Cincinnati Bengals Mock Draft & Team Needs
In this story:
The Cincinnati Bengals enter the 2025 season with a high-powered offense led by Joe Burrow and a top-tier receiving duo, aiming to reclaim their spot among the NFL's elite. After falling short of expectations the past two years, their draft focus shifts toward fortifying the offensive line and upgrading a defense that struggled mightily in 2024.
Cincinnati Bengals
The direction of the Bengals’ offense (6th in points – 472 and 9th in offensive yards) is to the top of the league. They locked up their two star wide receivers (Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins) in the offseason, giving Joe Burrow the foundation of pass-catchers to dominate in 2025.
After reaching the Super Bowl in 2021, Cincinnati won the AFC North (lost to the Chiefs 23-20 in the conference championship), followed by two missed trips to the playoffs.
Starting Offense:
QB Joe Burrow
RB Chase Brown
WR Ja’Marr Chase
WR Tee Higgins
TE Mike Gesicki
Their offensive line allowed 48 sacks on 652 pass attempts in 2024, shining brightly a need to improve this offensive line. Left tackle Orlando Brown missed six games last year with a broken leg. The Bengals drafted right tackle Amarius Mims in the first round last season. They could use help at center and the two guard positions.
On defense, Cinci ranked 25th in points (434) and yards allowed. They recorded 36 sacks, with quarterbacks tossing 30 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. Ball carriers gained 4.4 yards per rush with 10 scores.
Almost half of their sack total came from DE Trey Henderson (35) over the past two years. The Bengals invested a first-round selection on Myles Murphy in 2023, but he has yet to secure enough playing time to help their defense. Cincinnati could use pass-rushing help at outside linebacker, along with an upgrade in coverage in their secondary.
Cincinnati Bengals 2025 NFL Draft Picks
Round 1: 17th
Round 2: 49th
Round 3: 81st
Round 4: 119th
Round 5: 153rd
Round 6: 193rd
The Bengals should have their eye on edge pass rusher Mykel Williams as their top target in the first round, which supports the latest mock draft on Sports Illustrated. He’ll add speed to Cincinnati’s defense and help close quarterbacks passing window.
“Sky’s the limit with the ability he possesses.” - @movethesticks@GeorgiaFootball edge rusher Mykel Williams has rare traits. Where will he be rushing the passer in the NFL? @MykelWilliams_
— NFL (@NFL) April 14, 2025
📺: 2025 #NFLDraft – April 24-26 on NFLN/ESPN/ABC
📱: Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/I63IQ2jPfw
In the second round, S Xavier Watts has questions about his pass-covering talent, especially in man coverage, but he has an eye for the ball with vision and anticipation. The Bengals should be interested in a player with his type of skill set with their second draft pick in 2025.
More NFL Team Mock Drafts:
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Mock Draft & Team Needs
Baltimore Ravens Mock Draft & Team Needs
Seattle Seahawks Mock Draft & Team Needs
Los Angeles Rams Mock Draft & Team Needs
New York Jets Mock Draft & Team Needs
New England Patriots NFL Draft & Team Needs
Miami Dolphins Mock Draft & Team Needs
Buffalo Bills Mock Draft & Team Needs
Arizona Cardinals NFL Draft Preview & Team Needs
With 20+ years of experience in the high-stakes fantasy market, I aim to research and compete at the highest level in baseball and football each season. I've contributed as a writer/analyst for Sports Draft Daily, ScoutPro, Scout Fantasy, Fulltime Fantasy, FFToolbox, and Sports Illustrated Fantasy. I'm honored to be in the National Fantasy Baseball Championship Hall of Fame. My drafting philosophy is risk-averse yet open to betting on potential game-changers. I approach player selection with a neutral perspective, acknowledging that fantasy sports are inherently unpredictable due to injuries, performance dips, and managerial decisions. My work focuses on these main areas: - Season-long fantasy baseball and football - BestBall Baseball and Football Events - Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS): DraftKings, FanDuel, and Underdog - Long Shot Player Prop Parlays for NFL I participate in various leagues and contests, including NFBC, NFFC, RTSports, FFPC, DraftKings, Underdog Fantasy, FanDuel, and FFWC, with the goal of leveraging my extensive experience and research for success in each game format. A fantasy follower can expect in-depth profiles of NFL and MLB players, along with season-long and weekly projections for each fantasy football season. In addition, I have many strategy articles to help develop fantasy players' learning curves.
Follow Shawn__Childs