NFL Draft: Greatest pick from each franchise’s history

NFL Draft: Greatest pick from each franchise’s history: Cincinnati Bengals, Anthony Munoz

Pick: 1980 NFL Draft, 1st round number 3 overall

Stats: N/A

Awards:

• 11 time Pro Bowler
• 9 time First Team All Pro

There were positional players who were more flashy who played for the Cincinnati Bengals such as quarterback Ken Anderson, while there were others who made more eye-popping plays such as wide receivers Chad Johnson and A.J. Green, but none of those aforementioned players were more vital to team success like offensive lineman Anthony Munoz.

For 13 years he was the first line of defense to his quarterback and for the vast majority of his career, that was all his signal-caller needed. Opposing players would end up flat on their back if they attempted to bully him and those who were more crafty in their approach, still found little to no success.

In just his second season, Munoz was named a Pro Bowler and by the time his third year with the team came rolling by, he was an All-Pro. For six straight seasons, Munoz made both squads at the end of the year and totaled 11 trips apiece. While he hasn’t played in nearly three decades, Munoz still holds the third most selections as a First-Team All-Pro regardless of position.

He never took home the ultimate prize of winning a Super Bowl but that shouldn’t sully his name. Munoz was a dominant player and arguably the best offensive tackle of the 80s.