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Every team is excited about their incoming class of rookies, but how will those new players affect each team in 2026?
Let's look at the Cincinnati Bengals, breaking down the most likely instant-impact rookies from their class while also providing some insight into why certain early picks may not see the field.
Cincinnati Bengals 2026 Draft Class: Which Rookies Will Make an Impact?
After spending their first-round pick on the defensive line by trading for Dexter Lawrence, Cincinnati doubled down by selecting Cashius Howell (second round) with their first pick of the draft. Howell is smaller than the typical Bengals’ edge rusher, but the unit needs to get more explosive, and that is what he brings to the table. Since Howell lacks the length and strength to consistently hold up against the run, expect Cincinnati to use him primarily in subpackages on passing downs. At Texas A&M, Howell lined up wide (seven tech or wider) on every pass-rush snap he played, and we should expect similar usage in Al Golden’s defense.
Tacario Davis (third round) is a gamble because so few 6-foot-3 cornerbacks make it in the league. However, he demonstrated elite ball-hawk skills during his career at Arizona and Washington, generating a career route-adjusted ball-hawk rate 42% above expected. Those ball-hawk traits coupled with an impressive 8% career broken or missed-tackle rate might allow for a transition to safety if he can’t cut it at corner. In the short-term, Davis will see action on special teams but will likely be expected to take on a starting role in 2027 as the Bengals have five cornerbacks scheduled to hit free agency after the upcoming season.
Connor Lew (fourth round) was a potential Day 3 steal for Cincinnati and is likely to be their starting center in 2027 after Ted Karras’ contract expires. There is a good chance Lew would have been a Day 2 selection if not for a season-ending ACL tear in October, which puts the beginning of his 2026 season in doubt. Lew’s draft stock was also hurt by the fact that he only played center in college and might lack versatility, but since Cincinnati had a specific need at center in 2027, this made Lew more valuable to the Bengals than most franchises. While Lew will be expected to win that job, he might get competition from Brian Parker (sixth round). Parker was a dominant right tackle at Duke in 2025 and has prior experience at left tackle, but he is undersized and probably a better fit on the interior offensive line. He also played center in high school and during the East-West Shrine Bowl, which made many teams comfortable with projecting him for that role in the league. Even if he is never a full-time starter, Parker provides incredible value for his five-position versatility.
Colbie Young (fourth round) is a tall downfield weapon who played almost exclusively on the outside at Miami and Georgia. Despite his lack of experience in the slot, Cincinnati will probably try to groom him as a replacement for Andrei Iosivas, who enters the final year of his contract. With Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins signed to expensive long-term deals, Cincinnati needs to fill out the rest of the depth chart with rookie contracts. Based on route-adjusted data, Young had a catch rate 9.4% above expected over the last two years, so Cincinnati may have found a Day 3 steal.
Jack Endries (seventh round) joins a crowded depth chart but has some developmental potential as a move tight end. Texas primarily used Endries as an in-line blocker and possession receiver, but he was a more dynamic weapon when frequently lining up in the slot for Fernando Mendoza at Cal in 2024. At 5-foot-11 and 293 pounds, Landon Robinson (seventh round) is vastly undersized but is worth the low-risk gamble due to his pass-rush production at Navy. When lined up in the three-tech spot, Robinson generated an impressive 14.5% pressure rate 一 a number generally only achieved by edge rushers. He’ll probably never be trusted on early downs, but he might get into the rotation on passing downs.
Duke Tobin and his staff put together a solid draft class. The immediate impact might be underwhelming, but the Bengals got appropriate value with each selection, and their first five picks will have an opportunity to compete for a starting job by 2027 at the latest.
This analysis continues in the 2026 Football Preview
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