41. Cincinnati Bengals - Cashius Howell, EDGE, Texas A&M
The Bengals continue to follow in the Chiefs footsteps in this mock draft and also take an EDGE. Offensively, this unit is rather solid. The offensive line really came together down the stretch in 2025, which is awesome for Joe Burrow.
The front office has to continue spilling resources on the defensive side of the ball. This type of thing happened way back in 2021, and in that season, Cincy advanced all the way to the Super Bowl.
42. New Orleans Saints - Germie Bernard, WR, Alabama
If you looked up what a high-end WR2 looked like in the NFL, you’d see a picture of Germie Bernard. The Saints need another wide receiver to pair up with Chris Olave, but they did sign running back Travis Etienne in free agency and have tight end Juwan Johnson in the mix as well.
Adding Bernard to the mix gives the Saints a very full cupboard of talent for what could be a shockingly successful 2026 campaign. Keep an eye out for the Saints. This team is better than you think.
43. Miami Dolphins - Christen Miller, DT, Georgia
Continuing to stack talent left and right, the NFL Draft capital-rich Dolphins take Christen Miller, a defensive tackle from Georgia. The defensive line prospects from Georgia over the years have really had success in the NFL.
New Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley is a defensive guy, so he’ll surely pound the table for some trenches help on his side of the ball, but Miami is still multiple years away from competing for a playoff spot if all goes well.
44. New York Jets - Caleb Banks, DT, Florida
Caleb Banks’ foot injury could push him down the NFL Draft board, so the Jets jump on the chance to snag him at pick 44. Banks is otherwise a slam-dunk first-round prospect, as his measurables are off the charts.