As the NFL Combine continues, the Cincinnati Bengals coaches and scouts are busily building a road map that will hopefully take them back to the conference championship game after three consecutive seasons of watching the playoffs from the couch.
On Thursday, they met with LSU defensive back Mansoor Delane, per TWSN, who many believe is the best cornerback in this year’s draft class.
The Bengals will likely go defense in the first round, but most mock drafts have them taking someone other than a corner, whether it be a defensive tackle, edge rusher, linebacker, or safety. However, knowing the Bengals, who love themselves a first-round corner, Delane has to be high on their list.
The secondary has struggled over the last two seasons. The defensive front’s inability to rush the passer—outside Trey—hasn’t helped, but neither have injuries or the stunning regression from Cam Taylor-Britt. CTB is headed for free agency, and if the Bengals don’t re-sign or replace him in free agency, taking a corner in the first round is very on brand.
Delane is 11th on PFF’s Big Board and earned a coverage grade of 90.7 in 2025, picking off two passes and breaking up another seven. One AFC scout believes he could develop into a top-10 corner in the league quickly, and if the Bengals can’t fix the pass rush in a meaningful way, having the best corner in the draft could help.
How would you feel if the Bengals grabbed Delane with the No. 10 overall pick in April? He’d be the latest LSU Tiger to join Joe Burrow and Co. in the Queen City.
Sound off!
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