Hits, Reaches & Steals: Grading Every Pick in the Bengals’ 2026 Draft Class

The 2026 NFL Draft is in the books. Cincinnati added four defensive players and four offensive players with their eight picks. That includes their blockbuster trade for Dexter Lawrence.

Let's breakdown every pick and grade the Bengals' 2026 draft class:

Pick 10: Traded for DT Dexter Lawrence

The Bengals desperately needed a game-changing defensive player. They signed Boye Mafe, Jonathan Allen and Bryan Cook, but it wasn't enough.

Lawrence is that game-changer. Could they have had Caleb Downs? Maybe. And the Bengals were comfortable taking Downs at No. 10 overall. Ultimately, they believed Lawrence would transform their defense. At 6-4, 342 pounds, the man has his own orbit and the Bengals' defense will revolve around their star defensive tackle.

Grade: A+

Pick 41: Cashius Howell, Edge, Texas A&M

Adding another pass rusher was my top concern after their free agent blitz last month. Howell led the SEC in sacks last season (11) and gives Cincinnati some more juice off the edge. He fits right in with Myles Murphy, Shemar Stewart and Mafe. Suddenly, the Bengals are at least 8-deep in the defensive line room.

Howell gives the Bengals a twitchy, bendy pass rusher that they didn't have on the roster. He was high on their draft board and should be an instant contributor as a rotational pass rusher.

Grade: A

Pick 72: Tacario Davis, CB, Washington

The Bengals wanted to add a true outside corner in this draft. There weren't many that had Davis' ceiling in their eyes. He's a 6-4 cornerback with nearly 34-inch arms and over an 80-inch wingspan. He also ran a 4.41 40-yard dash. There's a lot to like about Davis and it's easy to see why the Bengals picked him.

Despite seeing the fit, it's impossible to ignore that Davis was projected to go off the board in the fourth round. He was ranked 120th on the Arif Hasan's consensus big board. He's lean despite his frame and missed six games with rib and hamstring injuries last year. Davis is a fit and addresses a need, but there are plenty of reasons to question this pick.

Grade: C

Pick 128: Connor Lew, C, Auburn

Lew was the Bengals' first pick on Saturday. They traded the 110th and 199th picks to the Jets in exchange for picks 128 and 140. Lew is coming off of a torn ACL, which pushed him down some draft boards.

The good news is that the Bengals don't need him to start. In fact, they hope he doesn't have to play at all this season. Ted Karras is returning for a fifth season, but Cincinnati needed to add a backup center. Lew is good in pass protection and has starter potential once he's healthy. He offered really good value in the fourth round.

Grade: B+

Pick 140: Colbie Young, WR, Georgia

Young is the biggest risk the Bengals made in this year's draft. It's easy to see why they'd bet on a 6-4, 218-pound receiver. He runs a 4.49 40-yard dash and has all of the physical tools to be successful in the NFL.

He missed six games with a broken leg last season and was arrested and suspended in 2024. Young pled no contest to disorderly conduct after prosecutors dropped misdemeanor charges of battery and assault on an unborn child. The woman involved retracted her statement to police. She also asked for the charges to be dismissed.

Young has a ton of talent, but there's plenty of risk in his profile. The Bengals are hoping he can develop into a true weapon for Joe Burrow.

Grade: C-

Pick 189: Brian Parker II, OL, Duke

Parker may become the best pick the Bengals made in this year's draft. He can play center, guard or either tackle spot. The Cincinnati native was projected to go in rounds 3-4. The fact that he fell this far is ideal for the Bengals. They needed a versatile lineman that could give them valuable depth.

He's a quality athlete and the fact that he can play all five positions gives him a real chance of making the 53-man roster as a rookie. Don't be surprised if he develops into a starter at some point during his rookie contract.

Grade: A+

Pick 221: Jack Endries, TE, Texas

Tight end was a sneaky need for the Bengals and like Parker, Endries was expected to go in the fourth or fifth round. Instead, he fell to the seventh round and the Bengals took him at pick 221.

“I’m going to make sure I make every team that didn’t f****** draft me pay," Endries declared on a conference call after the draft.

The 22-year-old had at least 33 catches in each of the past three seasons. He has good hands, is a quality route runner and should be able to help as an in-line blocker. This is a tremendous value pick by the Bengals.

Grade: A

Pick 226: Landon Robinson, DT, Navy

The Bengals capped off the draft with another great value pick. Robinson is one of the most underrated players in this year's draft. He had 64 tackles and 6.5 sacks for Navy last season. He's 5-11, 293 pounds and uses his natural leverage, strength and quickness to beat opposing offensive linemen.

Robinson faces an uphill battle to make the roster, but has the talent to push Kris Jenkins for a roster spot.

Grade: A

Final Grade

Cincinnati Bengals Defensive Coodinator Al Golden, left, and Assistant General Manager Mike Potts, right, speak with media during the 2026 NFL Draft, Friday, April 24, 2026, at Paycor Stadium in downtown Cincinnati. | Frank Bowen IV/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Bengals did a lot of great things in this year's draft. From trading for Lawrence to adding Howell and addressing their offensive line with two promising prospects—they got better in a lot of key areas.

Cincinnati still has a hole at linebacker and could use a nickel cornerback, but they were able to improve key weaknesses. This was a big offseason for the franchise and so far they've knocked it out of the park. They need to make a few more moves, but they deserve plenty of praise for what they did in the draft.

Overall Grade for Bengals 2026 Draft Class: A-

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