The Cincinnati Bengals may not be as good as NFL fans believe. They are living off an AFC Championship Game win from four years ago and have missed the playoffs in back-to-back years. The pressure was on the team during the 2025 NFL Draft to not let Quarterback Joe Burrow’s prime be wasted and improve one of the league’s worst defenses. Who did the Cincinnati Bengals draft?
Round 1, No. 17: Shemar Stewart, EDGE, Texas A&M
Grade: B
Stewart is a solid player but was not considered one of the best players at this position in the draft class. He is not expected to play much in 2025. He will be behind Trey Hendrickson on the depth chart this season. Even though Hendrickson and the franchise are in a contract dispute, the team’s first pick will not be much of a contributor this year. That is not a good position for the Cincinnati Bengals to be in.
Round 2, No. 49: Demetrius Knight Jr., Linebacker, South Carolina
Grade: B+
Knight Jr. was a solid value pick for one of the league’s worst defenses in 2024. He will be mainly used as a run-stopper in 2025. He was one of the best linebackers in this year’s draft.
Round 3, No. 81: Dylan Fairchild, Guard, Georgia
Grade: B-
Offensive line has been an issue for the team throughout Burrow’s career. They had the No. 29-ranked offensive line last season. Fairchild should fit in seamlessly on the unit.
Round 4-7 Picks
Round 4, No. 119: Barrett Carter, Linebacker, Clemson Grade: B-
Round 5, No. 153: Jalen Rivers, Guard, Miami Grade: B-
Round 6, No. 193: Tahj Brooks, Running Back, Texas Tech Grade: B-
Overall Draft Grade: B-
The Cincinnati Bengals did not have a strong NFL Draft. Even though the team struggled on defense last year, two of their first four picks were linebackers. That was not an efficient use of the team’s limited draft resources. The team’s first-round pick will also not be much of a contributor in 2025. It was a disappointing overall draft for the Cincinnati Bengals. They did not improve their roster to become more of a contender in a loaded AFC.
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