Cincinnati Bengals Boost Defense in Latest Mock Draft Following 2025 Season

CINCINNATI — ESPN's Jordan Reid dropped his latest 2026 NFL mock draft on Tuesday and had the Bengals rolling defense with the 10th pick.

Ohio State safety Caleb Downs donned stripes in this exercise.

He is widely considered the top defensive back in the class.

A safety hasn't been picked in the top 10 since the Jets took Jamal Adams with the No. 6 pick in the 2017 draft, but Downs is one of the three best players in this year's class," Reid wrote. "His versatility, sure tackling, and instincts would eliminate a lot of the problems that Cincinnati had on the back end this season, as coordinator Al Golden's defense gave up a league-high 6.2 yards per play. By contrast, Downs allowed only 3.6 yards per passing attempt into his coverage this season (11th lowest in the FBS). With Geno Stone set to be an unrestricted free agent, Downs could slot into the Bengals' secondary nicely."

Downs is ranked seventh overall on the Mock Draft Database's Consensus Big Board, and the next closest safety is Oregon's Dillon Thieneman at 43rd overall.

Downs could be a great way to help a defensive staff that Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said he is retaining on Monday.

"Really excited, really excited about the direction these guys are going," Taylor said. "A lot of the new guys' defense, O-line guys, are really pleased with how they just fit as a staff. The type of people they are, the type of workers they are, their football IQ, their ability to work well with others, and adapt to scheme, and have great ideas.

"And I think that we've got a really strong collection of coaches. That I always feel this way, that over the next 10 years, you're gonna see unbelievable things from everybody on thestaff. And I see them every day and know what they'recapable of. Don't ever wanna lose any of them, cuz I think we have a really, really, really strong coaching staff.”

Check out the full mock draft here.

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