There was no doubt that the Cincinnati Bengals would be looking to address their pass rush this past NFL Draft. That came with a catch, though. The Bengals didn’t have a first-round pick, but they still made it a priority, taking Cashius Howell in the second round.
Any prospect is going to have their flaws. That’s a reality going into the NFL, but they also have some traits that can make them thrive. According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, one of those traits that Howell has is the same motor that Maxx Crosby has brought to his career.
“The Bengals secured defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II in exchange for the No. 10 pick. But their second-round pick, edge rusher Cashius Howell, possesses one of Maxx Crosby’s best attributes: his motor. Crosby is famous for going full bore while playing every snap. Howell is similar in that regard. ‘He doesn’t have the elite bend that some of the other rushers have, but he is absolutely relentless and will play a long time in the NFL as a result,’ an AFC scout said,” Fowler wrote.
The Bengals will certainly be excited that Howell is getting a comparison to Crosby. After all, Crosby became a five-time Pro Bowl selection.
The Cincinnati Bengals Explored Trading for Maxx Crosby
GettyMaxx Crosby sacking Joe Burrow
Before the Cincinnati Bengals sent the No. 10 overall pick to the New York Giants for Dexter Lawrence, they went looking to address edge rusher. In particular, they explored trading for Maxx Crosby.
This came shortly after Crosby had a medical issue, and his trade to the Baltimore Ravens fell through. However, the Las Vegas Raiders still wanted two first-round picks for him. The Bengals didn’t want to match that, and nothing came to pass.
“Sources tell me that long before the Cincinnati Bengals surrendered the 10th pick of the draft to the New York Giants for Dexter Lawrence, the team discussed trading that selection to the Las Vegas Raiders for Maxx Crosby,” Tony Pauline wrote. “But the Bengals were unwilling to match the pair of first-round picks the Baltimore Ravens initially sent to Vegas for Crosby before a failed physical nixed the deal.”
Given the interest in Crosby, it shouldn’t be a surprise that the Bengals would later turn their attention to Cashius Howell. In particular, if he was earning a comparison to the star pass rusher from scouts.
Everything to Know About Cincinnati Bengals’ Draft Pick Cashius Howell
GettyCincinnati Bengals draft pick Cashius Howell
Coming out of high school, Cashius Howell was overlooked by Power Four conference schools and ended up attending Bowling Green. There, he would become a standout and in 2023 was named a Third-Team All-MAC selection. With that, he hit the Transfer Portal and landed in the SEC at Texas A&M.
There, Howell ended up playing two excellent seasons for the Aggies. That included the 2025 season, when he had 11.5 sacks and 14.0 tackles for a loss. That ended up landing him All-American honors, and he would be named SEC Defensive Player of the Year.
Going into the NFL Draft, Howell was widely seen as a late first or early second-round pick. The Bengals eventually landed him at No. 41 overall. Now, the hope is he can hit the ground running for the Bengals.
Bengals Draft Pick Gets Compared to Maxx Crosby By ESPN Insider