With the 226th pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Bengals selected Navy defensive tackle Landon Robinson—an Ohio native whose rise at tackle earned major honors.
The 2026 NFL Draft wrapped up with the Cincinnati Bengals making one last statement pick: Navy defensive tackle Landon Robinson, a Fairlawn, Ohio native.
Robinson was selected with the 226th overall pick. closing out Cincinnati’s class after an offseason that reshaped its draft board.. The Bengals entered the draft without a first-round pick, a ripple effect tied to a prior trade involving Dexter Lawrence.. So. the final days of the seven-round process carried extra weight for Cincinnati’s scouting staff—every choice needed to add depth. competition. and a clear development path.
For the Bengals, the attraction wasn’t just Robinson’s production.. It was also the story of how he got there.. Robinson is listed at 5-foot-11 and 293 pounds. dimensions that can be a hard sell for teams that prioritize “prototypical” size in the interior trenches.. But Misryoum readers know how often late-round decisions are less about guessing the finished product and more about identifying traits coaches believe can translate—quickly or steadily—to the NFL.. In Robinson’s case, he has already shown the ability to adapt.
At Navy, Robinson began his college career as a linebacker before shifting to defensive tackle.. That positional change matters more than it sounds.. Moving from linebacker to the interior is a transition in leverage, responsibility, and how you read gaps.. It also usually demands a different type of physicality—more constant contact in close quarters. more use of hands. and a heightened focus on preventing inside running lanes.. Robinson’s development at tackle suggests he could bring a linebacker’s instincts to a role where those instincts can separate good rushers from truly disruptive ones.
The most compelling part of his draft profile, however, came from his most recent season.. Robinson produced 64 total tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, and one fumble recovery across 13 games.. Those numbers landed him major recognition: AP First-Team All-American honors. as well as American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year.
Misryoum breaks down why that combination—interior pressure plus overall disruption—tends to catch NFL attention late in the process.. Defensive tackles who can win both the run and the pass don’t just fill a stat sheet; they change how offenses call plays.. When a lineman can collapse pockets and also penetrate for tackles behind the line. it forces offensive coordinators to adjust protections and play designs.. That’s the kind of “two-way” value that teams often hunt when earlier picks don’t leave them as many chances to be selective.
Still, the Bengals’ selection of Robinson fits a specific draft reality: late picks often become competitions.. Cincinnati can develop Robinson within their system. evaluate how his movement and hand-fighting translate against NFL guards. and decide whether he’s best as a rotational disruptor or a longer-term starter-in-waiting.. The size question won’t vanish—but the college track record and the versatility from linebacker to tackle give Cincinnati a reason to believe the answer isn’t written only in measurements.
There’s also a practical, human layer to this choice that fans will feel right away.. Robinson is an Ohio native from Fairlawn. and local ties tend to energize a fanbase—especially when a player arrives as an underdog.. His path from a smaller-listed interior profile to elite defensive honors is the kind of journey that creates instant buy-in. even before a snap is taken in the preseason.
Looking ahead. Cincinnati’s final pick could shape depth on the interior and add urgency to every defensive snap in training camp.. If Robinson develops the way his college transition suggests he can. the Bengals may have found more than a roster option—they may have added a disruptive piece capable of turning misreads into sacks and turning gaps into tackles for loss.. For Misryoum’s NFL followers. the timing is simple: the final draft pick isn’t always a headline-maker on draft night. but it can become one of the quiet stories that defines a season.