Cincinnati Bengals: Ranking the last 15 NFL Draft classes, No. 10-6

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BALTIMORE, MD – DECEMBER 31: Wide receiver A.J. Green #18 of the Cincinnati Bengals runs in motion against the Baltimore Ravens in the second half at M&T Bank Stadium on December 31, 2017 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /

9. 2016

Number of Draft Picks: 7 (one first, one second, one third, one fourth, one fifth, one sixth, one seventh)

Total Points: 11 (one Pro Bowl-caliber contributor, one multi-year starter, three depth pieces)

As with 2017, it is pretty early to make any final judgments on this group. What this draft does have working in its favor, however, is that there are not only multiple pieces who may hold significant roles going forward, but there appears to be at least one clear star to build around for the future.

William Jackson III may only have one season of actual snaps under his belt, but he’s already shown himself to be one of the building blocks for not just the next great Cincinnati defense, but arguably the best defensive player they have right now.

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While that is an ambitious claim (this team does still employ Geno Atkins), it isn’t as far-fetched as you may think. There has been nothing but praise for the young corner everywhere you look. His Pro Football Focus grade was nearly elite-level in his first season with any snaps (89.2 PFF grade in 2017; 90 is considered elite on their 0-100 scale). His allowed catch rate of 34.9 percent was the second-lowest ever in PFF’s database (2006-17), and he allowed the lowest yards per coverage snap (0.38) in the NFL. Against Antonio Brown — arguably the best wideout in football — Jackson III shut him down: eight targets, no catches, four pass knockdowns. This guy has the makings of a long-term star.

Jackson III isn’t the end of what Cincinnati got from this draft, though. Nick Vigil hasn’t looked good by the advanced metrics (very poor PFF grade both seasons so far), but he is still young and has a year of starting experience under his belt now; he could still improve dramatically. Tyler Boyd has been inconsistently used in the passing game, but that may say more about coaching issues than him. Given a more stable plan than the offense saw in 2017, he should be better. Andrew Billings hasn’t managed to reach the levels which once saw him going in the first round of mock drafts, but he can still be a space eater next to Atkins on passing downs. Clayton Fejedelem may not be a starting safety, but he can help in a pinch and on special teams.

Should any of them take a turn for the better, this draft could easily climb the rankings in future seasons.

8. 2011

Number of Draft Picks: 8 (one first, one second, one third, one fourth, one fifth, one sixth, two seventh)

Total Points: 13 (two Pro Bowl-caliber contributors, one multi-year starter)

If you want to talk about a future-setting draft, look no further than 2011. The franchise was in major need of a change, and things worked out better than anyone could have imagined.

Franchise quarterback of the time Carson Palmer had grown tired of everything wrong with the organization, and was adamant in his decision to never play for the team again. Long-time star wide receiver Chad Johnson (or Ochocinco, depending on the day) was on his way out as well, leaving the team without the two most recognizable faces of their 2000s.

This easily could have been seen as a panic moment in Cincinnati’s franchise history. A team which went 15 years without a winning record between 1990-2005 was quickly approaching the harsh reality of becoming the bungling team of that era once again.

This draft saved them. With their first two picks, the team came away with their cornerstones on offense for essentially an entire decade. A.J. Green may not have the outward personality or reputation of Johnson at wide receiver, but he’s been everything and more as a number one receiving option and playmaker. Say what you will about Dalton’s flaws too, but he was the quarterback in charge while this team reached the playoffs in each of his first five seasons. Palmer could only dream of that success in a Bengals uniform. As an individual, you can’t even say his time with Cincinnati was even markedly better than the oft-maligned Dalton.

Those two were the main prizes for Cincinnati’s draft, but this one also provided the team with Clint Boling in the fourth round. Boling isn’t an impact player on their level, but there is something to say for him being the only lineman for the team who managed to grade anywhere close to average in PFF’s metrics last season, and he’s been a useful interior presence who has been a starter nearly as long as both Dalton and Green. Without him, those early 2010s Cincinnati lines which were underratedly good would never have been as good as they became, and the pitiful Cincinnati of late would have been even more of a black hole of despair.

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