Apr. 12—With the NFL Draft less than two weeks away, analysts are all over the board predicting what direction the Cincinnati Bengals will go with their first-round pick.

The Bengals have the flexibility to go with the best player available at No. 10, and that seems to be reflected in various mock drafts circulating online.

Regardless of the approach, Cincinnati should place a high priority on defense and offensive line depth, especially in the interior where there currently is no backup center.

Here is a look at some of the first-round options that mock draft "experts" are suggesting at No. 10, why they make sense and what they say about them.

Caleb Downs, S, Ohio StateBengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin said at the NFL Combine that positions addressed in free agency wouldn't be off the board in the draft. Otherwise, Downs wouldn't still be linked to Cincinnati at this point.

The Bengals added two safeties in free agency with Bryan Cook and Kyle Dugger signing, but that will not prevent them from taking the best one in this draft class if he's still there at No. 10.

PFF analyst Jordan Plocher predicts that selection in his mock draft published this past week, noting the Bengals would be picking a "defensive difference-maker."

"Downs is a smart player who started for three seasons, and his lowest season-long PFF overall grade was an excellent 85.6 mark as a freshman," Plocher wrote. "Downs will be a welcome addition to the back end of the Bengals' defense, as he can impact the game in multiple ways. He posted an 89.6 PFF coverage grade to go along with an 83.7 PFF run-defense grade in 2025."

Rhett Lewis of NFL.com also picked Downs going to the Bengals, indicating they wouldn't be overthinking this selection, despite some debate suggesting Downs' measurables aren't elite.

Mansoor Delane, CB, LSUCincinnati might be set at cornerback with Dax Hill and DJ Turner both returning and slot cornerback Ja'Sir Taylor signed in free agency, but both Hill and Turner are in a contract year and Delane could slide in and make an immediate impact.

Delane is linked to the Bengals in quite a few mock drafts, including in ESPN's three-round "rotating" version compiled by Mel Kiper, Matt Miller and Field Yates. Miller made this pick with the following explanation: "DJ Turner II and Dax Hill are talented, but Delane would be an upgrade on the outside, where he can win at the line of scrimmage with great quickness and instincts."

Hill could also kick back inside to make room.

The Athletics's Nick Baumgardner and ESPN's Peter Schrager also had Delane going to the Bengals at No. 10, with Schrager noting he allowed a low 31.3 passer rating when targeted last season and is viewed as the top corner in this class.

"Cincinnati could look at a few different options here, and while another early-round pick on a defensive back might not be the most popular choice, it could make a lot of sense," Schrager wrote. "The Bengals need a true shutdown guy on the outside."

Olaivavega Ioane, G, Penn StateUSA Today's Nate Davis had the Bengals taking Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles in an earlier version of his mock draft, but in the latest rendition, Styles goes No. 7 to the Commanders, and Cincinnati lands on Olaivavega.

"Any number of directions this team could go. But after revamping the defense in free agency, the best play might be simply getting this year's best interior blocker in a bid to better cocoon QB Joe Burrow, who's only played two full seasons during his six-year career — a pretty good indication he still requires better protection."

Peter Woods, DT, ClemsonWoods has fallen on a lot of boards based on poor testing and production drop-off between 2024 and 2025, but some mock drafts have the best players at other positions off the board before the Bengals pick, and Woods could still be worth the risk.

CBS Sports' Ryan Wilson had him landing with Cincinnati.

"This isn't quite worst-case scenario for Cincy, but it's not great, either," Wilson wrote. "The defense desperately needs edge-rush help. And with (Texas Tech edge David) Bailey, (Ohio State edge Arvell) Reese, (Miami edge Reuben) Bain and even Styles off the board, Plan B would be Downs ... who the Chiefs grabbed at No. 9. Woods isn't a bad consolation prize — the D-line could use reinforcements — and the Bengals did add Boye Mafe in free agency."

Bain would be the more preferable target, but he went No. 7 in Wilson's mock draft.

With the NFL Draft less than two weeks away, analysts are all over the board predicting what direction the Cincinnati Bengals will go with their first-round pick.

The Bengals have the flexibility to go with the best player available at No. 10, and that seems to be reflected in various mock drafts circulating online.

Regardless of the approach, Cincinnati should place a high priority on defense and offensive line depth, especially in the interior where there currently is no backup center.

Here is a look at some of the first-round options that mock draft “experts” are suggesting at No. 10, why they make sense and what they say about them.

Caleb Downs, S, Ohio StateBengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin said at the NFL Combine that positions addressed in free agency wouldn’t be off the board in the draft. Otherwise, Downs wouldn’t still be linked to Cincinnati at this point.

The Bengals added two safeties in free agency with Bryan Cook and Kyle Dugger signing, but that will not prevent them from taking the best one in this draft class if he’s still there at No. 10.

