The Cincinnati Bengals were gifted an early bye this season, with the team taking a break in Week 6 of the year. Cincinnati comes into the bye week with a 3-2 record and mixed results outside of the score sheet. While there have been a few bright spots, there's still some clear issues plague the team moving forward.

Since the Bengals don't have a game to look forward to this week, let's instead look towards their future plans. The 2027 NFL draft is still nearly a year away, but it's never too early to plan for this draft. Let's use PFF's mock draft simulator to predict what the Bengals do with their draft picks.

Round 1, Pick 15 – OT Jordan Seaton, LSU

The Bengals' offensive line has been much better over the last few years, but they've hit a bit of a speed bump to start this season. After a stellar end to the 2025 season, it feels like almost every piece of the offensive line is experiencing some struggles. While the offensive line hasn't been as abysmal as it's been in previous seasons, it's still worth addressing.

Chief among the Bengals' offensive line issues is Orlando Brown Jr's slow decline. Once hailed as one of the best offensive tackles in the league, OBJ's age is starting to catch up to him. He's already allowed three sacks and 12 pressures through the first five weeks – a stark contrast to RT Amarius Mims' brilliance.

There have been talks about moving Mims to left tackle as early as this season. However, it's not necessarily an easy transition for tackles. The Bengals, with pick 15, are in a good position to draft their LT of the future in Jordan Seaton. Standing at 6'5 and weighing 311 pounds, he's an absolute unit who should be able to lock down Joe Burrow's blind side.

Round 2, Pick 50 – RB Isaac Brown, Louisville

Is it too early to sell Chase Brown stocks? Perhaps, but his early-season tape is not exactly encouraging. The Bengals tried to go more under center to start the year in hopes that it would unlock Brown's explosiveness. There have been plenty of issues with the under-center play outside of Brown, but his inability to generate broken tackles has been a problem (just three broken tackles through five games).

The Bengals might need a running back who can generate something out of nothing. Isaac Brown is a tad bit undersized, but his ability to break off huge runs with his explosiveness will be valuable to a Cincinnati team in desperate need of juice in their ground game.

Round 3, Pick 81 – S Isaac Smith, Mississippi State

Jordan Battle is an enigma that continues to frustrate Bengals fans. On one hand, the safety has come up with big plays, including a two-interception game against the Miami Dolphins before their bye week. On the other hand, Battle's inability to tackle continues to harm the much-improved defense.

Smith would be a good pickup for the Bengals if his stock continues to rise. He's recorded three missed tackles on 19 total tackles, but his previous seasons indicate that he's a much better tackler (just four tackles last season in ten games played).

Round 3, Pick 97 – LB Sammy Brown, Clemson

The Bengals' primary linebackers this season have been better than last year… but that's also a pretty low bar to clear. Both Demetrius Knight Jr and Barrett Carter have vastly improved over the course of the season, but both players still have their weaknesses. It would be nice if they could combine Knight's prowess against the run and Carter's excellent coverage, but alas, that isn't possible.

Sammy Brown is a potentially good candidate for the Bengals in the fourth round. He's been pretty good against both the pass and the run this season, according to PFF. Brown's 25% missed tackle rate might alarm fans given Knight, Carter, and Battle's struggles, but this seems to be an early-season aberration (6% missed tackle rate last season in 13 games played) more than an indictment of his game.

Round 4, Pick 114 – C Coen Echols, Texas A&M

Ted Karras has been a rock at center for the Bengals, but he's also already 33 years old with a lot of wear and tear on his body. Investing in a big bodied center like Echols to develop would do wonders for Cincinnati's future.

Round 5, Pick 153 – IOL Sullivan Ashber, Notre Dame

Article Continues Below

Bengals left guard Dylan Fairchild this season has so far not quite played up to par, earning a 56.5 PFF grade through five weeks. Drafting another guard who plays on the left side of the ball is a good insurance policy for Cincinnati and might encourage Fairchild to play harder.

Round 6, Pick 196 – CB Romanas Frederique Jr., Miami

Frederique Jr. suffered a dislocated shoulder just two plays into his season debut, knocking him out indefinitely. Still, a strong 2024 season should be an encouraging sign for the Bengals to try to pick up the corner and see if he can develop into a contributor for the team.

Round 7, Pick 223 – RB Jahiem White, North Texas

Doubling down on taking a shot at a running back, White has been pretty good for North Texas this season. He's up to 687 yards through 5 games and nine touchdowns, while also catching 23 of his 27 targets for 192 yards.

Round 7, Pick 255 – EDGE Suntarine Perkins, Ole Miss

The Mr. Almost Irrelevant Pick of the 2027 draft in this scenario goes to the Bengals. Cincinnati has stocked up on edge rushers over the last few years, and it's never a bad idea to add more depth at that position. Perkins, who has two sacks this year, might have potential as a run stopper for the team.