Bengals Pick All Defense In Latest Three-Round Mock Draft

Cincinnati has top 10 picks in each of the first three rounds this April.

Penn State safety Zakee Wheatley, center, laughs with former safety Kalen King, right, during Penn State's Pro Day in Holuba Hall on March 28, 2025, in State College. | Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

CINCINNATI — Pro Football Focus analyst Dalton Wasserman dropped a new three-round mock draft this week with a few intriguing picks for the Bengals.

Stop me if you've heard this before, but the Bengals took a defensive talent with the 10th pick in the draft, and one of their most popular options at that: Clemson defensive tackle Peter Woods.

"Cincinnati has holes all over its defense," Wasserman wrote. "That includes adding to a defensive tackle unit that ranked 22nd in PFF overall grade and 31st in PFF pass-rush grade this past season. Peter Woods had a slightly down year in 2025, but he’s a proven run defender who flashed pass-rush ability in each of his three seasons at Clemson."

Woods is ranked 17th on The Mock Draft Database's Consensus Big Board and first among defensive tackles.

Nov 23, 2024; Clemson, South Carolina, USA; Clemson Tigers defensive lineman Peter Woods (11) reacts after sacking The Citadel Bulldogs quarterback Johnathan Bennett (11) during the first half at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Ruinard-Imagn Images | Ken Ruinard-Imagn Images

Next, Cincinnati took Illinois edge Gabe Jacas at Pick 41 and Penn State safety Zakee Wheatley at Pick 72.

Jacas is ranked 59th on the consensus big board and ninth among edge rushers, while Wheatley is 86th overall and seventh among safeties.

Cincinnati has a ton of needs on defense, while the offense is mostly locked in outside of one guard spot right now.

"Yeah, successful defenses, in my opinion, they have to be able to pressure the passer," Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin said last month. "You'd like to be able to pressure with four. I think we need a pass rush. I think that relieves some of the strain on the coverage. So I'm a guy who believes in the front on both sides of the ball, and that is my focus. People might not believe that, but that is my focus. They might believe I love throwing the ball down the field and having great wideouts. Those opportunities presented themselves, we grabbed them, and we're glad we did. But I want to build the front. I always want to build the front. And so there are several pieces that we think we need and can add, and we'll see if we can."

Check out the full mock draft from Wasserman here.

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