Latest 2025 NFL Mock Draft shows how the Bengals start their roster reset with Ohio State's help
Plenty of tough decisions will be made by the Cincinnati Bengals this upcoming offseason if the team misses the postseason. Several parts of the roster will have to be overhauled after such a disappointing year. Free agency may only accelerate that process as well. Wide receiver Tee Higgins and defensive tackle B.J. Hill are the two […]
Plenty of tough decisions will be made by the Cincinnati Bengals this upcoming offseason if the team misses the postseason. Several parts of the roster will have to be overhauled after such a disappointing year. Free agency may only accelerate that process as well.
Wide receiver Tee Higgins and defensive tackle B.J. Hill are the two best impending free agents on the Bengals' roster, and it's more likely than not that both will leave for other teams. Higgins is destined to cash in on the open market if he doesn't get tagged a second time, and Hill will be 30 years old next April.
If both are gone in 2025, Cincinnati needs new foundational pieces at their respective positions to headline the roster reset. Travis May provided the Bengals with a great solution in the latest A to Z Sports 2025 NFL Mock Draft, and only one major college team was needed.
Bengals draft Ohio State teammates WR Emeka Egbuka, DT Tyleik Williams in 2025 NFL Mock Draft
The Bengals have drafted several Michigan prospects over the past few years to varying success ala Dax Hill, DJ Turner II, and even Erick All Jr. technically falls under that category. Ohio State has been left out in the cold by comparison with the last drafted Buckeye being Michael Jordan back in 2019.
Should the Bengals want a Buckeye as their first-round pick, wide receiver Emeka Egbuka would be the choice with the 11th overall pick as a "special replacement" per May:
"If the Bengals move on from Tee Higgins then they'll need to find a special replacement right away to help Joe Burrow. Emeka Egbuka is an elite talent at wide receiver who just sometimes gets overshadowed because of the other talented players around him. However, two years ago he was the second most productive true sophomore wide receiver in the nation behind only his teammate, Marvin Harrison Jr. and it seems many forget that. He was dinged up a bit in 2023, but he's back to his WR1 ways alongside true freshman phenom Jeremiah Smith at Ohio State in 2024." – A to Z Sports' Travis May
Losing Higgins will be devastating if the Bengals can't properly replace him. Egbuka looks like a legitimate option. In 2022, the then 20-year old Egbuka was right alongside Marvin Harrison Jr. in terms of production, and his talent has only grown in the two years since. He's always been paired with another elite wideout in Ohio State's offense. He'd find no better partner in the NFL than Ja'Marr Chase, and Joe Burrow would still have two threats at his disposal.
It would be malpractice for the Bengals to leave the first two rounds of the draft without addressing the defense. With the 43rd overall pick, May slotted the Bengals with Egbuka's teammate, defensive tackle Tyleik Williams.
Listed at 6-3 and 325 pounds, Williams is NFL-ready at just 21 years of age with four years of experience under his belt. The combination of power and explosiveness he provides will ensure he's drafted in the first 50 picks.
"With how strong Williams is, some people might underrate the explosiveness that he brings to the table. His first step is surprisingly fast, which allows Williams to create a ton of power in tight windows. Once he gets his momentum rolling, it’s over." – A to Z Sports' Ryan Roberts
Even if the Bengals unexpectedly retain Hill despite his age, Williams would still be needed to give the defensive tackle room some life. Sheldon Rankins has not been as previously advertised, and rookies Kris Jenkins Jr. and McKinnley Jackson have ways to go.
Plenty of Bengals fans also cheer for the Scarlet and Gray in Ohio, so this draft would surely make those folks happy. The Bengals need goodwill as much as their roster needs a reset. These two picks would be the best of both worlds.
Bengals lend a helping hand to one of their elite players and address the future in latest 2025 NFL Mock Draft
Cincinnati opts for a pass rusher in A to Z Sports’ latest 2025 NFL Mock Draft.
