Bengals 2026 Draft Grades

Bengals 2026 Draft Grades

Cincinnati Bengals
25 Apr 2026, 09:00 GMT+

Day 2 of the NFL Draft is in the books, and the Cincinnati Bengals have added two players to the roster. Media outlets across the country are weighing in with grades and expert analysis.

Round 2, Pick 41 - DE Cashius Howell, Texas A&M

CBS Sports (Mike Renner) - A+

"He's a twitchy mover who sets up tackles with his pacing extremely well. He goes to the perfect spot on a Cincinnati team that needs edge-rushing help and can also afford to let him be a specialist."

Sporting News (Vinnie Iyer) - A

"The Bengals score an excellent value in their quest to replace the relentless pass rush production of Trey Hendrickson. Howell can get to the quarterback in a variety of ways with his speed, quickness and high energy."

The Athletic (Nick Baumgardner and Scott Dochterman) - A

"...the Bengals grabbed a true game-wrecker. The SEC defensive player of the year and a unanimous first-team All-American, Howell (6-2 1/2, 253) finished with 11 sacks, 14.5 tackles for loss and six passes defensed last year. The Bengals have reset their defensive line."

USA Today (Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz) - B+

"The Bengals have some depth, but the reigning SEC Defensive Player of the Year will keep the pressure on other recent draft picks to step up."

Round 3, Pick 72 - CB Tacario Davis, Washington

Sporting News (Vinnie Iyer) - B

"The Bengals hit on their key corner need with a big cover man who is very aggressive in making plays on the ball. He should deliver well with improved pressure up front from Lawrence and the fellow rookie Howell."

Yahoo Sports (Chris Roling) - B

"Davis is a big prospect at nearly 6'4", so he figures to be more of a boundary player, potentially...One of the younger players in the draft class, Davis is a really interesting prospect for Bengals coaches to mold."

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