The following is an excerpt from Warren Sharp's 2025 Football Preview book. In addition to Warren's deep, detailed write-up on all 32 NFL teams, each chapter features page after page of full-color charts, stats, and heatmaps as well as draft class analysis from Ryan McCrystal. Click here for a full FREE chapter from the 2025 Football Preview.
With 2025 NFL training camps on the horizon, we’re starting to understand how 2025 NFL draft classes will impact each roster this season.
Let's look at the Cincinnati Bengals, breaking down the most likely instant-impact rookies from each class, while also providing some insight into why certain early picks may not see the field.
Who are the Cincinnati Bengals rookies?
- Shemar Stewart (EDGE, Texas A&M)
- Demetrius Knight Jr. (LB, South Carolina)
- Dylan Fairchild (OG, Georgia)
- Barrett Carter (LB, Clemson)
- Jalen Rivers (OG, Miami)
- Tahj Brooks (RB, Texas Tech)
Cincinnati Bengals Draft Class Grade:
The Cincinnati Bengals received a C draft grade from Sharp Football.
Which Bengals Rookies Will Make An Impact?
The Bengals have been one of the more conservative teams in their approach to the draft in recent years, focusing on team captains and players who came from winning programs, so it came as a mild surprise when Cincinnati selected Shemar Stewart (first round), who was less of a proven commodity than most of the team’s recent early draft picks. That said, Stewart was more productive at Texas A&M than his career sack total (4.5) indicates.
Stewart’s production dipped during his junior year, but in 2023, he ranked 19th among Power Conference edge rushers with a 17.3% pressure rate. Not bad for a 19-year-old in the SEC. Ideally, Stewart only plays a reserve role in 2024, but if the contract dispute with Trey Hendrickson lingers into the season, he will be forced into action immediately.
It’s also possible that Stewart sees some action on the interior defensive line on passing downs. Although he had just 86 pass rush snaps on the interior over the last two years, his traits should translate to that role, and Cincinnati needs more pass rush production from that position.
Demetrius Knight Jr. (second round) fills a positional void but was a surprising selection given what the Bengals need at linebacker. Last year’s defense looked slow, and Cincinnati probably could have used a more explosive athlete at linebacker to pair with Logan Wilson. The selection of Knight may have been dictated by the team’s need to fill that starting role immediately, and the 25-year-old Knight has the experience and polished fundamentals to start as a rookie.
Knight will be joined by Barrett Carter (fourth round), who might compete for that starting job and should get on the field when the team uses a third linebacker. Like Knight, Carter is ready to play immediately 一 he was a three-year starter at Clemson 一 but average athletic traits might limit his ceiling.
The selection of Dylan Fairchild (third round) may have also been forced due to a need to fill an immediate hole. This was a weak class of offensive linemen, and there were not a lot of players left on the board capable of stepping into a starting role. Cincinnati needed to add someone who could at least reasonably compete for a starting job at guard.
Fairchild’s combination of length and strength is impressive for a guard, and he should be able to hold his own if forced into action. However, he’s still developing and had some issues last year at Georgia, especially in the run game. Georgia ball carriers averaged 1.7 yards before contact when running behind Fairchild, the worst rate on the Bulldogs’ offensive line.
Jalen Rivers (fifth round) might also factor into the competition for a starting spot at guard, but he will likely serve as a versatile backup. Rivers made double-digit starts at both guard and tackle during his career at Miami, which bodes well for him having a long career, even if he never develops into a regular starter.
Tahj Brooks (sixth round) will compete for a job in the backfield with veterans Zack Moss and Samaje Perine. Although Brooks is not as big as Perine, he has a similar skill set as a physical runner who can also contribute as a pass catcher.
As a whole, this draft class is likely to play a critical role in Cincinnati’s season, but that has more to do with the team’s desperate need for immediate help rather than the talent the Bengals accumulated. Most of these selections were dictated by need, which is not a good long-term team-building strategy, but that’s the position the Bengals put themselves by failing to adequately address their needs in free agency.
This analysis continues in the 2025 Football Preview
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