The second game of the college football quarterfinal round will kick off at Noon on New Year’s Day. Let’s take a look at some of the best prospects that the Bengals should be checking out during the game.
The Bengals signed TJ Slaton to a two-year contract last offseason. He hasn’t been overly impactful, but also not a liability by any means as a run defender. Could the Bengals look to upgrade the position via the draft? If so, they might be interested in A’Mauri Washington from Oregon.
Washington
was a member of the Feldman Freak List. The 6’3”, 338-pound defensive tackle has been clocked at 20.89 miles per hour on the GPS, has a 36” vertical, and bench pressed 475 pounds. He is a high-upside prospect who is just scratching the surface of his potential.
Texas Tech has a talented defensive tackle prospect of their own. Lee Hunter is 6’4” and 320 pounds. He has a highly impressive 19.8% win rate on true pass sets this year. His 10.1% stop rate as a run defender is among the highest in college football. The UCF transfer has been an integral part of a loaded Red Raiders defensive line.
Sticking with the Red Raiders defensive line, they have two of the best pass rushers in the country at edge. David Bailey is the more highly regarded prospect, with an insane 41.8% win rate on true pass sets. The explosive pass rusher has 12.5 sacks on the season.
Playing opposite of Bailey, is edge Romello Height. An undersized player, he has elite quickness off the snap. He has 49 pressures on the season, with 9 sacks of his own. Height’s measurables will be a big part of how highly he ends up getting drafted.
Oregon edge rusher Matayo Uiagalelei fits the typical size profile Cincinnati has drafted. He is listed at 6’5” and 270 pounds. Originally a tight end recruit, Uiagalelei has 5 sacks on the year. Last year, he recorded 10.5 sacks, but that was on just 31 total pressures. He needs to be more consistent against the run. He might end up going on day two, due to inconsistency setting the edge, and the need for further development as a pass rusher.
Jacob Rodriguez is a Butkus Award-winning linebacker for Texas Tech. Rodriguez put over 100 tackles, 4 interceptions, and an NCAA-leading 7 forced fumbles during the 2025 season. He is a leader and downhill thumper, and he had a 95.3 run-defense grade.
With the return of Erick All from injury, Mike Gesicki returning, and blocking tight end Drew Sample back, it is unlikely the Bengals will want to draft a tight end. I will mention Kenyon Sadiq. The clear-cut tight end one in the 2026 NFL Draft class. Sadiq is a rugged blocker, an athletic playmaker, and is still just 20 years old
The last prospect for this game I will highlight is Dillon Thieneman. Thieneman is a talented safety prospect who could be the successor to Geno Stone. He has an excellent range, reported 4.3 40-yard dash speed, and is a physical finisher against the run.
