Bengals Fix Major Weakness, Land Potential Star in New Mock Draft

The Cincinnati Bengals came into the offseason with a few massive holes on their defense, but they dove into free agency and made a trio of additions.

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They added Bryan Cook at safety, Boye Mafe at defensive end and Jonathan Allen at defensive tackle. Those three veterans are expected to negate the losses of players like Trey Hendrickson and Joseph Ossai.

Despite the additions, the Bengals still have holes on defense, notably at linebacker. Their linebacker room is one of the worst in all of football. Cincinnati will need to address this issue in the 2026 NFL Draft, unless it makes a move for a linebacker in free agency or on the trade block.

Nate Davis of USA Today recently put together a mock draft that included an ideal outcome for the Bengals. He has Cincinnati taking Ohio State Buckeyes star linebacker Sonny Styles in the first round.

Sonny Styles is the Dream Selection at Pick No. 10 for the Bengals

Dec 31, 2025; Arlington, TX, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Sonny Styles (0) gets into position during the 2025 Cotton Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

"Arguably the star of this year’s combine given the freakish traits (4.46 40-yard dash, 43½-inch vertical leap) he put on display, the 6-foot-5, 244-pound converted safety is too good to pass up for a defense in transition − and might only fall this far given teams like the Giants, Commanders and Saints invested in off-ball linebacker during free agency," Davis wrote. "But the Bengals can clearly use some help there, and it wouldn't hurt to have an athletic, cerebral leader like Styles − he's also a native Ohioan − take the reins."

This would be the dream selection for the Bengals for a multitude of reasons.

First of all, Styles would fill the hole in the Bengals lineup that desperately needs filled. He would instantly be the best linebacker on the roster. Styles is an Ohio kid who was born and raised in central Ohio before attending Ohio State, where he developed into a star and a leader.

Styles wore the green dot for the Buckeyes, which indicates the player with the ability to talk to the coaching staff on the sideline. This role sees him as the biggest leader on a defense that featured talent like Caleb Downs, Arvell Reese, and many others.

Adding him to the Bengals defense is exactly what they need. There's a chance he's off the board in the top nine picks, but if he's available, the Bengals should [and probably will] run to the podium.

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