Signing Josh Johnson and re-signing Joe Flacco is not stopping the Cincinnati Bengals from taking interest in quarterbacks from the 2026 NFL Draft class.

Cincinnati has four picks to spend between the sixth and seventh rounds, prime range for a developmental QB. It’s even likelier the club signs a passer following the draft as a college free agent.

This includes a QB who used to throw touchdowns to one of the NFL’s best wide receivers before making a name of his own at both the FCS and FBS level. He has the Bengals’ attention, and the Bengals have his as well.

Jacob Clark shouts out recent meeting with Bengals

Missouri State QB Jacob Clark has had a more low-key pre-draft process compared to other passers in the draft. He only has one year of FBS experience as MSU made the jump from the FCS level following the 2024 season. Despite throwing for 3,244 yards and 28 touchdowns in 2025, Clark wasn’t invited to the NFL Scouting Combine, but he did partake in the first-ever American Bowl back in January.

Clark told Sports Illustrated’s Justin Melo the Bengals were one of the teams he had a good meeting with at the event.

“I met with about 10-12 NFL teams down there,” Clark said to Melo. “I had some really good conversations down there. I had good meetings with the Cincinnati Bengals, Detroit Lions, and Miami Dolphins. Those stood out to me.”

Clark has been in college since 2019 when he was a true freshman backup for Minnesota. He spent three years with the Golden Gophers before transferring to MSU in 2022 and became the starter in 2023. Several years earlier, he was the QB for Rockwall High School in Rockwall, Texas, and he completed many passes to the reigning Offensive Player of the Year

Jacob Clark was high school teammates with Seattle Seahawks All-Pro WR Jaxson Smith-Njigba

High school football in the Lone Star State is no joke, and neither was the connection between Clark and All-Pro wide receiver Jaxson Smith-Njigba from 2017-18. JSN racked up 179 receptions for 3,147 yards and 29 touchdowns with Clark under center.

“We had great chemistry,” Clark told Melo. “He’s an awesome human being and obviously a very special player as well. Playing with him was so much fun. Every step of the way I knew he was going to develop into a very good NFL player.

“It was awesome to watch him do what he did this year, to win Offensive Player of the Year and a Super Bowl. He won’t be slowing down anytime soon.”

Smith-Njigba ended up becoming the No. 20 pick in the 2023 draft after a three-year stint at Ohio State, following Clark’s path to the Big 10. Clark will be lucky to be drafted, but teams like the Bengals know he could put the ball in the hands of a game-changing wideout.

Cincinnati and Clark establishing a relationship early on in the pre-draft process can go a long way toward signing him as a CFA. See how you’d handle the Bengals eight picks with the A to Z Sports NFL Mock Draft Simulator!