Cincinnati Bengals: 2025 NFL Draft Class

From the pre-draft scouting process and mock drafts through the 2025 NFL Draft and UDFA signings.

Cincinnati Bengals

2025 NFL Draft

Six (6) Players Drafted

1.17 — Shemar Stewart, EDGE — Texas A&M
2.17 — Demetrius Knight Jr., MLB — South Carolina
3.17 — Dylan Fairchild, OG — Georgia
4.17 — Barrett Carter, LB — Clemson
5.17 — Jalen Rivers, OG — Miami FL
6.17 — Tahj Brooks, RB — Texas Tech

UDFA Signings

QB Payton Thorne, Auburn
RB Quali Conley, Arizona
WR Jamoi Hayes, Cincinnati
WR Jordan Moore, Duke
WR Rashod Owens, Oklahoma State
TE Kole Taylor, West Virginia
C Seth McLaughlin, Ohio State
T Caleb Etienne, BYU
DI Eric Gregory, Arkansas
DI Howard Cross III, Notre Dame
CB Bralyn Lux, Texas Tech
S Shaquan Loyal, Rutgers
LS William Wagner, Michigan

Minicamp Invites

None reported as of 4/28/2025

3-Round Mock Draft

2025 Cincinnati Bengals Mock

3-Round Mock Draft Logic

1.17 (17)
Shemar Stewart, EDGE
2.17 (49)
Darius Alexander, DT
3.17 (81)
Ashton Gillotte, EDGE

🔎

Positions of Interest: DT, DE, EDGE, OT, iOL, SAF

SIS Scouting Reports — Grade (Scale)

Shemar Stewart, ED — 6.7 (Strong Starter)
Darius Alexander, DT — 6.5 (Lower-end Starter)
Ashton Gillotte, ED — 6.5 (Lower-end Starter)

The Bengals spent a billion dollars on their offense in the offseason so I have them taking swings on defense on Day 1 and 2, as they hope to sock at least one dinger amid three potential strikeouts.

Shemar Stewart is the ultimate traits-based bet, as he tested better than basically any prospect ever at the NFL Combine but only had 4.5 sacks at college, and even those sacks came against lesser competition.

Darius Alexander is a mountain of a man who played at a Group of 5 school in Toledo but, again, has the traits to be an absolute menace along the defensive line if he can put it all together, despite the fact he turns 25 in August.

Ashton Gillote is more of the single or double off the wall of the group, as he's undersized but was highly productive at nearby Louisville.

Trey Hendrickson remains unsigned and reportedly on the trade block, with teams inquiring about him during the NFL Draft.

Former Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden takes over for the fired Lou Anarumo, now coordinating the Indianapolis Colts defense, and he intends to build the defense around linebacker Logan Wilson.

Not that it needs to be said, but draft the Bengals offensive weapons everywhere in fantasy this season.

Other Potential Picks

Day 1: Ashton Jeanty, Emeka Egbuka, Walter Nolen, Mike Green, James Pearce Jr., Nic Scourton, TreVeyon Henderson, Matthew Golden, Mykel Williams, Nick Emmanwori
Day 2: Josh Conerly Jr., Omarr Norman-Lott, T.J. Sanders, Bhayshul Tuten, Kevin Winston Jr., Charles Grant
Day 3: Gunnar Helm, Drew Kendall, Jalen Rivers, Collin Oliver, Nick Martin, Ty Hamilton, Sam Brown, Traeshon Holden, Alex Howard, Andrew Armstrong, Dartanyan Tinsley, Graham Nicholson, Isaac TeSlaa, J.J. Roberts, Marshall Lang