For a Bengals team staring at an inevitable reshaping of its defensive front, the 2026 NFL Draft presents a chance to reinforce one of the AFC North’s most important battlegrounds: the edge.
With Trey Hendrickson’s long-term future in Cincinnati uncertain and a division loaded with offensive playmakers, Cincinnati needs fresh pocket-disruptors who can win in isolation, collapse the launch point, and tilt games late in the fourth quarter.
Three prospects -- one on each day -- fit that mold.
Three EDGE prospects for Cincinnati in the 2026 NFL Draft
Day One: Cashius Howell, Texas A&M
Howell is one of the most explosive pass rushers in the entire class, and his skill set translates instantly to Sundays.