Mel Kiper had opposite views of how the Ohio teams did in the 2025 NFL Draft.
After the NFL Draft, we always get the grades from the experts, and we now have Mel Kiper Jr.’s grade for the Cincinnati Bengals
Kiper not only gives the Bengals one of the lowest grades in the class, he gives the Cleveland Browns the highest at an A+. That high grade could be due to Kiper’s top quarterback prospect in Shedeur Sanders dropping all the way to Cleveland’s fifth-round selection.
Here is what Kiper had to say about the Bengals:
Cincinnati Bengals: C
Top needs entering the draft: Edge rusher, linebacker, safety and guard
If there was ever a year for the Bengals to go against some long-standing trends, this was it. First, they extended Ja’Marr Chase and re-signed Tee Higgins, including guarantees beyond the first years of the respective deals — something the Bengals have not done in the past outside of the Joe Burrow deal two offseasons ago. But if that’s what it takes to retain two of the league’s best receivers, you do it. The offense — which scored 26.4 points per game last season — will be strong again.
Kiper then focuses on the Bengals’ lack of investment in first-rounders on the defensive line over the last 15 years but doesn’t sound sold on the player they took.
Second, the Bengals drafted a front-seven player in the first round. They had done so just once in the past 15 years, taking Myles Murphy late on Day 1 in 2023. No other team has taken fewer than three defensive linemen or linebackers in Round 1 over that time. I’m not sure Cincinnati had a choice. The defense likely cost it a playoff spot last season (25.5 points allowed per game). Burrow and the Bengals lost four times while scoring 33-plus points. Trey Hendrickson — who had 17.5 of the team’s 36 sacks — requested a trade, and his future is still in question. But Hendrickson or no Hendrickson, the Bengals had to land an effective pass rusher. And they had to do it early with only six picks.
Shemar Stewart has all the explosiveness and power you’d want in an edge rusher. He rockets into the backfield. But the 4.5 career sacks mean this is still a projection. Can he put it all together in the pros? The ceiling is very high, and he will be given every opportunity to reach it. The Bengals don’t have much opposite Hendrickson. I ranked Stewart 27th overall.
As for Days 2 and 3 of the draft, Kiper doesn’t hate the prospects the Bengals selected but doesn’t necessarily agree with the value of each selection.
Cincinnati also went need hunting on Day 2. Demetrius Knight Jr. gives the Bengals an off-ball linebacker, which provides cover in case Germaine Pratt isn’t in town for the long haul; he also requested a trade. Dylan Fairchild gives the Bengals a reliable guard, where the pass protection really struggled last season. Neither player came at value, though. Knight was ranked 82nd on my board and went 49th. Ratledge was ranked 110th and went 81st. On Day 3, my favorite Bengals pick was running back Tahj Brooks. He is coming off back-to-back 1,500-yard seasons on the ground and provides depth behind Chase Brown and Zack Moss.
It was sort of a ho-hum draft for the Bengals overall, which is why I gave them a “C” grade.
Grades are fun to read after the fact, but the reality of the situation is that we won’t know how these selections should be determined for a year, if not more.
If you remember, Kiper ripped the Seattle Seahawks for their 2012 picks of Bruce Irvin, Bobby Wagner, and Russel Wilson. That trio of picks led Seattle to a Super Bowl within one play of another.
We can project all we want, but the play on the field will determine how this draft should truly grade for Cincinnati.
