The Cincinnati Bengals had the first overall draft pick in the 2020 draft and made significant strides to improve the roster. The duo of Joe Burrow and Tee Higgins already showed they can be the best players on the offense. However, the questions surrounding Logan Wilson and Akeem Davis-Gaither will be the difference between an excellent draft and a good draft. Overall, there are two confirmed solid starters with a number of developmental players who could be difference-makers next year.
Be sure to check out all of Podloski’s 2020 NFL Draft Re-Grades.
Draft Class:
- Round 1, Pick 1: Joe Burrow, QB, LSU
- Round 2, Pick 33: Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson
- Round 3, pick 65: Logan Wilson, LB, Wyoming
- Round 4, pick 107: Akeem Davis-Gaither, LB, Appalachian State
- Round 5, pick 147: Khalid Kareem, DE, Notre Dame
- Round 6, pick 180: Hakeem Adeniji, OT, Kansas
- Round 7, pick 215: Markus Bailey, LB, Purdue
Best Pick: Joe Burrow, QB, LSU
This shouldn’t be much of a discussion for the best pick. What Burrow did with a lackluster supporting cast was extremely promising. Simply put, Burrow was elevating the play of his offense for the times he played. Expect Burrow to do the same thing with the supporting cast, while also limiting the number of hits he takes, by getting rid of the ball quicker. His ability to progress through his reads on pass downs was exactly what gives him the upside to become an elite quarterback in the league.
Questionable Selection: The Lack of Offensive Line Selection
Hindsight is 20-20, however, the Bengals were negligent about their offensive line going into the 2020 season. If you watch the injury to Burrow, it was a freak injury, but he was pressure on what feels like every play. They had Billy Price, Michael Jordan, and Bobby Hart as the starters. It was a poor process to expect them to succeed, let alone even be average. Moreover, while the team has made strides to improve the line a few months after Burrow’s injury, a developmental tackle like Josh Jones (Arizona) would have allowed the team more depth going into the 2021 season and to play the five best players.
Late Bloomer: Logan Wilson, LB, Wyoming
Wilson has the potential to be a dynamic three-down linebacker in the NFL. He’s quick to diagnose and react to run plays while being able to take on blocks and shed them quickly. While he wasn’t as quick in college as he was in his rookie year, he had reps with high-end flashes. Going forward, Wilson needs two things to become a dynamic piece on this defense. First to improve his pass coverage, which wasn’t good and will likely take time to develop. Second, to improve consistency play to play which should come with more reps and experience.
Player to Keep an Eye on: Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson
This was initially going to be Adeniji, however a pectoral injury this offseason will significantly hinder his development. This is the former player to keep an eye on the write up:
“The nature of the offensive line is that players often get hurt. It would not surprise me to see Adeniji get significant reps along the offensive line if one or two players (as they always do) go down. Coming out of Kansas, Adeniji had good fundamentals, however was lacking the strength and anchoring ability – he was only 302 lbs last year. With a full offseason, it will be interesting to see if Adeniji can get reps and maintain a spot along the offensive line.”
Instead, the player to keep an eye on is Higgins, because he’s shown flashes of high-level play as a rookie. The question is if he becomes a consistent route runner and threatens defenses play to play. If Higgins has to draw some team’s best cornerback due to his size, it’ll increase the other receivers’ opportunities. The reverse is also true, and will likely occur more – Higgins will likely draw the second or third best corner. This means he will be a significant catalyst for this team to score and create big plays. Overall, Higgins’ ascension could mean this passing attack becomes a top-five group in the NFL.
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What they Should have Done: Drafted Replacements for Upcoming Free Agents
The Bengals should have taken shots at players who play the same position as those who were going to be free agents – William Jackson III, Carl Lawson, and Carlos Dunlap. The process on the defense was poor, and using free agency to replace such players was costly and might turn out to be ineffective. Moreover, with the signing of free agents, the Bengals will lose their compensatory picks for Jackson and Lawson going into free agency. In the middle rounds, the team had a chance to take edge rusher and cornerback.
Summary
Bengals got their franchise quarterback with Burrow and an auxiliary piece with Higgins. The effective duo will be a force for years. However, the lack of long-term drafting is troubling as there was little done to address a crumbling offensive line and free agents who left in the 2021 offseason. The lack of a developmental tackle selection may limit the future upside of this offensive line and hinder the depth. The class could get better or worse, some of which depends on Wilson and his development. Overall, this gets a B+ grade as the selection of a weapon in Higgins and a franchise-changing quarterback in Burrow makes up for the lackluster drafting in the middle to later rounds.
Final Grade: B+ (Two or More Key Contributors)
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