Cincinnati Bengals Take Ohio State Star In Latest Top Mock Draft

Cincinnati is trying to make sure they can't pick in this spot.

Ohio State Buckeyes cornerback Davison Igbinosun (1) and defensive back Caleb Downs (2) celebrate with safety Jaylen McClain (18) during the first half of the NCAA football game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Nov. 22, 2025. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

CINCINNATI — The Bengals landed a popular name so far in the early 2026 NFL Draft cycle across Dane Brugler's first 2026 mock draft for The Athletic. Cincinnati is taking Ohio State safety Caleb Downs with the 10th pick in the draft.

The Bengals are doing all they can to avoid a top 10 pick and make a miracle run to the playoffs, but right now, they are in range to land one of the nation's best defensive stars.

"Downs is one of the best players in this draft class, but a lot of teams — possibly including the Bengals — wouldn’t feel great drafting a safety in the top 10," Brugler wrote. "That said, the Ohio State All-American would give Cincinnati a monumental talent upgrade on the back end and instantly help its defense develop a more disciplined culture. Don’t overthink this one, Bengals."

Downs is ranked sixth overall on the consensus big board and is the best safety by a mile. Emmanuel McNeil-Warren from UCLA is the next closest safety on the list at 50th overall.

Cincinnati has a 7% chance to make the playoffs and likely won't have any spot high enough to take Downs if that happens. Current safety Jordan Battle is ready to keep fighting for that goal.

“Yeah, for sure. We knew coming in, everything was still in front of us," Battle said after the Ravens' win. "We are still in the division; we are now 3-1, so we’ve just got to win out. We can’t worry about what place we are in or the chances of making the playoffs. Take every game seriously, and if it were your last. We must treat every game in November, December, and January as playoff football. We have some great games coming down the stretch. 

"We have the Bills next week and then Ravens again. Those are two huge games we have to win. We know where we have to get to. We just keep playing with the energy we played with tonight and keep motivating each other to go play football.” 

Check out Brugler's full mock draft here.

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