PFF analyst Jordan Plocher predicts that selection in his mock draft published this past week, noting the Bengals would be picking a “defensive difference-maker.”

“Downs is a smart player who started for three seasons, and his lowest season-long PFF overall grade was an excellent 85.6 mark as a freshman,” Plocher wrote. “Downs will be a welcome addition to the back end of the Bengals’ defense, as he can impact the game in multiple ways. He posted an 89.6 PFF coverage grade to go along with an 83.7 PFF run-defense grade in 2025.”

Rhett Lewis of NFL.com also picked Downs going to the Bengals, indicating they wouldn’t be overthinking this selection, despite some debate suggesting Downs’ measurables aren’t elite.

Mansoor Delane, CB, LSUCincinnati might be set at cornerback with Dax Hill and DJ Turner both returning and slot cornerback Ja’Sir Taylor signed in free agency, but both Hill and Turner are in a contract year and Delane could slide in and make an immediate impact.

Delane is linked to the Bengals in quite a few mock drafts, including in ESPN’s three-round “rotating” version compiled by Mel Kiper, Matt Miller and Field Yates. Miller made this pick with the following explanation: “DJ Turner II and Dax Hill are talented, but Delane would be an upgrade on the outside, where he can win at the line of scrimmage with great quickness and instincts.”

Hill could also kick back inside to make room.

The Athletics’s Nick Baumgardner and ESPN’s Peter Schrager also had Delane going to the Bengals at No. 10, with Schrager noting he allowed a low 31.3 passer rating when targeted last season and is viewed as the top corner in this class.

“Cincinnati could look at a few different options here, and while another early-round pick on a defensive back might not be the most popular choice, it could make a lot of sense,” Schrager wrote. “The Bengals need a true shutdown guy on the outside.”

Olaivavega Ioane, G, Penn StateUSA Today’s Nate Davis had the Bengals taking Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles in an earlier version of his mock draft, but in the latest rendition, Styles goes No. 7 to the Commanders, and Cincinnati lands on Olaivavega.

“Any number of directions this team could go. But after revamping the defense in free agency, the best play might be simply getting this year’s best interior blocker in a bid to better cocoon QB Joe Burrow, who’s only played two full seasons during his six-year career — a pretty good indication he still requires better protection.”

Peter Woods, DT, ClemsonWoods has fallen on a lot of boards based on poor testing and production drop-off between 2024 and 2025, but some mock drafts have the best players at other positions off the board before the Bengals pick, and Woods could still be worth the risk.

CBS Sports’ Ryan Wilson had him landing with Cincinnati.

“This isn’t quite worst-case scenario for Cincy, but it’s not great, either,” Wilson wrote. “The defense desperately needs edge-rush help. And with (Texas Tech edge David) Bailey, (Ohio State edge Arvell) Reese, (Miami edge Reuben) Bain and even Styles off the board, Plan B would be Downs ... who the Chiefs grabbed at No. 9. Woods isn’t a bad consolation prize — the D-line could use reinforcements — and the Bengals did add Boye Mafe in free agency.”

Bain would be the more preferable target, but he went No. 7 in Wilson’s mock draft.

Other than an odd deal here or there, NFL free agency is in the books. The Chicago Bears addressed several needs and added a lot of veteran depth.

The draft is less than two weeks away. The Bears have seven picks, including the No. 25 selection in the first round and two second-round picks.

So what are the priorities for general manager Ryan Poles and coach Ben Johnson heading into the draft? Here’s a look at the team’s biggest areas of need — and several prospects who could be available.

1. Edge rusher

When a team finishes near the bottom of the league in quarterback pressure rate, edge rusher has to be a top priority. The Bears head into 2026 with Montez Sweat and Austin Booker as the top defensive ends on their depth chart. Dayo Odeyingbo and Shemar Turner are next up, but both are returning from season-ending injuries — Odeyingbo a torn Achilles and Turner a torn ACL.

The Bears need depth on the edge, but it’s about more than depth. They need a difference-maker to play opposite Sweat.

Booker could be poised to emerge as such, but that’s no guarantee. In his second year, Booker missed the first half of the season with a knee injury but recorded 4½ sacks over the final 10 games. He also had one against the Green Bay Packers wiped off the board by a roughing-the-passer penalty.

The Bears knew Booker would be a multiyear project when they selected him with a fifth-round pick in 2024. He was somewhat raw and needed to put on weight, but he showed potential. Even if the Bears were to draft an edge rusher in the first round, having a promising young player like Booker potentially coming off the bench only would help the depth of the line as a whole.

The Bears haven’t drafted an edge rusher in the first round since taking Leonard Floyd in 2016.

