ClutchPoints
For the Cincinnati Bengals, the College Football Playoff will be required viewing. With the 2025 season collapsing under the weight of unmet expectations, Cincinnati has crossed the line from disappointment into reckoning. This is no longer about salvaging pride in December. It’s about identifying foundational pieces who can help retool a roster built around Joe Burrow before more prime years are wasted. The CFP offers the Bengals a high-stakes scouting laboratory. It’s where elite prospects are tested under pressure that closely resembles Sundays in January.
Cincinnati’s 2025 campaign has unraveled in dramatic fashion. Sitting at 4-10 through Week 15, the Bengals were officially eliminated from playoff contention after a humiliating 24-0 home shutout loss to the Baltimore Ravens. It’s the first time Joe Burrow has ever been blanked in his NFL career. The optics were grim: freezing conditions, uncleared seating, poor preparation, and a Ravens team that imposed its will from the opening drive.
That loss encapsulated the season. Defensive breakdowns became routine, the offensive line struggled to protect Burrow consistently, and injuries exposed a lack of depth across the roster. Even when Burrow flashed brilliance, the Bengals failed to complement him. The Ravens piled on three sacks and a 95-yard pick-six. Meanwhile, Cincinnati’s offense looked disjointed and outmatched. High expectations dissolved into the reality of a roster in need of serious reinforcement, particularly in the trenches and on defense.
This is very much a corrective draft cycle for the Bengals. Cincinnati must emerge from the 2026 NFL Draft with players capable of impacting games immediately. The CFP is where those answers are most likely to reveal themselves. That is especially true for prospects who thrive when everything speeds up.
The Bengals’ needs are clear: pass rushers who can close games, linemen who can keep Burrow upright, and defensive chess pieces who add flexibility rather than liability. Several CFP standouts fit that description. They should be squarely on Cincinnati’s radar.
Here we’ll try to look at and discuss the Bengals’ must-see NFL Draft targets in the 2025-26 College Football Playoff.
If Cincinnati is serious about fixing its defense, R Mason Thomas should command attention. The Oklahoma edge rusher brings rare first-step explosiveness and closing speed. He can consistently stress offensive tackles and collapse pockets. Thomas wins with timing, leverage, and acceleration, making him a natural disruptor.
For a Bengals defense that too often allowed quarterbacks to operate comfortably, Thomas represents a potential tone-setter. His ability to threaten the edge forces offenses to slide protection. That has ripple effects across the front. Watching how he performs against CFP-caliber offensive lines will be critical. The upside is clear, though: Thomas could be the kind of defender who changes game plans before the ball is even snapped.
Protecting Burrow must remain priority No. 1. Emmanuel Pregnon offers a compelling solution. The Ole Miss lineman is massive,...
