We mock some players for the Bengals to pair with their first round pick in this day 2 mock draft
With their first pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Cincinnati Bengals shot for the moon with a high-risk, high-reward player in Shemar Stewart.
While the production in college was not as good as you would hope for, he truly is one of one as an athlete. If the Bengals under Al Golden can unlock his potential, then the sky is the limit for their first round pick.
With their Day 2 selections, after taking such a high-potential player, it could make sense for the Bengals to swing for some singles or doubles. Maybe this is a new philosophy for the team, and we will see some more home run attempts. With that said, let’s try to mock how Day 2 could look for the Bengals.
Round 2, Pick 17: Aireontae Ersery OT, Minnesota
With the first pick the Bengals addressed the defensive line and with this second pick, I am flipping it the other way and addressing the offensive line. Ersery is a huge player at 6’6” 330 pounds, which has been a common trait for the Bengals offensive line in recent years. As a college left tackle, it is possible that Ersery could swing inside early in his career, with the potential to move back to offensive tackle and succeed Orlando Brown Jr. if his contract is not renewed after the 2026 season.
Round 3, Pick 17: Omarr Norman-Lott DT, Tennessee
With the third-round pick, the Bengals double dip on the defensive line, but this time, they target their biggest need there, which is a pass-rushing defensive tackle. In college, Norman-Lott played in a heavy rotation but was extremely productive despite it, with an absurd 27 pressures on 139 pass rush snaps. While he did not test as well as expected, and there are some reported concerns about his medicals, taking that risk in the third round makes perfect sense for the Bengals. The team needs someone to come in on obvious passing situations and provide some pressure up the middle. He would be able to continue playing a reduced amount of snaps with the Bengals, and hopefully still be very productive.
There are a lot of options for the Bengals’ second-round picks. They could still go safety, with Xavier Watts or Kevin Winston at 49, possibly attack tight end at 81 if Elijah Arroyo or Harold Fannin intrigues them, or they could flip the order of OL and DT from what I did with this mock and take someone like TJ Sanders at 49 and Wyatt Milum at 81. Who do you want the Bengals to draft on Day 2?