Prospects to watch: Keldric Faulk, Auburn; Cashius Howell, Texas A&M; Akheem Mesidor, Miami; T.J. Parker, Clemson; R Mason Thomas, Oklahoma; Zion Young, Missouri.

2. Safety

The Bears signed veteran Coby Bryant to a three-year, $40 million contract in March, perhaps their most notable addition in free agency. Bryant won a Super Bowl last season with the Seattle Seahawks and should be an impact starter.

But the Bears don’t have a clear second starter at safety. They signed versatile defensive back Cam Lewis, but he never has been a full-time starter. After 2025 starters Kevin Byard III and Jaquan Brisker and backup Jonathan Owens left in free agency, finding a starting safety should be a primary goal in this draft. Perhaps that’s a priority in the first round, perhaps not.

Safety is a position at which teams can find capable starters on Day 2, and the Bears have two second-round picks and a third-rounder. But if they don’t zero in on the trenches in Round 1, safety looks like the likeliest alternative.

Prospects to watch: Bud Clark, TCU; A.J. Haulcy, LSU; Jalon Kilgore, South Carolina; Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo; Dillon Thieneman, Oregon; Zakee Wheatley, Penn State.

3. Defensive tackle

Gervon Dexter Sr. is entering the final year of his rookie contract. Veteran Grady Jarrett has two years remaining on his deal, but the Bears could move on from Jarrett after the 2026 season without a big financial hit.

The additions of Neville Gallimore, Kentavius Street and James Lynch in free agency don’t preclude defensive tackle from being a priority in the draft. The Bears could be in the market for a young, developmental tackle to play behind Dexter and Jarrett this season — with an eye toward starting in 2027. If they can find an athletic, penetrating tackle who can dent the pocket, that could prove as beneficial to the pass rush as finding an edge rusher.

But stopping the run is just as big of a concern. The Bears ranked 27th among 32 teams in rushing yards allowed. The top of this draft appears to have several run-stuffing tackles. Considering the number of edge rushers, offensive tackles and defensive backs expected to go early in the first round, it’s entirely possible the top defensive tackle will remain on the board when the Bears are up at No. 25.

The goal should be to improve the defensive line, and there’s more than one way to accomplish that goal.

Prospects to watch: Caleb Banks, Florida; Lee Hunter, Texas Tech; Kayden McDonald, Ohio State; Christen Miller, Georgia; Domonique Orange, Iowa State; Peter Woods, Clemson.

4. Center

After Drew Dalman’s surprise retirement, the Bears traded for veteran Garrett Bradbury ahead of free agency. Bradbury has started 105 regular-season games for the Minnesota Vikings and New England Patriots.

Bradbury will be 31 when the season begins, and he’ll be a free agent next year. His addition sets up a scenario in which the Bears might look to draft a center who could sit and learn behind Bradbury for a year.

As it stands, second-year lineman Luke Newman is likely the backup center. The Bears drafted Newman out of Michigan State in the sixth round last year. He played guard in college but worked at both guard and center after joining the Bears. Still, he’s unproven in the NFL.

The Bears haven’t drafted a center in the first three rounds since taking James Daniels with the 39th pick in 2018. Several centers should be available on Day 2 if they want to explore the position.

Prospects to watch: Sam Hecht, Kansas State; Logan Jones, Iowa; Connor Lew, Auburn; Jake Slaughter, Florida.

5. Offensive tackle

Perhaps this is lower on the list than some Bears fans might expect. But the Bears have done a good job of positioning themselves with a wealth of options at left tackle in 2026. None is a surefire answer, but there are options.

They have Theo Benedet and Braxton Jones returning, plus 2024 third-round pick Kiran Amegadjie. In free agency, they took a flyer on Jedrick Wills Jr., a former first-round pick who sat out all of last season because of a knee injury. Ozzy Trapilo also returns, but his recovery from a serious January knee injury is expected to keep him out for most of the season.

Jones started 44 games at left tackle over the last four years. Benedet proved to be a serviceable starter for half of last season. Wills played at a high level before his injury but will have to prove himself all over again. Trapilo won’t be the answer in 2026, but he could be the long-term answer once healthy.

Johnson showed last year he can scheme around an inexperienced left tackle. Why wouldn’t he feel confident doing it again?

For all of those reasons, the Bears might not be thinking left tackle at No. 25. So why is the position on this list?

Because if a potential starting left tackle is available at No. 25, the Bears have to consider taking him. It’s clearly biggest weakness on the offensive line. Perhaps the top tackles are all gone by the time No. 25 comes around. In that case, look elsewhere.

But if not, they’ll be prepared.

Prospects to watch: Max Iheanachor, Arizona State; Caleb Lomu, Utah; Blake Miller, Clemson; Kadyn Proctor, Alabama; Caleb Tiernan, Northwestern.