dk'S MOCK DRAFT
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dk'S MOCK DRAFT
RUN ON JAN 20, 2026

dk

  • dk DRAFTING FOR THE
    Bengals
Draft Selections
Caleb Downs Head Shot
PICK: 10 RND: 1 (CIN)
Caleb Downs
S Ohio State
CJ Allen Head Shot
PICK: 41 RND: 2 (CIN)
CJ Allen
LB Georgia
Eli Stowers Head Shot
PICK: 72 RND: 3 (CIN)
Eli Stowers
TE Vanderbilt
D'Angelo Ponds Head Shot
PICK: 110 RND: 4 (CIN)
D'Angelo Ponds
CB Indiana
Isaiah Jatta Head Shot
PICK: 187 RND: 6 (CIN)
Isaiah Jatta
OT BYU
De'Zhaun Stribling Head Shot
PICK: 197 RND: 6 (CIN)
De'Zhaun Stribling
WR Ole Miss
Kamran James Head Shot
PICK: 226 RND: 7 (CIN)
Kamran James
DE-EDGE Florida
Draft Grade — Bengals
Overall B-
ValueB NeedB- TradesB- FutureB-
No fireworks, just a tidy B- for the Bengals.

The Bengals went off the board in a big way for Kamran James, 34 picks early. Conviction is one thing; this is another.

The interior defensive lineman hole is the one line item this class does not answer. Stowers at that cost is the sort of edge that compounds over a roster. Cornerback was the priority and it is no longer a question, which is most of the job.

They reloaded the coverage unit in bulk.

All told, a solid class that does its job everywhere but interior defensive lineman.

Pick Analysis
Pick10 Rnd1 Caleb Downs
In the 10th overall pick they get a downhill hitter at safety, outstanding value to boot. Need was not the driver here.
Pick41 Rnd2 CJ Allen
A reasonable price with a little left over, CJ Allen in pick 41. It fills a real need, too.
Pick72 Rnd3 Eli Stowers
They stopped a slide they were happy to see, landing Eli Stowers in Round 3, Pick 8. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
Pick110 Rnd4 D'Angelo Ponds
D'Angelo Ponds in the 110th pick is fine work, a shade of surplus and no downside. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
Pick187 Rnd6 Isaiah Jatta
A straight-up fair deal on Isaiah Jatta at the Round 6 slot, value and slot in agreement. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
Pick197 Rnd6 De'Zhaun Stribling
De'Zhaun Stribling at No. 197 is a conviction pick that outran the value. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
Pick226 Rnd7 Kamran James
A real head-scratcher, Kamran James in the 226th pick is miles ahead of his ranking. It thickens a room that could stand to be thicker.