Bengals seven-round 2025 NFL mock draft: Predicting every pick team will make; protection added for Joe Burrow

If you watched the Cincinnati Bengals play at all last season, then you probably already know where this team is going to be looking in the 2025 NFL Draft. The Bengals had one of the highest-scoring offenses in the NFL in 2024, but that didn't matter, because their defense couldn't stop anyone. 

Last season, the Bengals defense surrendered the seventh-most points in the league while also giving up 348.3 yards per game, which was the eighth most in the NFL. No matter how many points the offense scored, the Bengals would still find ways to lose: They lost four games last season where they scored at least 33 points, which is the most by any team in NFL history. 

The point here is that you probably shouldn't be surprised if the Bengals have a defensive-heavy draft. Speaking of the defense, adding a pass-rusher will become absolutely necessary if they can't get a deal done with Trey Hendrickson, who requested a trade earlier this season. And even if they do get a deal done, Hendrickson will need some help, so taking a pass rusher would still be a possibility. 

Although they have a lot of needs on the defensive side of the ball, the Bengals are also in desperate need of adding an offensive guard, so it feels like that's the position they'll most likely target on the offensive side of the ball. 

So what will they do this year? Let's find out. 

Team needs: DT, DE, OG, LB, S, CB, RB

2025 NFL Draft picks

• Round 1: Pick 17
• Round 2: Pick 49 
• Round 3: Pick 81
• Round 4: Pick 119
• Round 5: Pick 153
  
• Round 6: Pick 193

Note: There are no trades in this mock draft, but since the Bengals only have six picks, it wouldn't be surprising at all to see them pull off a trade at some point to acquire more picks. 

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Bengals seven-round mock draft

Round 1, Pick 17 Kelvin Banks Jr. OT Texas • Jr • 6'5" / 315 lbs Projected Team Cincinnati PROSPECT RNK 8th POSITION RNK 3rd The Bengals should have two goals for this draft: Make their defense better and find some protection for Joe Burrow. This pick checks that second box. Although Banks is a tackle, he would likely need to start his career as a guard in Cincinnati, then make the move to tackle once Orlando Brown's time with the team is done. The Bengals could certainly go with a defensive player here, but they've invested so much money on the offensive side of the ball that they might just decide that adding more protection for Burrow is the way to go.

Round 2, Pick 49 Landon Jackson EDGE Arkansas • Sr • 6'6" / 264 lbs Projected Team Cincinnati PROSPECT RNK 48th POSITION RNK 9th No matter what happens with Trey Hendrickson, the Bengals need some serious pass-rushing help. If Hendrickson plays for the Bengals in 2025, then Jackson will be a nice complement to the 2024 NFL sack leader, but if he doesn't ... You know what, let's just say that Bengals really need to take a pass rusher with one of their first two picks, and we have them going with one here.

Round 3, Pick 81 Andrew Mukuba S Texas • Sr • 6'0" / 186 lbs Projected Team Cincinnati PROSPECT RNK 102nd POSITION RNK 5th The Bengals need to rebuild their defense from front to back, and after starting in the front with Jackson in the second round, they move to the back by selecting Mukuba, who will provide some instant competition for Geno Stone. With Stone set to be a free agent following the 2025 season, selecting Mukuba will help them in the present (he could play right away) and the future with as he'd hopefully to take Stone's spot after the safety's likely departure.

Round 4, Pick 119 JJ Pegues DL Ole Miss • Sr • 6'2" / 309 lbs Projected Team Cincinnati PROSPECT RNK 104th POSITION RNK 17th The Bengals have to get stronger in the trenches on the the defensive side of the ball and they do that here by taking Pegues. He's such a unique talent that he actually played some offense at Ole Miss. During the 2024 season, he had 21 carries for 69 yards and seven touchdowns. Not only would the Bengals be getting a strong defensive lineman, but they'd also potentially be getting someone who could be a secret weapon near the goal line.

Round 5, Pick 153 Jack Kiser LB Notre Dame • Sr • 6'2" / 231 lbs Projected Team Cincinnati PROSPECT RNK 162nd POSITION RNK 9th This isn't a great draft for linebackers with only two or three of them ranking among the top 100 prospects. However, this is the perfect draft for taking a late flyer on a linebacker, and that's exactly what the Bengals decide to do here with Kiser, who would be reuniting with his college defensive coordinator, Al Golden. After Notre Dame's loss in the College Football Playoff National Championship game, Golden left Notre Dame to take the Bengals open defensive coordinator job.

Round 6, Pick 193 Corey Kiner RB Cincinnati • Sr • 5'9" / 209 lbs Projected Team Cincinnati PROSPECT RNK 137th POSITION RNK 10th RUYDS 827 YDS/ATT 5 REYDS 244 TDS 7 Since taking Joe Burrow with the No. 1 overall pick in 2020, the Bengals have selected at least one skill player in every draft since then and that trend continues here. Kiner went to high school (Roger Bacon) and college in Cincinnati (University of Cincinnati), and now, with this pick, he gets to stay in his hometown to start his NFL career.

The 2025 NFL Draft is to take place from April 24-26 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. More draft coverage can be found at CBSSports.com, including the weekly mock drafts and a regularly available look at the eligible prospects.