Bengals Reportedly Would've Selected Huge Big Board Outlier at Pick 10 if Dexter Lawrence Trade Fell Through

The Bengals may have reached big time in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft if they hadn't traded for Dexter Lawrence from the New York Giants.

Former NFL scout with the Cowboys, Bryan Broaddus, declared they would've taken Clemson defensive tackle Peter Woods at No. 10.

According to the Mock Draft Database's consensus big board, Woods was ranked 30th overall and second among defensive tackles behind Ohio State's Kayden McDonald. Woods ended up getting picked 29th overall on Thursday night, much closer to his big board ranking than where the Bengals would've selected.

It would've been an egregious big board reach by the franchise if they were really going to do that.

Peter Woods...No Matter What??

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

"Here's intel for you. They were going to reach for Peter Woods. They were gonna take Peter Woods at 10," Broaddus said on an episode of "Trust The Tape."

Now, take this with a heaping of salt from a voice outside of the organization. Caleb Downs was on the board at No. 10 same with Rueben Bain. Taking Woods there may not have been locked in given how the board actually played out.

Alas, it doesn't matter now. The Bengals got their guy for the 10th pick in the 2026 Draft and are only paying him roughly $10 million more per season over the next three years as opposed to the rookie salary slot for the 10th pick.

Bengals head coach Zac Taylor is ready to attack the rest of the offseason with a new-look defense and an exhausted set of salary cap resources from all the moves.

"So it's one of those things that just elevates everybody, and we gotta go win. You add Dexter, you add all these guys on defense that we've added," Taylor said after adding Lawrence. "Again, credit upstairs to personnel and those guys for getting these guys down here in the locker room, because you can just feel the presence of everybody we've added on top of the guys that we already have, young and old.

"And we got a really great collection of guys. We're in a tremendous position going into the draft this weekend to just add pieces on either side of the ball that can help us go win. But I'm really excited about the position we're in today."

Check out the full show with Broaddus here.

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