The Cincinnati Bengals might not have the No. 10 pick in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, but they did get defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence and still own the No. 41 pick in the draft on Friday.Bengals Director of Player Personnel Duke Tobin will finalize the draft board. The Bengals will rank players from top to bottom and use the board to guide their picks during the draft.Tobin and his staff will meet with head coach Zac Taylor and his staff, and together they’ll map out a plan. Once the draft rolls around, the Bengals will be prepared for multiple scenarios.

The most important part of the pre-draft period is player evaluation and how teams set their boards.How do NFL draft boards work?From there, the board does the work for the team. Reaching for needs is where NFL teams have gotten in trouble in the draft. It’s not a smart strategy to take a pick who ranks below others because of a need a certain position.In recent years, the Bengals have done so and it hasn’t worked as well as when they select the best prospect available when they get on the clock.

The Bengals selecting defensive tackle Kris Jenkins in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft is an example of reaching for a need.Cincinnati entered that draft weekend desperately needing a defensive tackle and drafted Jenkins when the No. 49 overall pick rolled around. While he’s still young in his career and still has a chance to turn things around, Jenkins hasn’t lived up to the production expected of a second-round pick. They doubled down on the position and took McKinnley Jackson in the third round.

Jackson played in just nine games for the Bengals last season and requested a trade.All of the Bengals’ starting offense from last season is returning for another season. So, the picks should be used on defense. Whether it’s loading up on the defensive line or adding another linebacker and cornerback, the Bengals are in a hurry to get better on defense, and the draft offers a chance to do so.How did free agency impact the Bengals’ draft plans?Cincinnati traded for Lawrence, signed defensive end Boye Mafe, safety Bryan Cook and defensive end Jonathan Allen before the draft.

That signified a change in the franchise's philosophy. The Bengals also added depth players in cornerback Ja’Sir Taylor and safety Kyle Dugger.In signing two safeties in free agency, it makes the need to upgrade at safety less dire. They still need help at defensive end, linebacker and cornerback.Where and when will the Bengals be picking on draft weekend?The 2026 NFL Draft begins at 8 p.m.

ET on Thursday, April 23, and will be televised all weekend long on ESPN. Each team is given eight minutes in the first round to make its pick. For rounds 2-7, teams are given anywhere between four to seven minutes.Day 2 of the NFL Draft (rounds 2 and 3) begins at 7 p.m.

ET on ESPN, and Day 3 (rounds 4-7) starts at noon ET. Here is the schedule of when the Bengals will be making their respective picks.Day 2: April 24Round 2 – No. 41Round 3 – No. 72Day 3: April 25Round 4 – No. 110Round 6 – No. 189Round 6 – No. 199Round 7 - No. 221Round 7 – No. 226This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Who should the Bengals draft? When are they picking? NFL Draft primer