Bengals 3-Round 2026 NFL Mock Draft: Senior Bowl standouts can bring excitement to Cincinnati’s defense
Cincinnati can address major needs with players who shined at the 2026 Senior Bowl.
The Cincinnati Bengals saw what they needed to see this week at the 2026 Senior Bowl. Practices are all wrapped up, and while there’s still the actual game to be played Saturday at 2:30 pm E.T., personnel members and scouts are more interested in how the NFL Draft hopefuls practiced against one another leading up to the weekend.
Senior Bowl practices don’t solidify draft positioning, but they can go a long way in setting a prospect up for “rising up” big boards and vice versa. Let’s run through a 3-round mock draft with Senior Bowl practices now in the rearview mirror.
Round 1, Pick 10: Caleb Banks, DT, Florida
Caleb Banks was one of the biggest winners from the week. Banks only played three games for the Florida Gators during the 2025 season, but showed everyone what 6-6 and 335 pounds can do fully healthy. He flashed in all three practices as a pass-rusher, disengaging and working around blocks with ease.
Banks entered the week as a possible first-rounder due to how much time he missed in the last five months, but now that the league has seen who he is entering the draft, he may not leave the first 20 picks. This may be a bit too high for him right now, but the Bengals need a difference-maker at DT, and Banks made a strong case this week.
Round 2, Pick 41: Gennings Dunker, OL, Iowa
Is he a tackle or a guard? Gennings Dunker repped at both spots this week and came away a winner. Iowa consistently coaches up run-blockers and Dunker looks very tenacious at doing that. He measured in just shy of 6-5 but weighed in at 320 pounds with 34″ arms and 10″ hands. That may be enough to keep him on the edge.
Cincinnati should absolutely re-sign right guard Dalton Risner before free agency, but if Risner leaves, Dunker could slide in as his replacement. He could also be a potential swing tackle backup, another pressing need for the Bengals’ offense.
Round 3, Pick 72: Gabe Jacas, EDGE, Illinois
Gabe Jacas, who stands 6-3 and 260 pounds, was already an unheralded name to watch entering the week, and he proved fun to watch with how quickly he won as a pass-rusher. He did that a lot for Illinois as he produced 11 of the Fighting Illini’s 29 sacks in 2025. That’s an inordinate market share, and indicative of a player who can produce at the next level.
Cincinnati will need to add a defensive end to the rotation this offseason, be it in free agency or the draft. Jacas established himself as a prime Day 2 pick.
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