Bengals Meet With Trio of Talented Defensive Prospects Ahead of 2026 NFL Draft – Sports Illustrated

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The Cincinnati Bengals need to find multiple impact players in the 2026 NFL Draft. Notably, they need to find impact players on defense. The Bengals hold the No. 10 pick in the NFL draft, which will likely be used on a defensive player unless Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love falls to them.
Either way, the Bengals should be targeting some of the top defensive players in the draft. They need to land the best player available in Round 1 and Round 2, preferably on defense, so it's understandable that they're meeting with a lot of the top prospects this month.
Earlier on Friday, NFL insider Tom Pelissero reported that the Bengals met with Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez. After that, Pelissero reported that the Bengals also met with Ohio State's Sonny Styles and Lorenzo Styles Jr., as well as Miami edge rusher Akheem Mesidor.
"A big day of visits with defensive players for the Bengals, who also hosted Ohio State LB Sonny Styles and CB Lorenzo Styles Jr. and Miami edge Akheem Mesidor," Pelissero wrote in a post to X on Friday.
Sonny is projected to go within the top 10 picks. The Bengals could certainly select the Ohio State linebacker if he's on the board at pick No. 10.
The biggest need on the Bengals defense is at linebacker, which makes this an even better fit. Add in the fact that Styles was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio and the fit is perfect.
They could also target Styles Jr. late in the draft as well as Mesidor in the second round.
Styles Jr. is one of the fastest players in the draft class and might go undrafted. The Bengals could take a flyer on him in the seventh round or in undrafted free agency as a depth nickel option, as well as a return specialist.
Mesidor is projected at the top of the second round, if not sneaking into the first. The Bengals could look to trade up for him if they love him. If not, he's almost certainly an option at pick No. 41 for the Bengals. If Cincinnati doesn't land an edge rusher in the first round, expect the front office to target Mesidor in the second round.
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Zach Pressnell has experience covering all major US sports at both the professional and collegiate levels. He’s produced content for FanSided, Blog Red Machine, The Game Haus, Bethany College Athletics and the Bethany College online newspaper, He graduated from Bethany College (WV) with a degree in Communications and Media Arts, specializing in Sports Journalism. Pressnell was also a four-year member of the baseball team where he earned himself All-PAC recognition as a pitcher (and a cool Tommy John surgery scar). Now, Pressnell specializes in NFL and MLB coverage for Sports Illustrated’s “On SI” network among others.
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