NFL Insider Names Darkhorse Contender for Bengals' First-Round Pick in 2026 NFL Draft

For the last several weeks, the same names have kept cycling through as options for the Cincinnati Bengals at Pick No. 10, depending on availability.

Sonny Styles

Caleb Downs

Rueben Bain Jr.

Mansoor Delane

Jermod McCoy

The Delane smoke is getting particularly thick with both Mel Kiper Jr. and Dane Brugler sending the LSU cornerback to the Bengals in their latest mock drafts released this morning.

Both analysts had Downs already off the board.

Todd McShay had the Bengals landing Downs.

Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer didn’t post a new mock draft today, but he did drop a bit of a bomb with a dark horse name when answering a question about the Bengals in his mailbag.

“My guess is that No. 10 is close to being the floor for Downs,” Breer wrote. “I don’t say that unequivocally because I think Bain could be in play for them, as well as the top two corners (again, depending on what they think of McCoy’s knee). I’d also throw Proctor in there as a wild-card name I’ve heard for Cincinnati.”

Kadyn Proctor is Brugler’s No. 4-ranked offensive tackle with a first/second-round grade.

The assumption has long been that the Bengals have to go defense at No. 10, and likely at No. 41 as well.

But offensive line depth, particularly at tackle, is the most important thing to target on offense, especially with Joe Burrow’s blindside protector, Orlando Brown Jr., about to turn 30 in a couple of weeks.

Brown has been incredibly durable during his career, never missing a game due to injury before a broken leg cost him six games in 2024. He returned to play all 17 games in 2025 and signed a two-year, $32 million extension last month.

But even a minor injury that might cost Brown a game or two would be problematic for the Bengals and the oft-injured Burrow.

Cody Ford and Javon Foster – who has four career games played – would be the tasked with starting at left tackle.

Ford will be 30 later this year as well.

It’s a near certainty the Bengals will draft someone to be a swing tackle this year and potentially the left tackle of the future.

Waiting until Day 3 and potentially having to throw a fourth-round (or later) rookie into the lineup at some point would not be ideal.

Aside from just drafting a tackle at 10, it’s interesting that Breer said he’s heard Proctor is a name he’s heard given that Francis Mauigoa (whose dad spent some time with the Bengals in the late 1990s) and Monroe Freeling are ranked higher and are far from locks to be taken in the top nine.

The 6-foot-6 1/2 Proctor won’t turn 21 until June. He was a three-year starter at Alabama and a first team All-SEC selection in 2025.

Here is what Brugler wrote about Proctor in his assessment in The Beast:

“With his physical traits, Proctor flashes dominance when he plays on time. He has the size and movement skills to engulf defenders when in rhythm as a pass blocker. However, he struggles to negotiate space and understand his leverage, which leads to erratic depth points and oversets. It is a similar story in the run game — talent isn’t the issue. He plays heavy-handed and creates good extension, but his body posture and cohesiveness are still developing. Overall, Proctor is big, strong and explosive, which is an exciting foundation for an offensive lineman, but that optimism should be curbed until his discipline and technique catch up. He has starting-caliber upside at left tackle, although some teams believe moving to guard would be best for his pro career.”

Brugler had Proctor going 23rd to the Eagles in his latest mock.

Kiper and McShay both sent him to the Browns at No. 12.

For more on the Bengals, watch the video below and subscribe to ourYouTube Channel. Be sure to check us out on your favorite audio platforms, includingApple Podcasts,Spotify,iHeartRadioandAmazon.

Add us as a preferred source on Google