Cincy Jungle
The Cincinnati Bengals could be looking to add a safety during the 2026 NFL Draft.
Geno Stone is scheduled to be a free agent after the season. I don’t see the Bengals rushing to sign him to an extension. They have not been getting consistent play from Jordan Battle this season either. If they do have an interest in adding a safety, there will be a couple of players to watch for both teams in this Big Noon match-up between the Nittany Lions and Buckeyes.
First off, Penn State has safety Zakee Wheatley. He has been one of the few players who have played up to their potential for them this season. Wheatley is a 6’3” 200 200-pound versatile prospect with good ball skills and range on the back end of a defense.
For the Buckeyes, they have All-American Caleb Downs. Downs is known as a coach on the field for Ohio State. He can play in the box, slot, or at deep safety. He is a ferocious tackler and makes big plays in big moments.
Would the Bengals be willing to take a safety in the first round? I am not sure they would. However, Downs has that leader of a defense mentality that is sorely lacking in this locker room. He is also a reliable tackler in the open field. That has been a recurring issue for the Bengals defensively for multiple seasons.
The Bengals are lacking a pass rusher from the interior defensive line. Oklahoma is going to have several talented lineman over the next couple of drafts. One to watch for this class is Gracen Halton. Halton is likely a mid-round prospect for the Sooners due to being considered a bit undersized for the defensive tackle position. He is listed at 6’2” and 292 pounds. What he can do is get after the quarterback. He has 7.5 sacks over the past two seasons for the Sooners. Only 2.5 of those have come this season. However, he still has 17 pressures on the season already.
The Bengals still need to find an outside cornerback. Cam Taylor-Britt is scheduled to be a free agent. The Bengals are likely to let him walk. Dax Hill needs to get back to taking more snaps in the slot. Tennessee has a couple of different cornerback prospects the Bengals could be interested in. The first is Jermod McCoy. He may be the best cornerback in the nation. The problem is, he has yet to play this season after an injury he sustained in January. That has allowed another cornerback to step up and potentially work his way into the first or second round mix this year. That player is Colton Hood. Hood was a transfer from Colorado last season. Hood has the ability to stick with any wide receiver in the country. He possesses excellent closing speed, vision in coverage, and quality ball skills.
Cincinnati at...
