Cincinnati Bengals Earn Mostly Strong Grades For 2026 NFL Draft Class, One Clear Outlier

The 2026 NFL Draft grades are dropping from outlets all over the place, and Cincinnati is mostly earning solid marks for its selections, with one outlier on the list.

The team made seven total selections across this weekend, including three on defense and four on offense, with five of them being trench talents across both sides of the ball.

Draft picks in order: EDGE Cashius Howell, CB Tacario Davis, G/C Connor Lew, WR Colbie Young, G/C Brian Parker II, TE Jack Endries, DT Landon Robinson

Let's dive into grades from all over to see how the Bengals' class stacks up:

Cincinnati Bengals second round pick Cashius Howell speaks with media during the 2026 NFL Draft, Saturday, April 25, 2026, at Paycor Stadium in downtown Cincinnati. | Frank Bowen IV/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Sports Illustrated - B

After trading their first-round pick for nose tackle Dexter Lawrence II, the Bengals still focused on defense with their early choices," Gilberto Manzano and Matt Verdarame wrote. "Howell was very productive for the Aggies, with 15.5 sacks over the past two seasons, and should play plenty with free-agent signing Boye Mafe on the other side. Meanwhile, Davis could start opposite DJ Turner II after Cam Taylor-Britt left in free agency. Cincinnati desperately needed an infusion of defensive talent, and it appears to have gotten it."

ESPN - B

"This year, Cincinnati came on the clock at No. 41 and took Cashius Howell, an extremely productive edge rusher," Mel Kiper Jr. wrote. "Howell had 11.5 sacks and 16.5 tackles for loss last season, getting blockers off balance and beating them with superfast inside moves. He ran a 4.59 at 253 pounds -- that's quick. But will his 30¼-inch arms be a factor? Mansoor Delane was a popular match for Cincinnati at No. 10 before the Lawrence trade, and while Tacario Davis in the third round isn't that level of premier cover CB1, he should be a solid option opposite DJ Turner II. The Bengals have to find a way to keep Joe Burrow happy and capitalize on the potent offense he leads.

"That means fielding a better defense; it's hard to win football games when the team is giving up a league-high 6.2 yards per play. Did the Bengals do enough? I'm not so sure. On offense, Connor Lew might have been the top center if not for an ACL injury last season, and Brian Parker II in the sixth round represented a double-up at the position, since he's likely kicking inside in the pros. Ted Karras is 33, though, so the same logic I had on the Bears center selection applies here. Give Burrow a young center with a lot of upside."

Sporting News - A

"Personnel lead Duke Tobin did well without a first-rounder, and getting Dexter Lawrence from the Giants should be considered adjacent to this class," Vinnie Iyer wrote. "Howell and Davis upgrade the pass defense plenty with high energy. Lew can battle for a starting job at guard with immediate impact. Endries was a good value to add as a unique target for Joe Burrow."

Yahoo! Sports - D

"This seems like a low-impact draft class considering what the Bengals needed to get out of this year’s crop of players," Nate Tice and Charles McDonald wrote. "Cashius Howell technically fills a need at defensive end, but he has a long way to go in terms of developing strength before he can be counted on as an every-down defensive end. Given the Bengals’ recent history of developing defensive linemen, this might not be the best landing spot for Howell to take advantage of his speed long term. Tacario Davis and Colbie Young were risky picks as well. It just doesn’t feel like they took any high-floor bets in this class."

USA Today - B

"We should know in a year or two if they chose the right course of action, shipping out the 10th pick for Lawrence, who definitively further upgrades a defense that has undermined this organization, QB Joe Burrow and Co. specifically, for years," Nate Davis wrote. "But a win-now choice has to mean the Bengals literally win now and in 2027, especially since S Caleb Downs or pass rusher Rueben Bain Jr. could have been had for far less money than Lawrence and, likely, for several more years than the three-time Pro Bowler will ultimately provide. Undersized second-round DE Cashius Howell is a speedball who could help replace some of former DE Trey Hendrickson’s production off the edge in sub packages."

CBS Sports - A-

"Even though they traded out of the first round, the Bengals still secured an exciting replacement for Trey Hendrickson," Carter Bahns wrote. "No one is going to fully replicate the production Hendrickson provided off the edge over the last few years, but Cashius Howell dominated SEC offensive tackles during his Texas A&M career and could be in for a prolific pro career, even though his arms measured concerningly small. Even more defensive help is on the way in the form of Tacario Davis, the other Day 2 pick, and seventh-rounder Landon Robinson.

"Cincinnati had to get better defensively in this draft and addressed both the front and secondary. Mission accomplished. On Day 3, the Bengals found immense value in the middle of their offensive line. They first took center Connor Lew -- whom Josh Edwards called the best prospect available and his favorite center in the class (before his 2025 season-ending torn ACL at Auburn). He could be the team's long-term answer at the position, and finding that in the fourth round is a major win. Two rounds later, they grabbed another interior lineman in Brian Parker II. Edwards labeled it a savvy pick."

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