Grading All the Cincinnati Bengals Draft Picks

1st round, No. 11 overall |  Jonah Williams, OT, Alabama

Williams is the best Offensive Lineman in this draft and should be able to keep Bobby Hart on the bench. Versatility is the key with Williams, who can play every position on this line.

Grade A

2nd Round, No. 52 overall | Drew Sample, TE, Washington

Better Tight Ends were available, as Sample is limited as a pass catcher, but my thought here is that the Bengals were looking for the best blocking Tight End and the Tight End that fits the Bengals offense. With that being said, I am still not a big fan of this pick.

Grade D+

3rd round, No. 72 overall | Germaine Pratt, LB, NC State

Pratt is not super fast, but he is a thumper in the middle of the defense and he should contribute quickly. Don’t get me wrong, Pratt is by no means slow and has shown solid coverage skills, which the Bengals desperately lack at the Linebacker position.

Grade B+

4th round, No. 104 overall (from 49ers) | Ryan Finley, QB, NC State

I love this pick! There is a lot to like about Finley translating to the NFL. The most important trait for any quarterback is accuracy, which Finley has. Consistently he demonstrates good ball placement to complete passes and keeps the ball away from the defense. Finley makes good decisions and shows impressive ball security. He is adept at avoiding interceptions and rarely makes mistakes from being overly aggressive. Finley could be a big-time steal in this draft.

Grade B+

4th round, No.125 overall Renell Wren, DT, Arizona State

Wren is a player that could be actually better in the NFL as he will be more of a three-technique guy than a nose tackle. Wren is a great athlete but this is either a boom or bust pick to me.

Grade C

5th round, No. 149 overall | Michael Jordan, C, Ohio State

He has excellent size and length for a Guard and his measurables would fit as a Tackle. Throw in the fact that he played Center this past year and you have a very versatile Offensive Lineman who could make an immediate impact. Jordan is a catcher and not mean enough and in the end, without the mean streak, he is solid at best.

Grade C

6th round, No. 182 overall | Trayveon Williams, RB, Texas A&M

With the issues of former Bengals Running Back Mark Walton they had to take at least one running back in this draft. Williams averaged 6.5 yards per carry in 2018 for 1,760 yards with 18 touchdowns. He also had 28 receptions for 278 yards and a touchdown. A lot of doubts exist about Williams but I think the good outweighs the bad on this pick.

Grade B

6th round, No. 210 overall (compensatory) | Deshaun Davis, LB, Auburn

His height is a problem for mismatches in coverage in the NFL. But, he hits like a Mack Truck and is a thumper in the box. I think Davis could surprise some people.

Grade B

6th round, No. 211 overall (compensatory) | Rodney Anderson, RB, Oklahoma

Anderson shows impressive speed with first-step quickness and a burst to get to the second level. In the tackle box, he runs with a nice knee bend to stay behind his pads and plow through contact. Anderson flashes an ability to run angry and charges hard downhill. Anderson is a stud! So why can the Bengals get him so late? Very simple, he has suffered three season-ending injuries over the past four years. To me, when you look at his talent this is a great value pick by the Bengals.

Grade B+

7th round, No. 223 overall |Jordan Brown, CB, South Dakota State

Good size to match up with NFL receivers. He has a very real chance to make a roster in the NFL.

Grade B

Overall the Bengals got better during this draft as you got an anchor for the offensive line and two thumpers in the box at Linebacker. You may have even gotten your Quarterback of the future and between Williams and Anderson, you have upgraded the running back position.

Overall Grade B