The Cincinnati Bengals battled late in the season to try and make up for their slow start to the year.
But ultimately, their five-game win streak to end the year wasn't enough to dig them out of the hole starting the seasons 1-4 put them in.
They finished as the eighth seed in the AFC with a 9-8 record, and as a result, it feels like they wasted an excellent season from Joe Burrow, who led the NFL with 4,918 passing yards and 43 touchdowns. This means that the team has some work to do this off-season to ensure they never waste a special season like this from Burrow again. So here is a 7-round Bengals 2025 NFL mock draft to help them start that process.
Cincinnati Bengals 7-round 2025 mock draft
Round 1, Pick 17: Shavon Revel, CB, East Carolina
The Bengals need to improve their secondary this offseason after allowing the fourth most passing touchdowns in the NFL this past season with 30 and the 12th most passing yards per game with 223.5. So, I have them taking on one of the best corners in the class in East Carolina's Shavon Revel. Many people were highly anticipating a big season from Revel after a strong year in 2023. Sadly, his 2024 season was cut short after just three games due to a torn ACL ending his season. If that injury doesn't happen, it's very possible he's being discussed as a top-15 pick in this class. This can play into the Bengals player by adding a corner that has some impressive film showing off his coverage skills.
Round 2, Pick 49: Derrick Harmon, DT, Oregon
The Bengals' struggles on defense resulted in a well-respected coach, Lou Anarumo, losing his job. So it shouldn't shock anyone that I have them going back-to-back defense to kick off this mock draft. They went secondary in round one, and now they grab Oregon's Derrick Harmon for the interior of their defensive line. Harmon is coming off easily the best season of his college career. He destroyed his previous career highs across the board with five sacks, seven quarterback hits, 11 tackles for loss, and a whopping 43 QB hurries. He can come in right away and make a difference in both the passing and the running game.
Round 3, Pick 81: Tate Ratlege, G, Georgia
For the Bengals' first offensive selection, they add to their offensive line. The guard play from Alex Cappa was simply not good enough in 2024. So, the team has to look at ways they can upgrade and better protect Burrow going forward. Georgia's Tate Ratledge is one of the best options in this class for a team to find a potential plug-and-play starter as a rookie without using one of their premium selections.
Round 4, Pick 118: Pat Bryant, WR, Ilinois
The Bengals have some big decisions to make this offseason. One of the biggest being whether or not to extend wide receiver Tee Higgins or let him walk away for nothing. Either way, adding a talented wide receiver on day three could make a lot of sense for the team. One of the most underrated in this class is Illinois' Pat Bryant. His 6'3" frame will have teams interested, and his film from this past year isn't talked about enough, with him finishing the year with 54 receptions, 984 yards, and 10 touchdowns.
Round 5, Pick 152: Upton Stout, S/CB, Western Kentucky
Back to the defensive side of the ball for the Bengals, as I have them landing a do-it-all defensive back in Upton Stout out of Western Kentucky. Stout played 633 snaps on defense in 2024 and spent time all over the field. His primary role came out of the slot with 355 snaps, but he also logged at least 70 snaps on the defensive line, outside corner, and in the box. With the Bengals having so many holes on that side of the ball, it makes sense for them to target someone like Stout, who can enter training camp and compete at multiple different positions.
Round 6, Pick 191: Raheim Sanders, RB, South Carolina
Last but not least, the Bengals add a running back in South Carolina's Raheim Sanders, known to some as Rocket. The former Oklahoma standout, who rushed for 1,466 yards and ten touchdowns in 2022, had his season cut short in 2023 and only appeared in six games. So, seeing him put together a 12-game season after transferring to South Carolina and also put up solid numbers with 881 yards and 11 touchdowns was nothing short of amazing. Now, he enters the NFL Draft, hoping his dreams come true, and he hears his name called. The Bengals have to love what they saw from Chase Brown, but it's safe to assume their free agency investment in Zach Moss isn't looked at as fondly. So, bring in Sanders and develop him to become a dynamic duo with Brown for the foreseeable future.
