Free agency only re-arranged the board slightly. A mere two new prospects broke into the top 16 as we mull the Bengals pick at No. 17 in the second Bengals.com Media Mock Draft of 2025 conducted by our panel of boots-on-the-ground beat reporters covering each team.
It certainly did nothing to alter the Bengals' approach after they hit many of their goals in free agency:
\_Reach historic long-term deals with wide receivers Ja'Marr Chasse and Tee Higgins.
\_Re-sign a pair of veterans coming off productive seasons on both sides of the ball in tight end Mike Gesicki and defensive tackle B.J. Hill.
\_Find proven pass protectors at running back (the Chiefs' Samaje Perine knows the Bengals offense cold) and guard (Lucas Patrick has allowed no sacks in his last 893 pass blocks per Pro Football Focus), as well as a reliable run stopper (Green Bay's T.J. Slaton) had a league-best percentage on some charts).
\_Retain a pair of young edge rushers the new coaches wanted to get a crack at in Joseph Ossai and Cam Sample.
The reunions with Hill, Ossai, Sample, and the unresolved status of All-Pro sacker Trey Hendrickson don't change the league's draft board. As it was before last month's NFL scouting combine, it's deep in the defensive line where it is stacked at both tackle and edge.
**1.TITANS: QB Cam Ward, Miami; Paul Kuharsky, Paul Kuharsky.com**
A lot of uncertainty here for old friend Brian Callahan. There's still a sense they could trade it. They also know Callahan did pretty well with the last overall No. 1 QB he coached.
**2.BROWNS: WR Travis Hunter, Colorado; Tony Grossi, ESPN Cleveland**
If they can't get a quarterback, he's the next best thing for a club desperately looking for some kind of dynamism on offense. They could trade out of here, too. Heck, this draft could start with three straight trades.
**3.GIANTS: QB Shedeur Sanders, Colorado; Tom Rock, Newsday**
Brian Daboll finally gets the promising young quarterback he wanted to groom since he arrived in New York.
**4.PATRIOTS: EDGE Abdul Carter, Penn State; Karen Guregian, MassLive**
New head coach and Patriotic icon Mike Vrabel is hell-bent on fixing the defense. Yes, Will Campbell is there, but they can get a tackle later.
**5.JAGUARS: DT Mason Graham, Michigan; Michael DiRocco, ESPN**
The Jags had one of the worst defenses last season. Graham isn't getting out of the top five.
**6.RAIDERS: RB Ashton Jeanty, Boise State; Vincent Bonsignore, _Las Vegas Review-Journal_**
Vegas may still be figuring out a quarterback, but for the second straight year they get one of the most dynamic offensive players in the draft to team with tight end Brock Bowers.
**7.JETS: T Armand Membou, Missouri; Rich Cimini, ESPN**
The Jets have a raft of offensive needs. A little high here, maybe for the tight end, but not for the right tackle.
**8.PANTHERS: EDGE Mykel Williams, Georgia; Joe Person, The Athletic**
Last time out, Person took the other Georgia edge in Jalon Waker. Now he goes the other side: "Williams' potential outweighed his production in college. But he's one of the youngest players in the draft and the panthers need to start grooming Jadeveon Clowney's successor."
**9.SAINTS: T Will Campbell, LSU; Jeff Duncan, _The Times-Picayune_/NOLA.com**
The Saints make the local fans happy and plug a former LSU All-American tackle into starting left guard.
**10.BEARS: EDGE Jalon Walker, Georgia; Brad Biggs, _The Chicago Tribune_**
Rookie quarterback Caleb Williams needs help, but the Bears can't resist the best player on the board.
**11.49ERS: TE Tyler Warren, Penn State; Matt Maiocco, NBC Sports Bay Area**
Second straight Media Mock the Niners go for Warren. He's a different tight end than George Kittle. But that's just it. Warren is so unique he fits into their diverse looks.
**12.COWBOYS: WR Matthew Golden, Texas; Todd Archer, ESPN**
If you knew that Jalen Tobert, KaVontae Turpin, and Brandin Cooks combined for five more catches than CeeDee Lamb's 101, you know why Lamb needs help.
**13.DOLPHINS: CB Will Johnson, Michigan; Chris Perkins, _South Florida Sun-Sentinel_**
There's a shot of the Dolphins draft cam with all the suits slapping each other on the back as the best cornerback in the draft slides to them so they can fit him in nicely opposite the vet Jalen Ramsey.
**14.COLTS: TE Colston Loveland, Michigan; Mike Chappell, Fox59**
Old friend Lou Anarumo got his safety for 30 million guaranteed (Camryn Bynum) and cornerback for 35 million guaranteed (Charvarius Ward) in free agency. Big numbers for a pair with a combined one Pro Bowl in 167 combined games. The Colts had their least productive season from tight ends since Marshall Faulk was a rookie in 1994.
**15.FALCONS: EDGE Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M; D. Orlando Ledbetter, _Atlanta Journal-Constitution_**
In the last 45 years, they've had three individual seasons of at least 15 sacks, the last in 2016.
**16.CARDINALS: T Kelvin Banks Jr., Texas A&M; Darren Urban, azcardinals.com**
Hard to see them going defensive line after they went big on the edge in free agency with Dalvin Tomlinson and Josh Sweat. Old friend Jonah Williams at right tackle missed 11 games with injury and has one year left on his deal as the Cards look to book-end Cincinnati's own (Princeton and St. Xavier) Paris Johnson.
**17.BENGALS: S Nick Emmanwori, South Carolina; Geoff Hobson, Bengals.com**