Post-Trade Deadline/Bye Week 2026 Bengals Mock Draft

Round 1, Pick 8: Peter Woods, DL, Clemson

At this point, the “consensus” for what the Bengals would do is a near three-way tie between Downs, Keldric Faulk, and Peter Woods. Who knows, the Bengals could lose out and be in Arvell Reese territory…

Woods is a young, productive, Power 4 stud, checking plenty of boxes for the Bengals. He got on the field for 12 games as a true freshman, but truly broke out last year. This season, Woods has accounted for 25 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, and a pass breakup.

The Bengals would love his athleticism and ability to play anywhere on the line. They’ve used these premium picks on projects, but Woods would be a plug-and-play kind of pick. He could step in at 3T and could even kick out as an edge rusher. His strength and motor are massive green flags. Even if Woods doesn’t make the play right away, he has shown that he can chase the play down.

As one of Bruce Feldman’s “Freaks,” Woods would be a slam dunk.

Round 2, Pick 41: Dillon Thieneman, SAF, Oregon

Most Bengals mock drafts have the team reloading on defense. Considering how atrocious the on-field product has been this year, it only makes sense. One of the areas the Bengals absolutely need to improve is at safety. Since letting Jessie Bates walk, the Bengals have missed on two draft picks at the position, as well as the one free agent signing. If they aren’t going to get Downs in the first, Dillon Thieneman would be a great pick in the second.

Thieneman started his career holding down the Purdue secondary. Despite playing for a program like Purdue, he was able to shine as the Big Ten Freshman of the Year and even earned third-team All-American honors. In two seasons with the Boilermakers, Thieneman racked up 210 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, a sack, nine pass breakups, two forced fumbles, and a whopping six interceptions (all in 2023). Then, he transferred to Oregon and has kept up his impressive play. Statistically, it hasn’t been as elite, but judging safeties by counting stats is a difficult task.

Thieneman is a fringe first-round talent. His football IQ and instincts go well with his film rat work ethic. He would truly be like another coach in the back end of the defense. He can come down in run defense and lower the boom, all while being able to sit back as a centerfield safety. If the Bengals want to pick the next franchise safety, Thieneman would be the right pick.

Round 3, Pick 72: Fa’alili Fa’amoe, OT, Wake Forest

PFSN is seemingly a bit higher on Fa’alili Fa’amoe than most. He is an older prospect, but he looks to be a floor-raising option in the NFL. At six-foot-five and 318 pounds, Fa’amoe is surprisingly athletic. He is incredibly strong as a run blocker and can handle all kinds of pass rushers when dropping back.

The concern would be that he has only been a right tackle in college, both at Washington State and at Wake Forest. Regardless, he has the athleticism and size that suggest he could translate to the left side. There is a very good chance that the Bengals will be looking at life after Orlando Brown Jr. at left tackle heading into the 2026 season. Whether that means using a first-round pick or a mid-round project pick, the Bengals need to plan for the future (and get Cody Ford off the roster because you don’t want Ford blocking for Joe Burrow in any situation).

Round 4, Pick 109: Tacario Davis, CB, Washington

The Bengals’ cornerback room may be facing an overhaul. Cam Taylor-Britt has disappointed, and Dax Hill will be entering his fifth-year option. They could use some size. Enter, Tacario Davis.

At six-foot-four, Davis is not likely to get dunked on. He doesn’t have that ridiculous speed that D.J. Turner has, but he is hard to separate from. The best part of his game is his physicality at the line of scrimmage. He can jam receivers and throw off timing. Davis is adept at both man and zone coverages, while being more than willing to come up and make a stop in the run game.

Thus far in his career, Davis has recorded three interceptions (two this year) and 24 pass breakups.

Round 6, Pick 189: Gabe Jacas, EDGE, Illinois

Another area that desperately needs attention is on the edge. Despite using two first-round picks over the last three drafts, the Bengals’ pass rush is awful. If Trey Hendrickson leaves/holds out/is traded, there is nothing left. If the Bengals don’t address the issue in free agency and in the draft, they are in denial. Of course, waiting until the sixth round would be a bad call if nothing else is done. Regardless, getting Gabe Jacas here would be welcome.

Jacas has been a productive member of the Illini defense for four years now. Last year, he broke out with 13 tackles for loss and eight sacks. At this point in his career, Jacas has racked up 171 tackles, 30 tackles for loss, 22.5 sacks, two pass breakups, a fumble recovery, and six forced fumbles.

Despite being a senior, Jacas is on the younger side. He would need some development as his go-to pass-rush move is just a bull rush. However, that bull rush is powerful enough to actually cause some havoc.

Round 6, Pick 199: Malik Muhammad, CB, Texas

There’s no way Malik Muhammad is still on the board at pick 199, right? Regardless, we don’t set the board; we just draft off it. Double-dipping at corner is a strong possibility for the Bengals in next year’s draft. With two corners hitting free agency, the Bengals will need to add depth at the very least.

Muhammad is versatile and can play anywhere in the secondary. He’s also a special teams ace, giving him a better shot to make the roster. He wasn’t overly productive on the stat sheet, but he is disciplined in coverage and can set himself up for success. As a junior, he may just return to Texas for his senior season.

Round 7, Pick 222: Derrick Moore, EDGE, Michigan

At the time of this mock draft, heading into the bye, Michigan’s Derrick Moore has six sacks over his last three games. In addition to corner, double-dipping at EDGE (just hoping someone would hit) is very likely. Getting Moore would be an underrated pick, especially so late.

He has been part of the Wolverines’ rotation each year he’s been on campus. Through 50 games, Moore has accounted for 23 tackles for loss as well as 19.5 sacks. At this point in the year, he even leads the Big Ten in sacks with 8.5. He has an elite first step, but will need to develop more pass-rush moves to be relevant. However, if the Bengals like physical traits, Moore is easy to like.

Round 7, Pick 225: Robert Henry Jr., RB, UTSA

At the end of the draft, teams just take dart throws. The Bengals could have improved the running back depth at many different points of this draft, but the positional value just wasn’t there. So, let’s take a shot on Robert Henry Jr. in the seventh. As an older prospect, Henry would be a risk, but when you’re productive as a running back, you might as well take a flier. Right now, he leads Conference USA with 955 rushing yards and has scored nine rushing touchdowns. In three seasons at UTSA, Henry is sitting at 2,249 yards and 27 touchdowns. He was a JUCO product and ran for 1,797 yards and 24 touchdowns at Jones College.