Mock Draft Projects Bengals to Take High-Risk Defender in First Round

It is mock draft season, and amid all of the recent NFL mock drafts from analysts and media members, one has the Bengals taking a big risk at cornerback.

Draft Analyst Chad Reuter released his latest three-round mock on NFL.com. He has the Bengals taking Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy with the 10th overall pick. The Tennessee product missed all of last season with a torn ACL.

"McCoy missed all of last season with an ACL tear. If his medical exams are clean, he would meet the Bengals' need for a physical outside corner." Reuter wrote.

McCoy has truly remarkable mobility in coverage, and in only two seasons, he has six interceptions between his time at Oregon State and Tennessee, making him a playmaker on defense. There are multiple red flags with him as a prospect, though.

For starters let us address the two elephants in the room. The Bengals already have proven corners at both boundary spots with Dax Hill and DJ Turner. Both guys enjoyed breakout seasons at the position last season. The other big problem with this selection would be the fact that McCoy is coming off a torn ACL, and while he is expected to be fully cleared for workouts before the draft, there remains the question of whether or not he can maintain his level of play, especially on top of transitioning from collegiate competition to the NFL level.

With only two seasons of play under his belt, there is the question of just how raw of a prospect McCoy could be. No matter what, this would be a risky pick by the Bengals.

McCoy is ranked 14th on the Mock Draft Database's consensus big board, and is the 2nd highest rated corner behind only Mansoor Delane of LSU.

Second and Third Rounds

Reuter's mock also had the Bengals taking Missouri Edge Zion Young in the second round, and LSU Safety A.J. Haulcy in the third round. Young is ranked 39th on the consensus big board and the seventh edge rusher. Haulcy is ranked 56th overall, and is the 4th highest safety.

Both of these players would be solid additions to a defense that certainly needs a major boost.

Young notched 11.5 sacks in his college career, with 6.5 coming last year, capping it all off with an incredible showing at the Senior Bowl where he won defensive MVP after having several pressures, made stops as a run-defender, and recovered a fumble.

Haulcy had ten interceptions and 17 passes defended during his time in college where he spent time at New Mexico, Houston, and LSU. He has a knack for creating turnovers and incredible instincts in zone coverage that should translate well to the NFL.

The Bottom Line

Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor walks the sideline in the second quarter of the NFL Week 17 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Arizona Cardinals at Paycor Stadium in Downtown Cincinnati on Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025. The Bengals led 23-7 at halftime. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Picking McCoy would understandably frustrate many in the Bengals fanbase. Landing Young and Haulcy would be a nice haul on day two. There would be plenty of reasons to celebrate this trio of picks, especially if the team does what they need to do in free agency.

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