Insiders believe Bengals' draft class will make biggest impact this season
The Bengals received plenty of praise for their 2020 draft class. Two insiders believe Cincinnati's rookies will make the biggest impact this season.
"Joe Burrow could be the only rookie quarterback to start in Week 1," ESPN's Dan Graziano wrote. "Tee Higgins could be a valuable contributor, given all of the question marks in the Cincinnati wide receiver group. (Is A.J. Green going to be there? Is John Ross going to be healthy?) The linebackers they took in the third and fourth rounds could matter this year. And does 2019 first-rounder Jonah Williams, who missed all of last season with a shoulder injury, count as a rookie?"
While Williams doesn't count as a rookie, the Bengals certainly expect him to make a big impact at left tackle.
Burrow will start and has one of the best supporting classes a rookie quarterback could ask for. There are some concerns about the offensive line, but Green, Higgins and Ross combined with Tyler Boyd, Auden Tate and Joe Mixon is a quality group of skill players. Burrow is in a good spot. Adding a veteran quarterback could give him an even better chance at having a big rookie season.
Graziano wasn't the only analyst that believes the Bengals' rookie class will have the biggest impact. ESPN's Field Yates expects big things from Burrow and company:
"The selection of quarterback Joe Burrow certainly accounts for most of this, but it should come as no surprise if their top three selections — wide receiver Tee Higgins and linebacker Logan Wilson included — make substantial contributions right away. I really like their class."
The Bengals had to balance drafting for need, while also taking the best players on their board. Higgins, Wilson and Akeem Davis-Gaither could all have big roles in this season.
Khalid Kareem, Hakeem Adeniji and Markus Bailey could also make significant contributions. Kareem gives the Bengals a much needed backup on the edge. Adeniji has a chance to be their swing tackle and will at least compete for the starting right tackle job. Bailey excels in coverage, but will likely be a special teams contributor this season.
The praise for this draft class continues. The Bengals hope they did enough this offseason to set themselves up for success in 2020 and beyond.
