4 players Bengals could have drafted instead of Jonah Williams
With the 11th overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, the Cincinnati Bengals selected Jonah Williams, an offensive lineman out of Alabama. The Crimson Tide have been notorious for producing NFL-ready linemen and Williams was another Alabama product hoping to make a name for himself in the NFL.
Things didn't get off to a good start for Williams, as he missed his entire rookie season with a shoulder injury. In 2020, he missed six games with a knee injury.
When the 2021 season rolled around, Williams had to prove that he could stay healthy or he'd become a bust in Bengals draft lore. He managed to stay healthy for the entire season and subsequent playoff run and put together the kind of season that the Bengals were hoping to get from him when they made him the 11th overall pick.
That 2021 season led to the front office picking up Williams' fifth-year option but his fourth year as a starter left something to be desired. He allowed the most sacks in the league and then suffered a dislocated knee cap in the playoffs.
Williams' injury history and inconsistencies led the Bengals to sign Orlando Brown Jr. in free agency and the plan to move the former first-rounder to right tackle didn't sit well with him, as he requested a trade. Considering in his four years with the team that he's only been healthy and productive for one season, Williams is definitely a disappointing first-round pick.
Here are four players the Bengals could have taken instead of Jonah Williams.