The NFL Draft is just 104 days away, and predicting what a team will do at this point in the process is usually folly. But that won’t stop us! Yesterday, we took a shot at narrowing down the first-round pick to a few names. That exercise is a bit easier as there is a consensus forming at the top of most draft boards. The second round gets a bit squirrelly.
Obviously, what the Bengals choose to do with the 41st pick will be heavily dictated by free agency and what the team does in the first round. There is a general feeling that the Bengals should address the defense early on in the draft. That feeling is more than justified, especially now that we know that Al Golden will be back in 2026.
The Bengals have had some great second-round picks like Tee Higgins, Jessie Bates III, Joe Mixon, and Tyler Boyd. At the same time, were Demetrius Knight, Kris Jenkins, and Jackson Carman worth those premium picks?
Before the Zac Taylor era, the Bengals picked an offensive player in the second round seven times in a row. Since then, the defense has been the priority with five of the last eight picks. That includes four in a row heading into 2026.
Nothing is set in stone, and the Bengals are frustratingly unpredictable, but let’s try to highlight a few players who could be worthy of the Bengals second-round selection.
Dillon Thieneman, SAF, Oregon
If the Bengals can’t get Caleb Downs in the first round, there are some fine second options in the next round. To start, Dillon Thieneman, out of Oregon. There is an obvious need at safety one way or another. Geno Stone is very likely going to be let go this offseason, but there is not much behind him. Jordan Battle has had flashes, but he’s underwhelmed. Daijahn Anthony and Tycen Anderson must not have the confidence of the coaching staff, either. However, Thieneman could be a good answer.
Thieneman made his mark early with Purdue. As a true freshman in 2023, Thieneman led the Boilermakers with 106 tackles, two tackles for loss, two pass breakups, two forced fumbles, and a whopping six interceptions. He backed that up with 104 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, one sack, and seven pass breakups in 2024. Offenses finally figured out that number 31 was good at football, because they avoided him in coverage, hence his lack of interceptions.
I’m tweeting about one prospect every day before the 2026 NFL Draft. If I miss a day, I shake ass for the TL
Oregon SAF Dillon Thieneman
+ Versatility
+ Ball skills
+ Coverage instincts
+ Downhill speed
– Consistent physicality vs. blocks
– Ankle biter pic.twitter.com/vkHdbycJnS— Jacob Infante (@jacobinfante24) November 29, 2025
Then, he jumped into the portal and landed at Oregon. Thanks to the upgrade in talent in support, his tackle numbers fell to 86 as he prepares to play in the Peach Bowl. Even then, he added 3.5 tackles for loss, one sack, five pass breakups, and two interceptions.
If the Bengals want to use Battle closer to the line of scrimmage, Thieneman could be the answer at free safety. He’s a ballhawk and can crash downhill to respond to the ball carrier.
Theieneman jumps off the tape when you watch. He has star potential.
Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, SAF, Toledo
There’s a decent shot that Theieneman isn’t there at pick 41, but there are a few others who could be worth the pick. The Bengals have one safety from Toledo, why not add another?
Emmanuel McNeil-Warren has been a star in the Rockets’ secondary for three seasons now, but he earned significant snaps as a true freshman as well. In his three seasons as a starter, McNeil-Warren tallied 207 total tackles, 11 tackles for loss, a sack, 13 pass breakups, five interceptions (one pick-six), and forced eight fumbles while recovering two.
Selecting McNeil-Warren wouldn’t necessarily be the end of Stone’s time in Cincinnati. The Toledo standout is more of a strong safety who can play down in the box.
Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (Toledo)
– #3 safety/#42 overall
– 6033/209
– 11 career forced fumbles
– Enforcer over the MOF, no fear of contact
– Syncs break with the QB’s release & takes good angles to the ball
– Punishing tackler with elite stopping power
– Length to shed blocks,… pic.twitter.com/1bNwEDaa4p— James Foster (@NoFlagsFilm) January 7, 2026
The most enticing part of his game relative to the Bengals is that he can cover tight ends, force turnovers, and is a sound tackler, three things the Bengals have struggled with over the last couple of seasons. He is adept at recognizing route concepts underneath and is just always around the ball.
He doesn’t have elite speed, so if he is going to play as a single-high safety, he will have to be on it regarding his instincts. Plus, there is a quality of play question. Of course, he started against Kentucky (2025) and Illinois (2023). In those games, he totaled 13 tackles and a fumble recovery.
McNeil-Warren might not be the full-time safety the Bengals want, but he certainly fills a need.
