More proof Bengals quietly drafted top-ranked player at his position

Tired of hearing praise about the Cincinnati Bengals drafting Connor Lew yet?

After a decade or so of offensive line struggles, Bengals fans probably aren’t.

The Bengals drafted Lew at No. 128, securing Joe Burrow one of the biggest steals of the draft. By that analysis, they got a top-50 ranked player well outside of the top 100.

And now here’s ESPN’s Matt Miller writing that Lew was his 70th-best pick of the entire draft class.

“A torn ACL in the middle of last season might delay the start to his career, but I had Lew ranked as my top center before that injury,” Miller wrote. “Keeping Burrow happy, healthy and protected is the No. 1 priority in Cincinnati, and Lew could help do all three long term.”

In our instant analysis  of the Bengals picking Lew, not only did he vibe like a steal, he clearly slots as a possible long-term starter behind Ted Karras.

Karras, 33, has one year left on his current deal. Given his injury situation, the Bengals can let Lew take his time getting back, if needed, before really helping along his development with that sort of goal in mind.

This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: More proof Bengals quietly drafted top-ranked player at his position