CINCINNATI – The 2025 Cincinnati Bengals draft class is one of the smallest in franchise history, but the team is expecting each of the six players selected to make an impact as rookies.
Whether they can challenge the team record for most rookie draft picks in the Week 1 starting lineup remains to be seen, but the expectation is that at least two of the new additions will be starters.
There were a couple of obvious themes with this year’s class, most notably the return to the roots of the Zac Taylor era with an emphasis on character and leadership.
But some of the more notable elements of this year’s draft class have to do with the rest of the roster.
Here are some of the biggest takeaways:
Set on Stone
Drafting a safety in the first round to compete with Geno Stone, who struggled in his first season in Cincinnati, seemed like a viable path, and it was one we set in mock draft that involved a first-round trade back.
But not only did the Bengals not take a safety in the first round, they didn’t pick one at all.
That’s a clear sign that the organization – and new defensive coordinator Al Golden in particular – believes in Stone and the progress he showed down the stretch.
The Bengals have more than enough cap space to sign one of the free agent safeties still available, one of which is four-time Pro Bowler Justin Simmons.
But Simmons had the same struggles with tackline that Stone did in 2024.
Julian Blackmon also is available, but the Bengals appear poised to ride with Stone.
Where are the 3 techs?
Had Walter Nolen not gone to the Cardinals one pick before the Bengals in the first round, he likely would have been the team’s pick, which would have been significant because the organization hasn’t drafted a defensive tackle in the first round since 2025.
But after missing out on a chance to draft Nolen, the Bengals punted on the position entirely, leaving just B.J. Hill, T.J. Slaton, Kris Jenkins and McKinnley Jackson as the only defensive tackles on the roster.
The takeaway here isn’t just a nod to the versatility Golden and head coach Zac Taylor believe they have in their defensive ends, but strong faith that the Bengals offense will continue to hum and allow the team to play with leads in the second half of games.
Golden mentioned the ability of Cam Sample, Joseph Ossai, Myles Murphy and rookie first-round pick Shemar Stewart to move inside and rush the passer in third-down sub packages.
Ideally they would have added a 3 tech who can do that on first and second down as well. But if they Bengals are able to build leads and force opponents into must-pass situations late in games, you could see some of those edge rushers kicking in and playing three downs inside.
Moving on from Pratt
All signs pointed to the Bengals moving on from linebacker Germaine Pratt, whom they allowed to seek trade offers earlier this offseason.
If selecting linebacker Demetrius Knight Jr. – a player whose NFL comp is actually Pratt – in the second round didn’t officially spell the end of Pratt’s time in Cincinnati, then the select of Barrett Carter in fourth round cemented it.
Doubling down on development
Choosing traits over production in the first round has burned the Bengals in the past, leaving many fans gun shy.
The decision to draft Stewart, who had just 1.5 sacks in 2024 and 4.5 in his three-year career at Texas A&M, is a gamble on both the player and on Golden.
One of the reasons Lou Anarumo is no longer the defensive coordinator was the inability to develop so many of the young defensive players the Bengals used premium picks on the last few years – Dax Hill, DJ Turner II, Cam Taylor-Britt, Myles Murphy.
Stewart has elite potential, and it’s going to be up to Golden and new defensive line coach Jerry Montgomery to help him realize it.
It felt as though the team’s approach would be trying to hit doubles and move the defense from bottom tier to middle of the pack, but the drafting of Stewart was a let-it-rip, home-run swing.
You could also lump third-round guard Dylan Fairchild and new offensive line coach Scott Peters into the equation.
The Bengals are counting on him to win the starting job at left guard.
Pivot point
It was a banner class for running backs, enabling the Bengals to wait until the sixth round to take one in Texas Tech’s Tahj Boyd.
Whereas some philosophies such as going back to the character and leadership targets came full circle, this one moved further away from what the team used to prefer.
Running backs who shared time always were viewed as more attractive for the Bengals due to the lack of wear and tear.
But Chase Brown was a collegiate workhouse who is emerging as a top-tier back who can continue to shoulder a heavy load, so the Bengals went back to that sort of profile in drafting Boyd.
He arrives with 879 career carries in college and back-to-back 1,500-yard seasons.
He’ll start deep on the depth chart behind Brown, Zack Moss and Samaje Perine, but you can expect Boyd to make the 53-man roster. The question will be how high he can climb on the depth chart.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/bengals/ as Takeaways and Ripple Effects From the Cincinnati Bengals' 2025 Draft.