Kris Jenkins and McKinnley Jackson showed progress at the end of their rookie season, but the Bengals still have holes to fill through free agency and the draft on the defensive line. Sam Hubbard took steps back with injuries and production in 2024, and outside of Trey Hendrickson, the pass rush was almost non-existent most of the season. In the interior, Sheldon Rankins was a bust last year and was a cost-saving cut on Friday, while B.J. Hill heads into free agency.
Fortunately, this year’s draft class is heavy on defensive line talent. The official invite list for the upcoming Combine was released last week, and 22 percent of those expected to be in attendance are defensive linemen. It features over 40 defensive tackles — 16 more than last year, according to The Athletic’s Dane Brugler.
Here are some of the defensive linemen, and others on defense, that the Bengals could be keeping a close eye on at the Combine:
1. Walter Nolen, Ole Miss DT
Nolen seems to be the favorite to land with the Bengals at No. 17 in most recent mock drafts because of the turnover expected at the starting spots on the interior defensive line.
Cincinnati needs to address weaknesses in the run defense, and that begins up the spine. Nolen is athletic, disruptive and can plug gaps with long arms and power at the point of attack.
Even Bengals.com writer Geoff Hobson took Nolen in his first media mock draft, in which he contacted beat writers of the 16 teams picking ahead of Cincinnati and then made his pick at No. 17 based on who was left and the team’s needs.
The pick would be unconventional, as Hobson notes. Myles Murphy, the team’s first-round pick in 2023, was the first defensive lineman the Bengals had taken in the first round since Justin Smith in 2001, and Nolen would be the first defensive tackle they selected in the first round since Dan Wilkinson went No. 1 overall 31 years ago.
2. James Pearce Jr., Tennessee EDGE
Pearce was linked to the Bengals in several mock drafts earlier this offseason, as a player that possesses all the traits NFL teams look for on the edge, but didn’t make it into the first round in Daniel Jeremiah’s latest NFL.com projection.
Most consider him a first-round talent, but the Combine is a good place to have some of the question marks surrounding him cleared as teams also have chances to sit down with 60 prospects for 15-minute interviews.
Pearce recorded 7.5 sacks for the Vols in 2024 and is an explosive pass rusher that could pair well with Hendrickson.
3. Jahdae Barron, Texas CB
Jeremiah surprised with his pick for the Bengals at No. 17 in his most recent mock draft, noting that “Barron is too good to pass up” and that there still will be talented defensive tackles available in the second round.
Cincinnati will be rebuilding its defense and needs help at all levels, but if the Bengals want to add a cornerback, the drop-off could be significant after the first round. Barron would be a solid option, ranked as the third best cornerback on the NFL Mock Draft Database Consensus Big Board and 26th overall.
Barron led the SEC and ranked third in the FBS with five interceptions, he’s experienced after a five-year college career with 56 games played and 38 starts and he was the winner of the 2024 Jim Thorpe Award, 2025 Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl Defensive MVP and an All-America First-Team pick by the Associated Press.
4. Mykel Williams, Georgia EDGE
Brugler was among those projecting the Bengals to take Williams in his two-round mock draft last month, and the Georgia edge rusher could be a good fit for what Cincinnati needs.
Williams is a big-bodied edge rusher with long arms that give him an advantage over opposing offensive tackles. He’s quick off the line of scrimmage, has a high motor that makes him relentless in the pass rush and he’s got finishing power.
The Bengals took a flier on a high-upside offensive lineman from Georgia in last year’s draft, and this would be a similar type of pick on the other side of the ball. As Brugler pointed out, “Williams looked like a future top-10 pick as a freshman, but he didn’t quite reach dominant status over his three seasons in Athens. The talent, however, is there for him to grow into a game-wrecker off the edge.”
5. Malaki Starks, Georgia S
The Bengals could get a look at another Georgia defensive standout while at the Combine, in the case Starks is available at No. 17.
Starks can play across the secondary, and his athleticism, football IQ and makeup will make him an easy sell in NFL war rooms. He’s a coverage ball-hawk with above-average abilities as a run fitter and could be a good fit in a transforming defense under new coordinator Al Golden.
Cincinnati hasn’t gotten enough from its free safeties the past two years, and if a player like Starks is available, he would be worth consideration.
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