A’Mauri Washington, DT, Oregon
The Bengals need to address the defensive tackle room. While a first-round pick is possible, it’s unlikely, simply because the Bengals do not value the position enough. If A’Mauri Washington is still on the board at 41, it becomes a no-brainer. He’s a borderline first-round talent in many circles, so it would be a steal.
As a true freshman, Washington appeared in eight games in the rotation and was featured a bit more in 2024 in 14 games. However, he truly broke out this year. Most of his stats make sense for an interior defensive lineman: 31 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks heading into the Peach Bowl.
He has also broken up eight passes.
A defensive tackle broke up eight passes.
That alone rockets him up draft boards. It’s an invaluable trait to be able to get his hands up to disrupt the quarterback throwing across the middle.
Wisconsin stood no chance vs. A’Mauri Washington (or Bear AlexanderO pic.twitter.com/xnHXGaLV3L
— James Foster (@NoFlagsFilm) October 28, 2025
At six-foot-three and 330 pounds, Washington is a freak athlete. His get-off at the line of scrimmage will have guards in all kinds of Hell and he is powerful enough as a bull rusher to collapse pockets from the inside.
If the Bengals add Caleb Downs or an EDGE in the first round, adding Washington would be a slam dunk.
R Mason Thomas, EDGE, Oklahoma
If the Bengals are not going to add to the pass rush in the first round, the second round has a few who could fill that role. Oklahoma’s R Mason Thomas is not going to be a pick that excites Bengals fans due to a lack of productivity compared to the rest of his peers. However, he could fill a need and be a better pro than a college player.
At Oklahoma, Thomas was a regular member of the rotation before really taking over as a starter in 2024. That year, he posted 23 tackles, 12.5 tackles, nine sacks, one pass breakup, two forced fumbles, and two recovered fumbles, one of which was a touchdown.
This year, he added 26 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, a pass breakup, two forced fumbles, and a scoop-and-score.
R Mason Thomas | EDGE | OU
Explosive rush specialist w/ great 1st step & great high side track. + Ankle flexibility to tilt around the corner & hip bend to change levels. Great at turning speed into power; generates pop at impact.
Fights at PoA & solid backside pursuit vs run pic.twitter.com/JlgSd6ISv1
— Matt Lane (@Matty_KCSN) December 23, 2025
He is truly a pass-rush specialist, not unlike Trey Hendrickson. For reference, Hendrickson’s college numbers were similar, though he had one more productive year: 32 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, five sacks in 2014; 39 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 13.5 sacks in 2015; 50 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks in 2016.
Thomas may not be the all-around EDGE guy Bengals fans want, but if they want to replace Hendrickson with a guy who can do the same, Thomas may be the answer. Throw him in there with Myles Murphy and Shemar Stewart, and you can make some noise.
Germie Bernard, WR, Alabama
Finally, what if the front office addresses the defense well enough that a first-round pick allows them to pick BPA at 41? What if the Bengals see that the offense is one piece away from taking another step? Sure, it’s already pretty great, but the Bengals could improve the depth/WR3 position. As of now, it’s Mike Gesicki playing the de facto WR3 role. Why not add a dynamic SEC guy?
Germie Bernard has been a solidly productive player for three different teams. As a freshman, he played for Michigan State and put up 128 yards and two touchdowns on just seven receptions. Then, he transferred out to Washington, where he amassed 419 yards and two scores on 34 receptions.
He spent his final two seasons at Alabama, following Kalen DeBoer. With the Tide, across the two seasons in total, Bernard led the way with 1,656 yards and nine touchdowns off 114 receptions. This year, he was forced into the WR1 role with the struggles of Ryan Williams.
I’d like to revisit this, it’s actually unfair to have an athlete like Germie Bernard on your team.
He is incredible to watch in person pic.twitter.com/3LbZAvuk7e
— Nick Perkins (@NickyPerkss) October 19, 2025
The Bengals need a guy who can live in the slot, but also kick outside to give Ja’Marr Chase routes on the inside (because, come on, Chase against a nickel corner, safety, or linebacker just isn’t fair). Bernard is a good route runner and can separate. He can attack the intermediate part of the field and, according to NoFilmAnalysis on Twitter, 45.1% of his targets resulted in a first down.
His career yards per reception settled in at a nice 14.2 yards.
The Bengals don’t have a WR3 that Joe Burrow can consistently trust. Bernard would fill that role and open things up for Chase and Tee Higgins.
If Bernard isn’t there, or if Zachariah Branch is there and it makes sense, Branch would also be a fantastic option. We may expand on that at a later date.