCINNATI — ESPN's Field Yates dropped his latest 2026 NFL mock draft on Wednesday morning and slotted a defensive mauler with the Bengals at Pick 10. Cincinnati selected Miami (FL) edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. with the top-tier selection. ESPN's Football Power Index gives Cincinnati a 52.4% chance of landing a top-10 pick at 4-9 overall.

The regular season of college football is nearing the end. This is the final week before most teams will be entering conference championships, playoff games, or bowl games in general. There are so many exciting match-ups throughout college football this week.

The Cincinnati Bengals could be looking at several prospects playing in this one. For BYU, they have several defensive prospects of note. Two linebackers of interest for day three include Jack Kelly and Isaiah Glasker.