Bengals reinforce the lone strength of their league-worst defense with a top-10 pick in latest 2026 mock draft
Cincinnati selects LSU CB Mansoor Delane and Missouri EDGE Zion Young in the latest A to Z Sports 2-round 2026 NFL mock draft.
There isn’t much to praise about the Cincinnati Bengals defense in its present from. The pass rush sans Trey Hendrickson is spotty at best, both rookie linebackers are immensely struggling as starters, and the safety tandem behind them isn’t long to stick together beyond this season. It’s the worst defense in the NFL by both EPA/play and success rate for a multitude of reasons
Cornerback play has been the most promising aspect of the unit by far, led by DJ Turner II’s efforts to make his first Pro Bowl. Turner has been fantastic, but with Cam Taylor-Britt likely out the door in 2026, there will be a vacancy between Cincinnati’s top cover corner on the outside, and Dax Hill in the slot.
That’s where one of the best defensive backs in college football could come in and make the position a true strength for the orange and black.
Bengals select LSU CB Mansoor Delane in latest NFL mock draft
A to Z Sports’ latest 2-round 2026 mock draft has Cincinnati going back to purple and gold pipeline that has done the club so well with Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase. In this mock draft, the Bengals take the first cornerback off the board in LSU’s Mansoor Delane with the No. 10 pick in the first round.
Delane, who transferred to LSU after spending his first three years at Virginia Tech, leads the SEC in passes defensed this year with 11 heading into bowl season. It’s those ball skills that should make him a highly-coveted prospect in the spring.
“You’ve watched Cincinnati’s defense this season, right? The Bengals are giving up nearly 32 points per game this season and are 32nd in both scoring and yards. They need all the help they can get and cornerback Mansoor Delane has the instincts, ball skills, and physicality to be an impact starter for a unit that needs as much help as they can get.” — A to Z Sports’ Kyle Crabbs
While pass rush and defenders in the middle of the field are considerably greater needs for Cincinnati, a potentially elite cornerback would only help the defense improve in 2026. The Bengals are in no position to deny themselves the best player available unless it’s a quarterback or wide receiver.
Cincinnati was slotted Missouri EDGE Zion Young in the second round of the full mock draft. Young has 6.5 sacks a team-high 15.5 tackles for loss this year for Mizzou.
Two tigers in two rounds? They’d fit right at home with the Bengals, who currently have a better chance at drafting inside the top-10 picks than not.
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