Bengals Showing Significant Interest in Big-Bodied Safety Prospect

The Cincinnati Bengals have one of the worst defenses in the league right now, and they lost a few impact players in free agency. But they responded by adding Boye Mafe, Bryan Cook, and Jonathan Allen in a trio of free agency moves of their own.

Still, they need to continue adding to their defense if they want to have a realistic chance at winning the Super Bowl this coming February.

Bengals Still Need Defensive Help

Cincinnati Bengals Director of Player Personnel Duke Tobin addresses the media during a press conference, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, at Paycor Stadium in downtown Cincinnati. | Frank Bowen IV/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Bengals are likely targeting defensive players like Caleb Downs, Mansoor Delane, Sonny Styles, and Rueben Bain Jr. at pick No. 10 in the first round, and it will come down to who's left on the board, as most of these studs are expected to be gone by the time the Bengals are on the clock.

They also need to make sure they do their due diligence on the intriguing defensive prospects down the board.

NFL draft analyst Tony Pauline of Essentially Sports recently reported the Bengals have shown a lot of interest in Nebraska safety DeShon Singleton.

Bengals Showing Interest In Nebraska Safety DeShon Singleton

Oct 26, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Carnell Tate (17) catches a touchdown pass as Nebraska Cornhuskers defensive back DeShon Singleton (8) defends during the first quarter at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images | Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

"Safety DeShon Singleton timed the 40 anywhere from 4.52 to 4.55 seconds after not running at the combine. He hit 39.5 inches in the vertical jump and 10-foot-10 in the broad jump. Singleton looked good in defensive back drills," Pauline wrote. "A large defender at 6-foot-3 and 205 pounds, Singleton is being looked at solely as a zone or strong safety by the league, with no talk of bulking him up to play linebacker, something he initially told me at the combine.

"The Cincinnati Bengals, New Orleans Saints, and Tennessee Titans have shown a lot of interest in Singleton, who also participated in the Senior Bowl. The Titans are interesting, as new head coach Robert Saleh was with the New York Jets when they drafted Jamien Sherwood in 2021, a then-oversized safety from Auburn who has become an outstanding linebacker for the team."

Singleton is projected to go in the seventh round of the 2026 NFL Draft, if he goes at all. There's a chance he's not selected in the NFL draft, which would make him the perfect target for the Bengals in undrafted free agency.

But the Bengals could even entertain the idea of drafting the big-bodied safety late in the draft.

Singleton is a very athletic and explosive defensive back with the size and frame to be a difference maker. He's still raw as a prospect, but the ceiling is very high. He could look to earn reps as the nickel in the Bengals defense. At worst, he's a project addition who may or may not turn out as an NFL player. In the seventh round, this could be a good selection.

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