The Athletic predicts that Bishop Fitzgerald will land in the AFC North

Safety is shaping up to be a position in the 2026 NFL draft where a lot of action will occur in rounds two through four. After that, there is a decline in talent. For many teams that need to improve their back end, they will have to strike while the iron is hot. That is, unless an overlooked USC safety can fall into his lap late in the draft. Bishop Fitzgerald has the talent and traits of a safety who can excel right away.

In one last mock draft before next Thursday, Dane Brugler has the Bengals select Trojan safety Bishop Fitzgerald. It has Fitzgerald falling into the Bengals’ lap at pick 199 in Round 6.

Advertisement

The Bengals have no problem scoring; All of their problems lie primarily on the defensive side of the ball. The Bengals defense in recent years has made it easy for their opponent and more difficult for their offense. This year they will look to change that and a player like Bishop Fitzgerald helps in that regard.

Fitzgerald is a safety who is a ballhawk and puts up consistent interception production year after year. He’s solid in coverage and isn’t afraid to take a hit or two in run support. He would be a great addition to the Bengals secondary and could be an impact player early in the Bengals secondary.

This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: NFL Draft: USC’s Bishop Fitzgerald Could Become a Day 3 Contender