The moment that the city of Cincinnati had been waiting for since last December finally came to fruition. Heisman Trophy winner, national champion, and local kid Joe Burrow is officially the quarterback of the Cincinnati Bengals. The 2020 NFL Draft happened last weekend and although it was a virtual format, that did not dampen the excitement of Bengals fans everywhere as the team chose the cornerstone of the franchise for the next 10-15 years. Aside from Burrow, key pieces that will shape the team’s future and launch the Bengals to championship success were also drafted.
The Bengals had the number one overall pick in the draft by virtue of the horrendous 2019 season. Selecting Burrow as the top pick was the easiest decision of the entire draft process. Burrow had the greatest college football season in the history of the sport and was a no-brainer to be the face of the franchise. Aside from his incredible resume, Burrow is also a local kid as he grew up in Athens, Ohio, which Is about a three-hour drive from Cincinnati. If everything goes according to plan, Burrow will lead his local childhood team to multiple Super Bowl championships.
The Bengals have their quarterback, but he needs to targets to throw to on the field. The Bengals got him one in the second round of the draft by selecting wide receiver Tee Higgins out of Clemson. Higgins and Burrow reportedly did some training together before the draft and the rookie duo are poised to be the next big offensive combo for the Bengals for years to come. Higgins has said he became a Bengals fan after the team drafted his favorite player, A.J. Green, in 2011. Higgins grew up modeling his game after Green, and he now has the opportunity to play alongside his idol.
The Bengals have not had the best linebackers the last few years and used this year’s draft to address that need. In the third round, they selected linebacker Logan Wilson out of the University of Wyoming. Considered to be one of the more athletic players at his position in the draft, the team jumped at the opportunity to select Wilson with their third-round pick. Wilson already has some experience with the Bengals as their staff met with Wilson while coaching the Senior Bowl.
The Bengals went back to the linebacker well in round four by drafting Akeem Davis-Gaither out of Appalachian State. The team clearly looks to rebuild its linebacker squad as any Bengals fan could easily tell you that it has been an absolute disaster for the past few seasons. Like Wilson, Davis-Gaither met the Bengals coaching staff at the Senior Bowl and was named a captain of his Senior Bowl team.
The Bengals stayed on the defensive side of the ball by drafting Khalid Kareem in the fifth round. Kareem played collegiately at Notre Dame as a defensive end. The Bengals need another guy to rush into the backfield, and Kareem looks to fill that spot as he racked up a total of 13 sacks for the Fighting Irish.
The sixth-round pick selected by the Bengals was Hakeem Adeniji, an offensive tackle who played at the University of Kansas. Adeniji was the only lineman selected by the Bengals during the entire draft which was odd considering how poor the offensive line has been in recent years. He was a four-year starter for the Jayhawks and seemed to make a good impression on the Bengals coaching staff at the Senior Bowl.
The seventh and final pick of the Bengals in the 202 NFL draft was Markus Bailey, a linebacker out of Purdue. Bailey was the third linebacker taken by the Bengals in the draft despite missing his entire senior season with a torn ACL. With the position being a big need, it is no shock that the Bengals loaded up on linebackers in this year’s draft.
The Bengals addressed most of their needs in this year’s NFL draft. They stocked up on defense, drafted an offensive line, and added two possible franchise cornerstones that could lead to championship success. I do wish that they would have selected an offensive lineman earlier in the draft, but I cannot help but feel excited about the players they have added to the roster. Tee Higgins could be the heir apparent to A.J. Green, and Joe Burrow is shaping up be the biggest star in the history of the franchise. I can honestly say I have never been this hyped to be a Bengals fan. The only things that could top this feeling are a playoff win and Super Bowl championships, and this draft class has the potential to accomplish both of those things.
Who Dey!
