Two older Cincinnati Bengals draft classes have received major praise in a new ranking.
ESPN’s Aaron Schatz recentlay ranked the top draft classes of the 21st century and the 2001 and 2006 Bengals efforts made the list.
That 2001 class, of course, featured Justin Smith, Chad Johnson, T.J. Houshmandzadeh and even Rudi Johnson.
And then there’s this about the 2006 draft class after highlighting first-round cornerback Johnathan Joseph:
Second-round pick Andrew Whitworth was named first-team All-Pro twice, once for the Bengals and once for the Rams, and helped the Rams win Super Bowl LVI in his final season. Third-round pick Frostee Rucker played 12 NFL seasons for four teams as a 5-technique defensive end. Fourth-round pick Domata Peko had a 15-year career as a defensive tackle, mostly as a starter for Cincinnati and also with Denver, Baltimore and Arizona.
As fans can clearly see, the rankings place a heavy emphasis on not just the opening picks but how well depth from each class turned out, too.
The fact that 2006 class ranks seventh overall — and that two classes outright — is just more confirmation that the Bengals hit on stellar classes rather often. Some of those, like the 2006 class, played a key role in longstanding stretches of strong eras.
Right now, the Bengals hope they’re making similar lists with current draft classes. But the look back at some strong efforts sure doesn’t hurt either.
