Bengals Fans Will Love Mel Kiper's NFL Draft Grade

Updated: Sep 10, 5:00pm UTC

The Cincinnati Bengals didn't have a ton of picks in the 2022 NFL Draft, but they certainly made the most out of them. The front office addressed big roster needs and found different ways to improve the team. Fans will be glad to learn Cincinnati was ultimately given a B in Mel Kiper's NFL Draft grades.

Cincinnati Bengals NFL Draft

Kiper was quick to point out that he expected Bengals' first-round pick Daxton Hill to go about 10 picks higher than No. 31 overall. The Michigan safety posted 15 pass breakups to go along with 4 interceptions in college and has shot to earn a starting role with a strong training camp performance.

Cincinnati was quick to go right back to the secondary in Round 2 by drafting defensive back Cam Taylor-Britt. Taylor-Britt came out of nowhere to log 11 pass breakups in 2021 and also ran a 4.38 second 40-yard dash. It's a safe pick given how much turnover the Bengals suffered at cornerback.

After losing starter Larry Ogunjobi to free agency, it wasn't surprising to see Cincinnati draft a pair of defensive linemen as well. Florida's Zachary Carter and Coastal Carolina's Jeff Gunter were both added to the squad following senior seasons in which they totaled at least 31 tackles and 5.5 sacks.

Only six other NFL teams received a higher draft grade, which goes to show how well Cincinnati's draft strategy worked out in the end. These rookies have a shot to make an immediate impact on a Bengals team that has odds set at +2200 to win Super Bowl 57, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.

Larry Rupp is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Larry Rupp also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username phillyfan424. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.