Cincinnati has 17th pick in the first round Thursday and six total selections over seven rounds. Here are five things to know going into the 2025 NFL Draft:
1. Defense is the priority
Tobin spoke to local media Monday, and when asked how the team’s approach to free agency set them up for the draft, he said he felt good about where the Bengals sit. They kept the offense intact and now can focus on getting new defensive coordinator Al Golden what he needs to build a “championship defense.”
“We’re rebuilding on defense under Al’s vision, and Al has given us a very clear vision of what he sees and what he would like to have,” Tobin said. “We think we’re in position to get him the pieces to execute what he wants to do. That’s what we’re going through right now in the draft. And we’ll see what fortune brings us.”
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
That doesn’t mean there aren’t needs that will be addressed on offense, but the biggest holes are at edge, defensive tackle and linebacker. If the right safety is available, that’s a position the Bengals could target as well. An offensive guard should be a priority, as well, because Cincinnati needed two new starters there and only added one in free agency, but the Bengals did have one of the best offenses in the league with Cordell Volson still starting games in 2024.
2. Trades are on the table
The Bengals haven’t traditionally done trades in the first round – usually it’s been in the second round – but Tobin said they are always open to moving up or down. Sitting at No. 17, they could afford to move down and add picks in later rounds, but the problem is there are probably others also looking to do that and only so many teams will have an interest in that spot.
Cincinnati is definitely looking to add picks at some point.
“You don’t always get the opportunity,” Tobin said. “People say, trade, trade, trade. Those opportunities aren’t, you know, always there. Actually, they’re not there more than they are there. If you’re sitting on one guy that you think is a perfect fit for you, a lot of times we opt just to go that route. And if you’re more open to your board, and you get that opportunity and the price is right, you do it. We’re certainly open to trading. … But we’ve always been open to that, not only in the first round, but other rounds. We have six picks in this draft, so we would like to have a few more and we’ll see if we can make that happen.”
3. What are the defensive line needs?
The Bengals re-signed Joseph Ossai and Cam Sample and are banking on improvement in Year 3 for Myles Murphy, but none of those guys came close to being as productive as needed behind Trey Hendrickson, so the edge clearly needs reinforcements.
But do they have what they need inside? Not quite. Cincinnati took two defensive tackles last year and signed a proven run stopper in T.J. Slaton in free agency but still could use a pass rusher in the interior who can also be effective in the run defense.
“We like guys where we can build a wave of guys coming through that are fresh that can both rush the passer and stop the run,” Tobin said. “We’ve got a good mix right now. And I think we’ll probably add to it as we go through the weekend.”
4. Offensive guard options throughout
While this is considered a good offensive guard class, there is a noticeable drop-off after the top few players. That could impact what the Bengals do the first two days, but Tobin said they have eyes on offensive guards that could be considered throughout draft.
Cincinnati signed Lucas Patrick as a versatile starting option. He spent most of his snaps last year with New Orleans at left guard but has played center and right guard. The Bengals also have Cody Ford as an option but could use competition there.
“There are guards available in this draft,” Tobin said. “There are every year. I’ve never been a part of a draft that doesn’t have guards. Now, if they go 1 through 35 and they’re all guards, there’s probably none left. But I don’t anticipate that, and there will be guys that we talk about and consider throughout the draft.”
Tobin said the team is open to guys that played tackle in college but could transition to guard. Versatility is helpful for backup offensive linemen, but the Bengals usually rep players at other spots to build that depth anyway.
5. Positional value and intangibles
Tobin said the Bengals are going to be choosing between a number of different positions at No. 17, but while team needs and positional value both factor in, they are more likely to go with the best player available if there’s a clear difference between him and someone at a position of perhaps greater need.
Cincinnati also won’t shy away from taking a player with tremendous upside even if there is someone already in the building set to fill that role. The Bengals aren’t looking for starters three years from now but rather quick development and production, whether that’s to push guys already on the roster or filling rotational roles.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
As for other factors in the picks, character and off-field risk are also a part of it, but Tobin said each situation is different so the Bengals won’t just write off a guy with question marks around him.
“It’s completely an independent study for every player that we talk about,” Tobin said. “We try to put as much work into those guys as we humanly possibly can. We talk to a lot of people. We do a lot of background research. Ultimately, it’s is this worth the risk. Every player is a little different in that. Sometimes, the answer is yes. Sometimes the answer is no.”
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