Grading every Bengals first-round pick under Zac Taylor
Zac Taylor has been the head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals since 2019 after the franchise finally parted ways with Marvin Lewis following the 2018 season. Taylor's first two years at the helm didn't go well but the Bengals are now Super Bowl contenders every year thanks to the addition of Joe Burrow in 2020.
Burrow was one of four first-round picks the Bengals have had under Zac Taylor. The others were Jonah Williams (2019), Ja'Marr Chase (2021), and Daxton Hill (2022). With the draft fast approaching, let's take a moment to grade every first-round pick made since Taylor took over as the head coach.
All stats courtesy of Pro Football Reference
Jonah Williams (11th overall in 2019)
The Bengals have struggled to find solid offensive linemen in the first round and Jonah Williams is yet another painful example of that. I will say that Williams wasn't awful by any means. He played well in the 2021 season and had his decent moments in 2022 despite leading the league in sacks allowed.
The problem with Williams has been that he's struggled to stay healthy during his career, playing in just 10 games during his first two seasons. While he stayed healthy in 2021 and put together the best season of his career, he came back down to earth in 2022 and was injured during the playoff run.
Williams wasn't a horrible pick but it's not one fans will look back on with pride either.