Bengals land NFL's top undrafted free agent after draft

The Cincinnati Bengals landed the top undrafted free agent in the wake of the 2025 NFL draft with Ohio State offensive lineman Seth McLaughlin.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported the news, noting that McLaughlin was the top-rated player on ESPN's best available list when the draft ended.

McLaughlin, on the way back from an achilles tear, earned a fifth-round grade from NFL.com's Lance Zierlein:

"Highly intelligent center-only prospect coming off of an Achilles tear. McLaughlin has his itinerary fully mapped pre-snap but makes quick alterations when needed. He’s gritty with good core strength. He has the range and radar to pull effectively and operates with timing on work-up blocks. He lacks ideal knock-back pop at the point and his block sustain could take a small downturn against NFL power. He’s technically sound in protection but a lack of length and range causes it to get leaky when rushers find his edge. His injury status could hurt his draft slotting, but he has the makeup and consistency to make it in the league."

RELATED: Bengals undrafted free agency tracker after 2025 NFL draft

The Bengals worked with local prospects like McLaughlin before the draft. He seemed like an obvious late-round pick for the team, yet lands in Cincinnati anyway as an UDFA.

Cincinnati experienced a similar win last year by getting Matt Lee late in the process to develop behind Ted Karras. McLaughlin will join the fray there this summer under the supervision of a new line coach while both guard spots break in new starters, too.

This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: Bengals land NFL's top undrafted free agent after draft