Cincinnati Bengals (Last Year: 9-8)
Goals Entering the 2025 NFL Draft: Defense, defense, defense. The Bengals need a guard, but almost all of their selections must be used on the defensive side of the ball because they couldn’t stop anyone last year. Even Russell Wilson torched them down the stretch.
2025 NFL Draft Accomplishments: “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on- shame- you can’t get fooled again.” It’s truly astonishing that the Bengals were duped once again by an athletic pass rusher with no production. They recently blew a pick on Myles Murphy, and they took a very similar prospect in Shemar Stewart, who had just 4.5 sacks throughout his collegiate career despite being very gifted.
The Bengals had six selections, including the Stewart pick, and three of them scored as a “C” or worse. The Murphy grade, a “D,” was the worst one, but the Bengals, who didn’t seem quite prepared for the 2025 NFL Draft, made sketchy selections all weekend.
What’s worse is that the Bengals failed to improve their defense. Stewart is likely to bust. Demetrius Knight, the second-rounder, isn’t projected to start right away, and neither is Barrett Carter, the second linebacker chosen by the team. Cincinnati inexplicably failed to spend another resource on defense. The horrible defensive tackle and secondary situations remained unaddressed. This was an absolute failure of a draft class.
NFL Draft Individual Grades:
17. Shemar Stewart, DE, Texas A&M – D Grade
The Bengals really wanted to trade down, but couldn’t do so. Instead, they made the same mistake they made in a recent draft. They selected Myles Murphy as a high-upside player with no production, and he busted. They just drafted his clone, as Stewart had 4.5 sacks throughout his entire collegiate career.
49. Demetrius Knight, LB, South Carolina – B- Grade
Any defensive player makes sense for the Bengals, though I would have preferred to see them draft a defensive lineman or a defensive back. Still, Demetrius Knight is a decent prospect who was very productive, though I worry a bit about his coverage skills. This is a decent, but not a great selection.
81. Dylan Fairchild, G, Georgia – B+ Grade
Dylan Fairchild is a nasty blocker who fits right into the Bengals. Cincinnati was desperate for help at guard, so I thought it could address the position in the first round. Fairchild makes sense as a third-round prospect.
119. Barrett Carter, LB, Clemson – C Grade
Another linebacker is weird for the Bengals, given that they had severe needs elsewhere. Barrett Carter makes sense in this range as a linebacker who makes splash plays, but can someone tell Cincinnati that it needs defensive tackle and secondary help?
153. Jalen Rivers, OT/G, Miami – A- Grade
Jalen Rivers could have been chosen in the fourth round with no complaints, so the value is solid here for the Bengals. Cincinnati really needed guard help, and Jalen Rivers can potentially start there; he has experience at both tackle and guard.
193. Tahj Brooks, RB, Texas Tech – C Grade
I thought Tahj Brooks would go later than this or perhaps be undrafted. The Bengals needed a replacement for the injured Zack Moss, but they could have waited or taken someone else.
Follow me @walterfootball for updates.
2026 NFL Mock Draft - June 10
NFL Power Rankings - May 16
NFL Picks - Feb. 9
