Bengals Select Elite SEC Defender in Post-Free Agency 2026 Mock Draft

Cincinnati has a rare top-10 pick in the Joe Burrow era.

Aug 24, 2014; Glendale, AZ, USA; Detailed view of a Cincinnati Bengals helmet on the field next to the end zone scoring pylon against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

CINCINNATI — The Bengals hit the outside of their defense in Mel Kiper Jr.'s latest mock draft for ESPN. The longtime draft analyst had Cincinnati taking LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane with the 10th pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Delane is ranked 11th on the consensus big board from The Mock Draft Database and first among cornerbacks.

Dialed Into Delane

Feb 26, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; LSU defensive back Mansoor Delane (DB06) speaks to media members during the NFL Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images | Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images

Cincinnati still needs a lot of pass rush juice to replace Trey Hendrickson, but the big board options didn't make sense to reach for an edge rusher.

"Even with Boye Mafe in the fold, the edge rush leaves a lot to be desired. But with Rueben Bain off the board, there isn't a pass rusher whose value fits here," Kiper wrote. "The Bengals would have to reach for Missouri's Zion Young, Auburn's Keldric Faulk , or Miami's Akheem Mesidor, and it's just too early for any of those guys. But Cincinnati was also one of four teams to give up more than seven yards per opponent dropback in 2025, and it would love to have a true No. 1 corner. Delane can make plays on the ball (11 pass breakups, two interceptions last season) in either man or zone coverage."

Cincinnati now largely shifts into draft visit and full-on evaluation mode after the free-agency fervor died down in recent days.

A signing or two could keep popping up for the Bengals over these next few weeks, but the big signings are likely over as the team gets ready to fill the rest of its needs through the draft.

Bengals Director of Player Personnel Duke Tobin is confident the defensive issues can be fully cleaned up once the draft picks settle.

"I believe in Al, I believe in Zac," Tobin said at the 2026 NFL Combine. "I think their vision is the right vision, and it's on the guys in the personnel department, with their help, to go out and identify guys and then see if we can get them signed. You know, it's a two-part thing. You can want somebody, and maybe they don't want you, or they go somewhere else, and they're not available to you, but we want to identify the right ones, then we want to go out and attack and see if we can get them to Cincinnati."

Check out the full mock draft from Kiper here.

Sign Up For Our DAILY Newsletter for More Free Coverage of the Cincinnati Bengals Delivered to You Directly

For more on the Bengals, subscribe to our YouTube Channel and be sure to check us out on your favorite audio platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, and Amazon. Make sure you bookmark BengalsTalk.com for the latest Bengals news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more! We're a one-stop shop for all things Cincinnati Bengals!