As the 2026 NFL Draft draws closer, speculation is heating up around how the league’s top franchises will maneuver to secure the final pieces for a championship run.
The Cincinnati Bengals find themselves in an enviable, yet highly pressurized, spot with the No. 10 overall pick. They have multiple needs, including bolstering a weak offensive line, boosting their struggling interior defense, and upgrading their secondary.
Bengals Eye Jeremiyah Love at No. 10 in Mock Draft
According to the latest projections from PFSN’s newest mock draft by Alec Elijah, “Elijah’s 7-Round 2026 NFL Mock Draft: Cowboys Pull Off a Major Trade, Bengals Make a Bold Move,” Cincinnati is uniquely positioned to inject elite talent into an already formidable offense.
Rather than reaching to fill a specific defensive void, the mock draft suggests the team might look toward South Bend to draft Notre Dame standout Jeremiyah Love.
When navigating the upper echelon of the draft, front offices often debate whether to draft for immediate need or select the highest-graded talent on the board. For Cincinnati, the decision could be remarkably straightforward.
“With the board likely to break in their favor at pick No. 10, the Cincinnati Bengals could find themselves in a prime position to simply take the best player available, and that might very well be Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love,” wrote Elijah.
Taking a running back in the top 10 is a relatively rare move in the modern NFL, but Love is far from an ordinary prospect. His collegiate tape showcases a rare blend of breakaway speed, contact balance, and a highly evolved football IQ, making him an undeniable blue-chip prospect worthy of an early selection.
Love ranked fourth out of all college running backs for 2025 according to PFSN’s CFB RB Impact metric. His score of 92.4 was good for an A-.
The allure of this pick goes far beyond Love’s individual accolades; it is ultimately about how his unique skill set seamlessly integrates into Cincinnati’s offensive scheme.
“Now imagine plugging him into a unit led by Joe Burrow, alongside Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Love’s explosiveness, vision, and versatility as both a runner and receiver would add another dimension to an already dangerous attack,” added Elijah.
Opposing defenses already struggle immensely to contain Burrow’s aerial assault. By introducing a multidimensional threat like Love, who can gash defenses on early downs and expertly run routes out of the backfield on third downs, the Bengals would force opposing defensive coordinators into impossible schematic dilemmas, effectively supercharging the offense.
While the Bengals have managed to field a competitive ground game in recent seasons, identifying a true franchise cornerstone at the running back position remains a lingering question.
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Elijah explained, “While Chase Brown has proven to be a solid contributor, he doesn’t necessarily profile as a long-term centerpiece. Love, on the other hand, gives Cincinnati both immediate impact and future stability at the position.”
Brown has certainly flashed his potential, but securing a true three-down workhorse who commands heavy defensive attention is paramount for a team with persistent Super Bowl aspirations.
