Bengals Roll Out First 2026 Draft Pick Phone Call With Cashius Howell

The Bengals started off their slate of 2026 NFL Draft picks by adding more to the defense with Texas A&M edge rusher Cashius Howell.

Howell was a star for the Aggies this past season, rolling to first-team Associated Press All-American status along the way. He was also the SEC Defensive Player of the Year, first-team All-SEC, and a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Award (nation's top defender), Chuck Bednarik Award (nation's top defender), and the Lombardi Award (nation's top lineman).

Production and Prowess

Dec 20, 2025; College Station, TX, USA; Texas A&M Aggies defensive end Cashius Howell (9) rushes the line during the game between the Aggies and the Hurricanes at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Howell's production matches the traits as he tied for seventh in the FBS with 11.5 sacks and started all 13 games.

Assistant general manager Mike Potts was thrilled to land him.

"I think it was growing into his body," Potts noted. "He was a really underdeveloped, under-recruited kid coming out. Bowling Green was one of his only offers. So he's completely off the radar. The body was just not fully matured. I think he obviously ascended and had a good year of Bowling Green to get to be a highly sought-after guy in the portal, and then he just got with that strength staff there at Texas A&M, and had a solid year in 2024, and then just really ascended and took his game to the next level this year."

Bengals' defensive coordinator Al Golden also heaped praise on the All-American.

"We want to be able to come at people in waves," Golden said after the pick. "I think we've established that now. We have great character in that room. We have leadership. Obviously, just being around Dex (Dexter Lawrence) the last four days, the impact that he's made, you're going to get a healthy B.J. (Hill) back. And as I've been saying to the defensive staff all week. We're not just getting Cashius and Dex. We're also getting Shemar (Stewart). We're getting healthy Shemar, all offseason, all preseason. He'll be exposed to all that. So I know he's got another gear left in him. So, I couldn't be more thrilled with the way it worked out.

Check out the draft call below:

“Let’s do it!” pic.twitter.com/MdVeQbIVMZ
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) April 25, 2026

Cashing in. pic.twitter.com/SwiqSvNaKR
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) April 25, 2026

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