njjj'S MOCK DRAFT
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njjj'S MOCK DRAFT
RUN ON MAY 16, 2026

nhj

  • njjj DRAFTING FOR THE
    Bengals
Draft Selections
Jayden Maiava Head Shot
PICK: 10 RND: 1 (CIN)
Jayden Maiava
QB USC
Brice Pollock Head Shot
PICK: 41 RND: 2 (CIN)
Brice Pollock
CB Texas Tech
D'Antre Robinson Head Shot
PICK: 72 RND: 3 (CIN)
D'Antre Robinson
DT North Carolina
Justice Haynes Head Shot
PICK: 110 RND: 4 (CIN)
Justice Haynes
RB Michigan
Drayk Bowen Head Shot
PICK: 187 RND: 6 (CIN)
Drayk Bowen
LB Notre Dame
Malik Hartford Head Shot
PICK: 197 RND: 6 (CIN)
Malik Hartford
S Ohio State
Shamar Porter Head Shot
PICK: 226 RND: 7 (CIN)
Shamar Porter
WR UConn
Draft Grade — Bengals
Overall C+
ValueD+ NeedB TradesB- FutureB-
The Bengals drew a line under the quarterback search with Maiava: C+.

They finally answered the question that shadows every other one. Jayden Maiava is the Bengals' quarterback, full stop.

They are betting Maiava proves the room right and everyone else wrong. They covered a lot of ground and still skipped tight end, which is a strange place to end up.

Cornerback is handled and the depth chart looks a good deal healthier for it.

So much rides on Jayden Maiava that the real verdict is a season or two away.

Pick Analysis
Pick10 Rnd1 Jayden Maiava
In No. 10 they get a franchise quarterback, though the board says they badly overpaid.
Pick41 Rnd2 Brice Pollock
Brice Pollock in Round 2, Pick 9 is early enough to raise a brow, if not a full objection. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
Pick72 Rnd3 D'Antre Robinson
D'Antre Robinson in pick No. 72 is fair value, right on his grade. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
Pick110 Rnd4 Justice Haynes
A market-rate running back, with the board and the slot shaking hands on Justice Haynes. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
Pick187 Rnd6 Drayk Bowen
A straight-up fair deal on Drayk Bowen at the Round 6 slot, value and slot in agreement. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
Pick197 Rnd6 Malik Hartford
No edge and no loss on Malik Hartford in the 197th overall pick; it is a wash and a sensible one. A minor itch, scratched.
Pick226 Rnd7 Shamar Porter
They did well to land Shamar Porter in the 226th pick, just ahead of his grade. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.