10 best first-round draft picks in Bengals history

The Cincinnati Bengals, like most teams, have hit on some of their first-round picks but they've also missed on some of those picks as well. This post is highlighting the good picks though.

Unfortunately, the Bengals didn’t start hitting on picks until the mid-nineties but even then there were some stinker picks.

Here are the 10 best first-round picks ever in Bengals' history.

10. Johnathan Joseph

With the offense about as good as it could be, it was time for Duke Tobin and Marvin Lewis to focus on the defense. That's why in the 2006 draft, they took a cornerback from South Carolina, Johnathan Joseph. Even though he only had one full season in South Carolina under his belt because of injury, the Bengals took a chance on him.

Joseph won the starting job in his rookie season because Deltha O’Neal was injured. He started nine total games in his rookie season with one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries and 45 solo tackles.

In 2008 Joseph and Leon Hall were the full-time starters at cornerback giving quarterbacks trouble in every game. However, as stated before, the personal accolades came when he went to Houston. He played a big part on a Texans defense that was struggling before he arrived..

In his first season in Houston Joseph was named to the Second-Team All-Pro. During Johnathan’s first two seasons with the Texans, he made the Pro Bowl. Joseph played for two more teams and after 15 seasons officially retired in 2021