After a disappointing end to 2024, the Cincinnati Bengals made sure to tie the offensive cornerstones in Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins to Joe Burrow for the foreseeable future. The financial investment was a message to the fan base and the NFL that they are willing to throw around some money to stay in the AFC conversation.
The bigger problem facing the Bengals was on the other side of the ball. A big reason they missed the postseason was their inability to get stops on the defense. As they turned their attention to the 2025 NFL Draft, two things were clear: attack the trenches and get help to the second level of the defense.
Round 1 (No. 17) Shemar Stewart, EDGE, Texas A&M
I understand all the possible pitfalls surrounding a player with the college production profile of Shemar Stewart, but this is the type of upside bet the Bengals had to make. Going back to his tape, Texas A&M asked him to play the run first and often aligned tight to the offensive line. His play looked more like a guy bound by the constraints of the defensive system. He’s a speed-to-power winner with exceptional length and massive hands that can knock tackles off their spot. While the future of Trey Hendrickson remains up in the air, Stewart is an excellent complement to the speed rusher and could be a future star at the position.
Round 2 (No. 49) Demetrius Knight Jr., LB, South Carolina
Needing a tenacious missile at the linebacker level, Demetrius Knight Jr. is an NFL-ready trigger man who knows how to get in the backfield and make tackles. The closing speed is legitimate, and his length gives him the ability to stack, peak, and shed quickly, making him a consistent run defender. Adding a piece next to Logan Wilson for the Bengals was a priority, and I like this fit in the second level for them. Knight immediately impacts this defense in multiple phases.
Round 3 (No. 81) Dylan Fairchild, OG, Georgia
Protecting Burrow will always be a priority, and while you can argue there might have been better players on the board, Dylan Fairchild is a bet on talent and the coaching staff. With his wrestling background, the mentality to physically dominate defenders is there, and he’s incredibly powerful with his hands. He will need to improve his hand usage as a pass protector if he’s going to come in and be a difference maker along the interior in an offense that wants to throw the ball, but Scott Peters is up to that task.
Round 4 (No. 119) Barrett Carter, LB, Clemson
Barrett Carter is a fantastic on-field athlete with the instincts in coverage and against the run to find the football in a variety of ways. His coverage ability can be an asset for the Bengals' defense, but he needs to work on his technique as a run defender. While he has the instincts, he gets caught on blocks and doesn’t shed consistently enough, even with his length. He could play a bit tougher in both phases, especially in coverage against tight ends. However, he’s going to be an impact special-teams player right away while giving them upside on passing downs early on. He’s more technically raw than you’d expect for a four-year player, but a good complement to their linebacker room.
Round 5 (No. 153) Jalen Rivers, OL, Miami
While Jalen Rivers played tackle his final two years at Miami, he’s going to/should compete right away as an interior offensive lineman with his comfort and previous experience at left guard. In guard drills and one-on-ones at the Senior Bowl, Rivers looked in control and routinely utilized his length as an asset against interior rushers. He’s a powerful mover in the run game and reducing him inside to guard will negate many of the footwork, arc-defense concerns, and inside counter recovery issues he had at tackle. The upside at guard is high, but he is an injury concern with leg injuries in three of his five seasons in college football.
Round 7 (No. 193) Tahj Brooks, RB, Texas Tech
I wouldn’t be surprised if Tahj Brooks carved out a reasonable workload in the Bengals' backfield early in his career. He’s an impact third-down blocker, might have been the best pass protector in the draft, and has good hands out of the backfield. He might not be a burner, but his burst and contact balance give him a nice combination to break tackles and get into space. While he handled a hefty workload in college, which could start to wear on him sooner rather than later, he’s shown the ability to handle whatever comes his way and will be a special-teams asset as well—a great complement to Chase Brown in the backfield.
There aren’t many sexy picks for the Bengals, and while I think you can make the case that they prioritized linebacker earlier than necessary, they drafted players with impact potential. With six picks in the draft, it’s not always easy to look away from “need-based” drafting and just draft the best player available. Still, holistically, I like the type of players they added to their roster, specifically on the defensive side, adding high-character, smart football players and bringing a mix of impact with potential. It was a solid way to spend six picks, even if I would have done a few things differently.
