ESPN’s Mel Kiper has released his latest mock draft as we sit roughly five weeks away from the start of the 2026 NFL Draft.
After filling some holes thus far through free agency, the Cincinnati Bengals have a bit more flexibility with their No. 10 overall pick. Which way does Kiper have the Bengals going following the first wave of free agency?
Kiper goes with LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane at No. 10 to help fill the void at cornerback and give the Bengals a potential shutdown cornerback:
“Even with Boye Mafe in the fold, the edge rush leaves a lot to be desired. But with Bain off the board, there isn’t a pass rusher whose value fits here. The Bengals would have to reach for Missouri’s Zion Young, Auburn’s Keldric Faulk or Miami’s Akheem Mesidor, and it’s just too early for any of those guys. But Cincinnati was also one of four teams to give up more than 7 yards per opponent dropback in 2025, and it would love to have a true No. 1 corner. Delane can make plays on the ball (11 pass breakups, two interceptions last season) in either man or zone coverage.”
Edges David Bailey (Jets), Arvell Reese (Cardinals), and Rueben Bain Jr. (Chiefs) are all off the board, as are two other defenders that have been linked to the Bengals in safety Caleb Downs (Giants) and linebacker Sonny Styles (Commanders). Cornerback feels like the best value at this point. Kiper mentioned three potential names at defensive end. Faulk could go in the first round, but do the Bengals want to take another player with little college production while also spending a top-10 pick?
Delane seems like the safer choice between he and Tennessee’s Jermod McCoy. McCoy has shown plenty of upside, but he hasn’t played since the 2024 season. His Pro Day will be one of the more intriguing workouts.
Delane may have taken over for Downs as the most-mocked player to the Bengals in media mock drafts. But with five weeks left, a lot can, and will, change.
This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: Mel Kiper corrects Bengals’ free-agency mistakes in latest mock draft
Reporting by Billy Riccette, Bengals Wire / Bengals Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
