Best Bengals Draft Picks: Zac Taylor's first draft went off the rails fast, but a hero was found in the middle of it all

Best Pick: Germaine Pratt

Right after the Sample pick left Bengals in utter disbelief, the Bengals drafted a third-round linebacker for the second consecutive year. Pratt was a former safety who moved closer to the trenches late in his collegiate career. He was a quality run defender with a downhill mentality, but shades of his safety days gave him an edge in coverage despite not being the best overall athlete.

Lou Anarumo’s first draft pick as defensive coordinator eventually earned a starting gig halfway through his rookie season and would not give it up for the next five years. His struggles early on matched the entire defense around him, but he would become a legend near the end of his third season.

Pratt’s interception against the Las Vegas in the AFC Wild Card Round of the 2021-22 playoffs secured Cincinnati’s first playoff victory in over 30 years. It was his second interception of the year and of his career, but he would never make a more meaningful play in a Bengals uniform.

Pratt’s best overall season came in 2022, ideal timing for him as his rookie contract expired in the following offseason. Cincinnati re-signed him to a three-year, $20.25 million deal, which was considered a slight surprise at the time. It seemed as if his relationship with the team had soured at that point. A lack of a robust free agent market brought him back to the Queen City.

Cincinnati continued starting Pratt next to Logan Wilson for the next two years, but both players slowly but surely started to decline. The defense experienced a complete fall from grace in 2024. Pratt was only two years into his deal, but the writing was on the wall for an early exit. He requested a trade in the 2025 offseason and was released in June of that year.

Six years of starting-caliber play and a franchise-altering play is more than acceptable for a third-round pick. Pratt was never a star, but he’s still the best this class had to offer.

Honorable Mention: Jonah Williams

We finally get to talk about a first-round pick. Williams was a celebrated pick at the time coming out of Alabama as a clean prospect. Cincinnati didn’t get to use him as a rookie following a torn labrum he suffered during offseason workouts. He assumed the starting left tackle job in 2020, becoming Joe Burrow’s blindside blocker.

Williams proved to be a quality starter despite physical limitations holding him back against elite competition. The Bengals wanted to keep him as a starter in 2023, but jumped at the chance of signing Orlando Brown Jr. in 2023. The signing moved Williams to right tackle, a decision he was not fond of at the time. He requested a trade that offseason, but eventually settled in to his new position.

Cincinnati let Williams’ contract expire following his fifth-year option. He found another opportunity with the Arizona Cardinals, landing a two-year, $30 million deal. That he was valued that much by another club validates the Bengals drafting Williams early. That he didn’t earn that offer from his own team muddies his legacy as a first-rounder.

Find the next Pratt and Williams with the A to Z Sports NFL Mock Draft Simulator!