The Cincinnati Bengals should listen to the words of Sonny LoSpecchio from the hit movie A Bronx Tale: “The saddest thing in life is wasted talent.”
The franchise is armed with one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL in Joe Burrow and boasts arguably the top receiving duo in the league in Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Despite the firepower of a top-10 scoring offense, the organization floundered to begin the 2024 season and, despite a 5-0 surge down the stretch, were on the outside looking in on the playoffs for the second consecutive season and for the third time in the Burrow era.
While injuries have played their part in the franchise’s tough sledding in recent years, they’ve also struggled mightily on the defensive side of the ball, which has put the organization behind the eight-ball in games against high-level competition. Last year, Cincinnati allowed 25.5 points per game (tied for the fifth-highest in the league) and surrendered touchdowns on 67.9% of their opponents’ trips into the red zone (third-worst).
So, while the Bengals made headlines this offseason after successfully inking both Chase and Higgins to lucrative contract extensions, for the franchise to get back to the Super Bowl, that defensive side of the ball needs to improve dramatically.
With that in mind, the attention now turns to the NFL Draft, where the club is situated with the No. 17 overall selection in the first round. It is nearly a clean sweep from our CBS Sports NFL Draft experts in their mocks that Cincinnati will use that pick to add to its defense, but it remains to be seen who they bring aboard. Meanwhile, the status of pass rusher Trey Hendrickson is still up in the air, making this AFC contender one of the more interesting teams during draft weekend.
As we gear up for the madness, check out our hub for everything revolving around the Bengals and the 2025 NFL Draft. Below, you’ll find their top needs, where they are selecting, and who some of our experts have them selecting in their latest mocks.
The 2025 NFL Draft continues Friday night with Rounds 2 and 3. Join us for live 2025 NFL Draft analysis from CBS Sports and an updating NFL Draft tracker. Also check out Pete Prisco’s NFL Draft grades for every first-round pick and subscribe to the “With the First Pick” podcast for nightly recaps, winners and losers and more from Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Cincinnati Bengals team needs
- Team needs: EDGE, IOL, CB, DL, LB, S, RB
- Notable additions: DT TJ Slaton, EDGE Joseph Ossai, LB Oren Burks, OG Lucas Patrick
- Notable losses: OG Alex Cappa, LB Akeem Davis-Gaither, DT Sheldon Rankins, OT Trent Brown
Cincinnati Bengals draft picks 2025
- Overall selections: 6
| Round | Pick | Player | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | No. 17 | Shemar Stewart, EDGE, Texas A&M | C |
| 2 | No. 49 | ||
| 3 | No. 81 | ||
| 4 | No. 119 | ||
| 5 | No. 153 | ||
| 6 | No. 193 |
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