After having a fairly busy couple months to start the offseason, the Cincinnati Bengals entered the 2025 NFL draft with six selections (all their own) and decided against making any trades throughout the three-day event.
Cincinnati's 2025 draft class, consisting of Texas A&M defensive end Shemar Stewart, South Carolina linebacker Demetrius Knight, Georgia guard Dylan Fairchild, Clemson linebacker Barrett Carter, Miami guard Jalen Rivers and Texas Tech running back Tahj Brooks, has a lot of potential.
However, the early reviews of the group haven't been kind. In fact, NFL analyst Rene Bugner recently compiled draft grades from 24 different outlets to give each team a cumulative GPA. The Bengals finished dead last with a 2.06 GPA.
Of all 24 grades, they received just five grades that ranged from B- to B. 16 outlets gave them between a C- and C+. And, three evaluators put them somewhere between D- or D+.
The selection of Stewart in the first round was always going to be controversial no matter where he ended up going because of his lack of production in college.
In three seasons with the Aggies, Stewart appeared in 37 games but recorded just 65 tackles (12 for a loss), 4.5 sacks, four passes defensed, two fumbles recovered and a forced fumble.
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Many also projected Knight and Fairchild to be selected later than Cincinnati ended up taking them, which would likely impact these grades as well.
However, the Bengals addressed some of their most pressing needs in the 2025 NFL draft. They needed pass-rush help with Sam Hubbard retired and Trey Hendrickson possibly out the door. They needed an off-ball linebacker with Germaine Pratt requesting a trade. Their interior offensive line has desperately needed some attention and taking a Day 3 flyer on a running back is always a good idea.
The positions they attacked may have been the right ones, but it's clear that many analysts think they should've taken other players with their picks in each of the first six rounds (their seventh-round selection was traded to the Chicago Bears last year for running back Khalil Herbert).
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