The Cincinnati Bengals would be in a great spot if they could land this former Ohio State Buckeyes star in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
The Cincinnati Bengals came into the offseason with a few massive holes on their defense, but they dove into free agency and made a trio of additions. They added Bryan Cook at safety, Boye Mafe at defensive end and Jonathan Allen at defensive tackle.
Those three veterans are expected to negate the losses of players like Trey Hendrickson and Joseph Ossai. Despite the additions, the Bengals still have holes on defense, notably at linebacker. Their linebacker room is one of the worst in all of football. Cincinnati will need to address this issue in the 2026 NFL Draft, unless it makes a move for a linebacker in free agency or on the trade block.that included an ideal outcome for the Bengals. He has Cincinnati taking Ohio State Buckeyes star linebacker Sonny Styles in the first round.Dec 31, 2025; Arlington, TX, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Sonny Styles gets into position during the 2025 Cotton Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images "Arguably the star of this year’s combine given the freakish traits he put on display, the 6-foot-5, 244-pound converted safety is too good to pass up for a defense in transition − and might only fall this far given teams like the Giants, Commanders and Saints invested in off-ball linebacker during free agency,". "But the Bengals can clearly use some help there, and it wouldn't hurt to have an athletic, cerebral leader like Styles − he's also a native Ohioan − take the reins."First of all, Styles would fill the hole in the Bengals lineup that desperately needs filled. He would instantly be the best linebacker on the roster. Styles is an Ohio kid who was born and raised in central Ohio before attending Ohio State, where he developed into a star and a leader. Styles wore the green dot for the Buckeyes, which indicates the player with the ability to talk to the coaching staff on the sideline. This role sees him as the biggest leader on a defense that featured talent like Caleb Downs, Arvell Reese, and many others. Adding him to the Bengals defense is exactly what they need. There's a chance he's off the board in the top nine picks, but if he's available, the Bengals should run to the podium. For more on the Bengals, watch the video below & make sure you subscribe to our YouTube Channel. Also check us out on your favorite audio platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio and Amazon.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 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 . Now, Pressnell specializes in NFL and MLB coverage for Sports Illustrated’s “On SI” network among others.Flag Football Doesn’t Need the NFL’s Help—At Least Not on the Field
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