Well, that was an exciting Saturday, wasn’t it? While fans were clamoring over Caleb Downs or Rueben Bain Jr. or the likelihood of having to pick a corner, the Cincinnati Bengals’ social media team was counting down until the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. However, in the background, the front office cooked up a one-for-one trade with the New York Giants, sending the 10th overall pick in return for three-time Pro Bowl nose tackle (and two-time second-team All-Pro), Dexter Lawrence. Now, they’re cooking, and this writer needs to pen an article eating crow.
In the meantime, let’s fire up the PFSN Mock Draft Machine again, this time just sticking and picking. We will take a look at a potential trade-back scenario in the second part of a later piece.
Cincinnati Bengals Mock Draft Post-Dexter Lawrence Trade
Round 2, Pick 41: D’Angelo Ponds, CB, Indiana
For the first time since 1989, the only previous time, the Bengals will not pick in the first round. Trading up back into the first round is unlikely, as the team almost never does so. However, the Bengals have never pulled off a trade quite like what they did for Lawrence, so who knows.
An underrated part of the back-to-back playoff runs was having a guy like Mike Hilton in the slot. Most fans are trying to pencil in Jacob Rodriguez here, but he went 35th, so D’Angelo Ponds is a great consolation.
In just three years in college (one at James Madison, two at Indiana), Ponds racked up 169 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, seven interceptions (two pick-sixes), 33 pass breakups, and a forced fumble. He’s as physical and scrappy as any you’ll find, but he’s not a Dax Hill/D.J. Turner replacement. The Bengals either need to extend both or plan on finding the replacement in next year’s class.
Spending a top pick on a slot/nickel corner is a risk, but Ponds looks like an instant-impact player.
Full D’Angelo Ponds Draft Profile
Round 3, Pick 72: Skyler Bell, WR, UConn
This was going to be a pick for Jake Golday, but he went earlier as well, so why not add to the offense a little bit?
Skyler Bell is an older prospect at receiver, but he was elite for UConn over the last two seasons. In 2023, he turned 50 receptions into 860 yards and five touchdowns. Last year? 101 catches for 1,278 yards and 13 touchdowns. He suited up against three Power 4 teams and amassed 319 yards and three touchdowns on 32 receptions.
He’s a YAC monster who will be able to take pressure off Ja’Marr Chase by making defense pay for doubling Chase. Plus, he can line up anywhere, freeing Chase to go crazy in the slot.
Bell would add another big-play threat to an already potent offense.
Full Skyler Bell Draft Profile
Round 4, Pick 110: Deontae Lawson, LB, Alabama
It would have been nice if the Bengals could have addressed linebacker earlier, but getting Deontae Lawson in the fourth feels like a win. Even with the additions on the defensive line that should help out Demetrius Knight and Barrett Carter, the room needs to raise its floor.
The Bengals love to add leadership via the draft. Lawson was a captain in each of the last two seasons for Alabama. On the field, he’s solid in both pass and run defense.
He wouldn’t likely supplant either Knight or Carter as a full-time starter, but he could be someone to make the room better as the first guy off the bench, or just someone to push the top two. At the same time, he could be a third backer to allow Knight to rush the passer off the edge.
Full Deontae Lawson Draft Profile
Round 6, Pick 189: Diego Pounds, OT, Ole Miss
Last year’s offensive line was arguably the best in the Joe Burrow era. As a result, the team went out to bring back the only free agent and extended Orlando Brown Jr. The starters are set. Now, the Bengals need to address the depth.
Diego Pounds could come in and compete with Cody Ford as the swing tackle. He has solid athleticism and has the power to knock back EDGEs off the snap. Pounds has great length and grip strength as well.
He’s not the greatest run blocker, but you can game plan around that if you’re the Bengals. The goal in this draft for the offense is to improve depth. Don’t forget that this team struggled with the Browns twice and got shut out against the Ravens with Burrow.
Round 6, Pick 199: Pat Coogan, IOL, Indiana
Again, the key for the offense in this draft is to improve depth. Jalen Rivers struggled as the backup guard, so to help him out, why not get a guy with guard experience and someone who could take over at center as early as next year?
Pat Coogan started 13 games for Notre Dame at left guard in 2023, then took over as the team’s starting center in 2024. Prior to the 2025 season, he transferred to Indiana, where he anchored a national championship-winning offensive line.
Round 7, Pick 221: Will Kacmarek, TE, Ohio State
With everything getting more and more expensive on the defensive side, the Bengals may look to try to cut costs in a few areas. One of those could be Drew Sample, the blocking-first tight end in the room. The Bengals don’t have a reliable blocking tight end other than Sample, so nabbing Will Kacmarek could be the move (please don’t draft him four rounds earlier like you did with Sample).
Kacmarek was an elite blocker for Ohio State over the last two seasons and considers himself the best blocking tight end in the class. He has just about as much juice as a receiver as Sample, so in reality, the Bengals are getting younger and cheaper at the position. Cutting Sample would free up nearly $2.9 million, whereas drafting Kacmarek would cost just over $900,000.
Full Will Kacmarek Draft Profile
Round 7, Pick 226: Andre Fuller, CB, Toledo
Finally, you can never have too many corners. The seventh round is for special teams and dart throws.
Andre Fuller has been a slight riser of late. According to NFLMockDraftDatabase, Fuller has risen from his consensus positioning as the 390th player in the class to 226, firmly in seventh-round territory. He appeared in 41 games in the three seasons in which he wasn’t rehabbing from injury. He’s a long, physical corner with 11 pass breakups in 2025.
Plus, he could take over former Rocket Tycen Anderson’s role as a special teams ace!
Main Image: © Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
