The Cincinnati Bengals didn’t trade into the first round of the NFL Draft on Thursday, April 23, and will enter the second day of the three-day event with two picks. The Bengals are slated to make seven picks over the weekend.
When the Bengals acquired Pro Bowl defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence via a trade with the New York Giants on April 18, it meant they would likely stay quiet in Round 1 of this year’s draft. In order to move back into the first round, it would have required the Bengals to give up even more draft picks.
Cincinnati also doesn't have a fifth-round pick, which was used to acquire quarterback Joe Flacco and a sixth-round pick from the Cleveland Browns last season.
Based on who is still available, here is my mock draft for the Bengals on the second day of the NFL Draft:
The Bengals fill arguably their biggest need with Cisse. Cincinnati entered the weekend needing to add to its cornerback room, and they get one of the most athletic defensive backs in this year’s class.
Cisse is raw to some degree given he was only a one-year starter at South Carolina. But his rare combination of length and speed pops off the tape. The Bengals are betting on his physical traits and his development in a big way.
He’s best suited to playing outside where he will utilize his blazing speed to keep up with top wide receivers. Cisse ran a 4.41-second 40-yard dash time.
In his one season with the Gamecocks, Cisse logged 27 tackles (19 solo), five pass deflections, one forced fumble, and one interception.
The main knock against Cisse entering the draft by NFL pundits is his lack of production with the ball, meaning interceptions and pass deflections.
With Cisse, the Bengals now have a trio of talented cornerbacks. DJ Turner and Cisse would likely start outside, and Dax Hill could move back into the slot.
Desperate times call for desperate measures. The Bengals have to improve on defense and it’s why they use their first two picks on that side of the ball.
After signing defensive end Boye Mafe in free agency, Cincinnati now rounds out its edge group with a flush of new, young talent. The Bengals used their first-round pick in 2025 on defensive end Shemar Stewart. His rookie season didn’t go as planned due to injuries and a contract holdout in the offseason.
Former 2023 first-round pick Myles Murphy and Mafe will enter the season as the projected starters at defensive end. Stewart is expected to take a big leap in his second season. Now, Young completes the room.
Young started two years at Missouri and recorded nine sacks. He’s not the best edge rusher in this year’s draft class, but he showed a lot of promise during his final seasons in the SEC. He finished second in the SEC in tackles for loss (16.5) and third in quarterback pressures (53).
With the right development plan and coaching, Young could make an impact early for the Bengals in their quest to apply more pressure on opponents’ quarterbacks.
Round 2, Pick 41Round 3, Pick 72Round 4, Pick 110Round 6, Pick 189Round 6, Pick 199Round 7, Pick 221Round 7, Pick 226
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Bengals projected picks in 2026 NFL Draft round 2, 3 | Mock draft