How high can Bengals finish in 2026 NFL draft order?

1 week ago 2

With one week left in the 2025 regular season and the Cincinnati Bengals sitting at 6-10, having been eliminated for a few weeks now, many have already shifted into offseason mode and tracking where the Bengals could be picking in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.

The question is, where exactly will the Bengals be picking and how high can they get after Sunday's game?

Using Tankathon's draft order, the Bengals are currently sitting 10th. They have the highest strength of schedule amongst themselves, the New Orleans Saints and the Kansas City Chiefs. The Miami Dolphins, at 7-9, at 11th. That means a loss for the Bengals against the Cleveland Browns in Week 18 would guarantee a top-10 pick. They would also move up one spot for each loss between the Saints (at Falcons) and Chiefs (at Raiders).

As such, the Bengals can pick as high as No. 8: the Washington Commanders hold the 7th spot at 4-12 and cannot be caught by the Bengals.

On the flip side, a win for the Bengals would all but ensure they would pick no higher than No. 10 and could fall as low as No. 12. They would move down one spot for each loss between the Dolphins (at Patriots) at Falcons (vs. Saints). The Bengals have secured the strength-of-schedule tiebreaker over the Buccaneers, so they cannot drop below them, even if both finish 7-10.

The easiest scenario to root for is for the Bengals to lose and for the Saints and Chiefs to both win, which would give Cincinnati the 8th overall pick. In short, the Bengals can pick anywhere from 8th to 12th.

This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: How high can Bengals finish in 2026 NFL draft order?

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