2025 NFL mock draft: Early 1st-round predictions with Jalen Milroe on top

17. Cincinnati Bengals: Mykel Williams, EDGE, Georgia

Well, where do we even start with the Cincinnati Bengals right now? The Bengals will be moving way down this list going forward, but when I made last week’s power rankings, I was assuming they’d get a win at home against the Commanders and at least improve to 1-2 on the season.

I assumed wrong.

The Bengals, if they keep this up, could end up being sellers at the NFL trade deadline and proverbial heads could roll after the season. For this team to miss out on the playoffs with a healthy Joe Burrow would be catastrophic news for Zac Taylor.

The Bengals need help off the edge going forward defensively, especially if they move on from Trey Hendrickson in the 2025 offseason. Mykel Williams would be a great pickup for them almost regardless of where they end up selecting.

18. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Isaiah Bond, WR, Texas

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have made a number of investments in the wide receiver position recently, so taking one in the first round of next year’s draft feels like a bit of a stretch, but Isaiah Bond might be the best overall player on the board here and the Bucs are in position to take the best player on their board.

We’ve seen this team really prioritize keeping its own players around, so there’s no reason at this point to believe Chris Godwin will leave in 2025 free agency, but the possibility exists after the Bucs just re-signed a bunch of their own guys in 2024, including veteran receiver Mike Evans.

Bond gives them a speedy weapon and another young playmaker for Baker Mayfield.