B-
Cincinnati Bengals
Nothing loud, just a tidy B- for the Bengals.
by Hutchens84 ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 8 picks
· 0 steals
· 2 reaches
The war room fell hard for Austin Barber, and it showed at the Round 3 slot: 34 picks ahead of a board that had other ideas.
Leaving linebacker unaddressed is the roster risk they will have to answer for in the fall. Cornerback is handled and the depth chart looks a good deal healthier for it.
The offense got the lion's share of the attention.
All told, a draft that does its job without fuss, and there is real value in that.
Pick-by-Pick
In the 10th pick they get a matchup problem out wide. Exactly the need they had to hit.
Dontay Corleone in pick No. 41 is a reach so steep the board needed a second look to believe it. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
Austin Barber at pick 72 is the pick scouts circle, and not in a good way. A need, and now a little less of one.
Fair-plus on Tacario Davis, a quiet win that adds up over a draft. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
A tidy little value on DJ Campbell in slot 189, a step better than break-even. It fills a real need, too.
A market-rate interior defensive lineman, with the board and the slot shaking hands on David Gusta. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
No drama and no debate, Isaiah Nwokobia went about where he belonged in the 221st pick. It adds depth where they could use a little.
Jaren Kanak at the 226th overall pick nudges the ledger their way without any fuss. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.