It's no guarantee that the Cincinnati Bengals will take a defensive player No. 10 overall in the 2026 NFL Draft, but they'd be smart to do so. They finished 30th in scoring defense this past season after being below-average in that category both in 2023 and 2024, and it's no coincidence that they missed the playoffs in all three campaigns.

FOX Sports' Henry McKenna had the Bengals taking LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane in his latest mock draft.

"The Bengals get a consistent, high-end playmaker on a defense largely devoid of just that," he wrote.

Delane was a unanimous All-American in 2025 and led the Tigers with 11 passes defensed. The Maryland native spent his first three years at Virginia Tech before transferring to LSU for his senior season.

Delane has the versatility to thrive in different coverage schemes, which would be useful to Cincinnati given that it finished 26th in passing defense in 2025. NFL.com's Lance Zierlein described his skill set in a scouting report.

"[Mansoor] excels in press coverage, altering release timing with punches and slides," he said. "Smooth hips and efficient footwork keep him connected in man coverage, while his processing allows for quick transitions in off-man and short zone looks."

The site gave Mansoor a 6.8 prospect grade, qualifying as a "day one starter." The Bengals currently have veterans Dax Hill and DJ Turner II as their top outside cornerbacks with 2022 second-round pick Cam Taylor-Britt set to hit free agency.

Hill's 78.9 Pro Football Focus grade from Weeks 11-18 ranked 16th among cornerbacks last season, and Turner tied for third in the NFL with 18 passes defensed. Drafting Mansoor could complicate the veterans' futures, as they're both scheduled to hit free agency after next year. But having depth in the secondary would hardly be a tragedy for a Cincinnati team that's been dragged down by its defense the last three seasons.

One could argue that getting a pass-rusher is a more desperate need for the Bengals, as star defensive end Trey Hendrickson is hitting free agency and they were tied for 22nd with 2.1 sacks per game in 2025. However, they shouldn't reach for a certain position at No. 10 if the board doesn't favor it when they're on the clock.

Top edge rushers like Rueben Bain Jr. out of Miami and David Bailey out of Texas Tech could be gone by the time Cincinnati picks, but someone like Mississippi State's Keldrick Faulk may be available. It depends on the front office's player evaluations and rankings, but the key is to stay true to its board regardless of team needs.