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Nick Martin set to meet with Cincinnati Bengals
Martin played linebacker at Oklahoma State
The Cincinnati Bengals are officially in 2025 NFL Draft mode with Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase locked up for the foreseeable future.
All eyes will now turn on how the team can shore up their defense this offseason, and the draft is going to ideally be a huge help for the Bengals. While figuring out a contract with Trey Hendrickson may be the priority, adding elite talent in the draft is what will keep this team competing for the long-term future.
That said, the Bengals have a top-30 visit scheduled with Nick Martin, The Draft Network’s Ryan Fowler has reported. Martin didn’t play much in 2024 but had a strong 2023 campaign.
Martin also attended the 2025 NFL Combine and ran a 4.53 40-yard dash, so he has athleticism on his side. With the Bengals needing help at linebacker, Martin will likely be an option for Cincinnati, especially if the visit goes well.
The 6-foot Martin had 83 solo tackles in 2023 and also had 16 tackles for a loss. With two interceptions, he proved he could do a little bit of everything, and with Germaine Pratt having requested a trade, the position is a huge need.
The Bengals should be able to go for the best available prospect with most of their picks, which is a win in and of itself. Given how Martin looked in 2023, let’s hope the Bengals can land the former Cowboys star.
Bengals attend Pro Day for top running back prospect in 2025 NFL Draft
The 2025 NFL Draft draws consistently closer, and the Cincinnati Bengals continue to be linked to Boise State star running back Ashton Jeanty.
Jeanty is the consensus best back in the draft. He was named a unanimous All-American in 2024 and also won both the Maxwell Award and Doak Walker Award for his productive play after rushing for 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns last season. He would be an excellent addition to basically any backfield, including Cincinnati’s. So, the Bengals are kicking the tires.
Bengals attend Ashton Jeanty’s pro day after meeting with him at scouting combine
The Bengals first met with Jeanty at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis last month — a meeting he classified as “great.” Cincinnati also attended Jeanty’s pro day — along with all 31 other teams in the league — this week to get another look at him up close.
More Cincinnati Bengals news: Bengals make surprising first round trade in latest 2025 NFL mock draft
Keep in mind that the Bengals showing interest in Jeanty means that they plan to draft him — or would even get an opportunity to. As the top-ranked running back in the draft class, there’s a good chance that Jeanty will be off the board by the time the Bengals are on the clock with the No. 17 overall pick. Some mock drafts even have Jeanty going as high as sixth or seventh.
Plus, while adding another weapon on offense would be nice, the Bengals really need to improve on the other side of the ball, and it seems like dedicating their top pick to a defensive player would be the more practical move.
Cincinnati could use the pick to add an elite edge rusher, or strengthen the secondary with a blue-chip corner or safety. If the Bengals were to draft an offensive player in the first round, a guard would be the most probable position.
It can’t be ruled out completely, but it seems unlikely that the Bengals will ultimately land Jeanty, even though there’s clearly some interest there.
