12 minutes ago, Voice of Reason said:

I was reading up some on Lew and he says he will be ready for training camp. His knee injury happened last October. If healthy and he plays to his round 2 rating, that is a very good value for the Bengals in round 4 

I saw he was ahead of schedule with his rehab.  

18 minutes ago, Voice of Reason said:

I see Parker as a multi position backup to start out. Where he might eventually get a chance to start, only time and fate will tell.

I agree and I feel better about the pick.  The broadcast I was watching called him a Center and once we had two Centers I figured at least one of them had to play another position on the OL and it sounds like Parker may be able to play all five positions. 

CBS snap grade for 2026 draft:

 

CBS also gave Ravens a B+, Cleveland an A, and the Steelers a B+. 

5 hours ago, FatNate said:

I don’t trust the Bengals board.  Most of the rating I saw scored the LBs higher.  Also, most sites like the Howell pick.  I am just sharing my opinion and I may be in the minority. 

Howell was projected by a decent amount of mocks to be a first round pick. While Sonny Styles was projected to be the only first round linebacker. At least for me the majority of people had Howell higher than the LBs available. Just most assumed including me that the Bengals would go LB, since they had a history of drafting needs over BPA. 

3 hours ago, theguru said:

The Bengals are calling Parker an OT.

I think that is more the Bengals social media team just listing the position he played in college. As he played tackle basically every snap in college. When the picked was announced though, it was announced as him as a center. Which is many projected him to be an interior lineman even though he never played it in college. 
 

My guess is he will be the starting RG in a year or two, and the other center will be the next starting center for Karras in a year or two. 

Bengals drafted rated as having the 4th best value. 
 

 

23 minutes ago, futurecoach said:

Howell was projected by a decent amount of mocks to be a first round pick. While Sonny Styles was projected to be the only first round linebacker. At least for me the majority of people had Howell higher than the LBs available. Just most assumed including me that the Bengals would go LB, since they had a history of drafting needs over BPA. 

Both Yates and Kiper had Rodriguez ahead of Howell.  At the very least I consider them as a dead heat and my tiebreaker would have been position of greatest need — LB. 

14 hours ago, FatNate said:

CBS snap grade for 2026 draft:

 

Here are my thoughts:

Howell - Very nice get. A high value position. A position of need for the Bengals. A highly productive college player. Many had him targeted for late round 1. The Bengals got some luck that he fell to them. I agree A+ on this one.

Davis - I think B- is generous. From a draft value point of view, this is the Bengals second worst pick. Not a big reach to choose him here but there were better options, even at CB. But I see why the Bengals picked him. He is a Shermar Stewart, John Ross style Bengals pick. A unique player in some ways at 6' 4" playing CB with the speed to play CB in the NFL. I think the Bengals have a specific role in mind for him, matching up with TE's perhaps. We'll see how it plays out and if he can be productive. I don't see him as a multi year starting CB in the NFL.

Lew - Another nice get by the Bengals. I didn't like it at first look because of him rehabing an ACL from last October injury. But he is rated the #1 center in the draft by many. Then Bengals don't need him this year and he provides needed OL depth. I agree with the A grade.

Young - The Bengals got stuck here. I think they wanted to draft a WR and this is what was left. A bit of a reach in round 4 for another player with trouble in his background. Not sure where he can fit. Good size so middle of the field guy, almost like a TE? I grade this a D. They didn't have to take a WR here. TE Joe Royer was still available and would have been a nice value pick here. Maybe a RB or LB. Even another OL as G Billy Schrauth would have been a good pick here. Young is my least favorite pick and the one pick that I see as ultimately a wasted pick.

Parker - Very good add. The Bengals need OL depth and Parker is a multi position player who can fill in anywhere on the line. I like this pick. Good value. A- right on target for this pick.

Endries - Good value pick. TE is becoming a more valued position in the NFL and this is a good add.

Johnson - Undersized, high motor player. Pretty cool that a Navy player was the Pat Tillman 226 pick. Good job all the way around on this pick. 

Add in getting a proven All Pro Dexter Lawrence via trade using the #10 pick, and this looks like a very good draft overall for the Bengals.  

3 hours ago, Voice of Reason said:

Here are my thoughts:

Howell - Very nice get. A high value position. A position of need for the Bengals. A highly productive college player. Many had him targeted for late round 1. The Bengals got some luck that he fell to them. I agree A+ on this one.

Davis - I think B- is generous. From a draft value point of view, this is the Bengals second worst pick. Not a big reach to choose him here but there were better options, even at CB. But I see why the Bengals picked him. He is a Shermar Stewart, John Ross style Bengals pick. A unique player in some ways at 6' 4" playing CB with the speed to play CB in the NFL. I think the Bengals have a specific role in mind for him, matching up with TE's perhaps. We'll see how it plays out and if he can be productive. I don't see him as a multi year starting CB in the NFL.

Lew - Another nice get by the Bengals. I didn't like it at first look because of him rehabing an ACL from last October injury. But he is rated the #1 center in the draft by many. Then Bengals don't need him this year and he provides needed OL depth. I agree with the A grade.

Young - The Bengals got stuck here. I think they wanted to draft a WR and this is what was left. A bit of a reach in round 4 for another player with trouble in his background. Not sure where he can fit. Good size so middle of the field guy, almost like a TE? I grade this a D. They didn't have to take a WR here. TE Joe Royer was still available and would have been a nice value pick here. Maybe a RB or LB. Even another OL as G Billy Schrauth would have been a good pick here. Young is my least favorite pick and the one pick that I see as ultimately a wasted pick.

Parker - Very good add. The Bengals need OL depth and Parker is a multi position player who can fill in anywhere on the line. I like this pick. Good value. A- right on target for this pick.

Endries - Good value pick. TE is becoming a more valued position in the NFL and this is a good add.

Johnson - Undersized, high motor player. Pretty cool that a Navy player was the Pat Tillman 226 pick. Good job all the way around on this pick. 

Add in getting a proven All Pro Dexter Lawrence via trade using the #10 pick, and this looks like a very good draft overall for the Bengals.  

Good analysis of their picks. I’m probably a little higher on Davis. He is someone people projected to go higher if it wasn’t for injuries limiting him to 7 games last year. He is tall and athletic, and also had a breakout at an early age. To me he reminds me a little of a Richard Sherman with his build and his play. 
 

The Young pick is interesting. He wasn’t someone I knew much about. Reading about him, and seeing his highlights and measurables. I do think he is someone that could add another element to this team, and possibly a Chris Henry type impact when he joined Chad Johnson and TJ. Young with his size and speed, could be used as another deep threat on the outside, and allow Chase to be used even more in the slot. 
 

I do agree overall those two are probably the biggest question mark picks. Not because of the player themselves, but possibly could have gotten them a round later.

 

4 hours ago, futurecoach said:

Good analysis of their picks. I’m probably a little higher on Davis. He is someone people projected to go higher if it wasn’t for injuries limiting him to 7 games last year. He is tall and athletic, and also had a breakout at an early age. To me he reminds me a little of a Richard Sherman with his build and his play. 
 

The Young pick is interesting. He wasn’t someone I knew much about. Reading about him, and seeing his highlights and measurables. I do think he is someone that could add another element to this team, and possibly a Chris Henry type impact when he joined Chad Johnson and TJ. Young with his size and speed, could be used as another deep threat on the outside, and allow Chase to be used even more in the slot. 
 

I do agree overall those two are probably the biggest question mark picks. Not because of the player themselves, but possibly could have gotten them a round later.

 

You see Young as an outside deep threat? 

I think the Bengals go and get a veteran LB. 

Bobby Wagner?