Best Bengals 2026 Draft Scenario Laid Out To Fix Team's Major Problem

CINCINNATI — Pro Football Focus's Ryan Smith broke down the best draft scenarios for all 32 NFL teams this week, and Cincinnati's is fixing its defensive line.

That front was a big reason why Cincinnati ranked 30th in rushing EPA allowed and 26th in success rate last season. Clemson defensive tackle Peter Woods was Cincinnati's top option for Smith at pick 10.

"The Bengals had one of the league’s worst defenses in 2025, ranking 29th with a 52.6 PFF grade," Smith wrote. "The defense has holes all over the unit, so a case can be made for improving any position, but a defensive tackle unit that ranked 31st in PFF pass-rush grade is a good place to start. The Bengals finished dead last in rushing yards allowed per game this season, and although Peter Woods had a down 2025 compared to his previous two years, he would provide an immediate upgrade at the position as a proven run defender with the ability to flash pass-rushing potential as well.

"All-Pro Trey Hendrickson is a free agent, so an already weak Bengals defense could be even more depleted by the time the draft rolls around. Woods makes a lot of sense for a team that needs to do a better job of solidifying the trenches up front."

Top Defensive Tackle

Clemson defensive lineman Peter Woods (11) during the second quarter at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, S.C. Saturday, September 6, 2025. | Ken Ruinard / USA Today Network South Carolina / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

According to the Mock Draft Database, Woods is the consensus top defensive tackle and 17th-best player overall. Selecting him would be a bit of a big board reach, but the Bengals aren't afraid to trust their evaluations.

"I think there’s depth," Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin said about the draft pool last week. "I think there are a lot of D-linemen who are attractive guys for different roles, as you go through the whole season or the whole draft really. I think we have almost 400 ranked players on our board right now. Guys who have enough talent to be considered draftable, which is probably a little bit heavier than normal. I always look at the first five rounds.

"There are enough players to satisfy our picks in all of those rounds with extras, which is good. We’re going to get one of them that way. Some years, we’ve gotta keep forcing guys up the board. This year, we’re probably going to force some guys down the board a little bit. But I do think there’s depth."

Check out the full breakdown from Smith here.

For more on the Bengals, subscribe to our YouTube Channel and watch the video below as part of our in-depth coverage of the team. Prefer to listen? Check out Cincinnati Bengals Talk on Apple, Spotify, and Amazon Podcasts.

Make sure you bookmark BengalsTalk.com for the latest Bengals news, exclusive interviews, insight, film breakdowns, and so much more!

Also, check out the podcast, Locked On Bengals, wherever you get your podcasts.

Apple: bit.ly/BengalsApple

Spotify: bit.ly/BengalsSpotify

YouTube: bit.ly/LOBengalsYouTube

-----

Follow us on X: @BengalsTalkSI

Like Our Facebook Page

Follow on TikTok