Ranking Bengals’ best 1st-round picks of last decade

Where do Cincinnati’s first-round picks rank?

The Cincinnati Bengals have had some interesting NFL draft results in the first round over the last decade.

Duke Tobin and the front office have had their share of whiffs in the form of Cedric Ogbuehi and Billy Price. The jury remains out on Jonah Williams.

But the front office has had its shining moments too. Here’s a look at the best picks of the last decade so far.

 

5. Tyler Eifert

2013, No. 21

Cincinnati Bengals tight end Tyler Eifert (85) celebrates his touchdown during the first half an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers, Sunday, Sept. 15, 2019, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Frank Victores)

Eifert isn’t a bust by any means and at the time of his selection, it totally made sense to go get Andy Dalton a big-bodied tight end given the quarterback’s need for elite talent around him.

And Eifert realized that potential in 2015, scoring 13 times in as many games. Injuries derailed things from there and he was never the same, failing to play in more than eight games for three consecutive seasons before last year’s 16-game attendance sheet on less than 50 percent of the snaps.

Eifert is a good “what if?” conversation if injuries hadn’t struck and he just makes the list.