NFL Draft Grades 2018: Bengals’ selection of Billy Price gets mixed reviews

It is extremely hard to grade an NFL Draft pick right after it happens. You really can’t tell how well a team did until a few years down the line. Right now it may look like a team reached for a player, but in a few years we may look back and think it was a no-brainer.

Still people can grade picks right now based on value, and it looks like the Bengals got the approval of most media outlets with plenty of B’s and a few A’s coming their way after selecting Billy Price in Round 1 of the 2018 NFL Draft.

Really though when you think of the fact the Bengals got Price at pick No. 21 while also adding Cordy Glenn to start at left tackle, it is hard to not think the Bengals absolutely nailed it.

Here are the grades the Bengals received for selecting Price in Round 1.

SB Nation: B+

Although the Bengals wanted to take Ragnow, Price is the better player. He’s a mean and nasty interior blocker who moves defensive linemen around with ease. The issue is whether or not he’ll be healthy at the start of training camp after tearing his pectoral at the NFL Scouting Combine. If he’s not healthy, it’s a gamble and you hope he doesn’t miss some regular season time.

NFL.com: B

Picking up Cordy Glenn from the Bills for a move down of 10 spots in the first round will help their offensive line, so that needs to be considered here. Selecting Price, a center/guard, continues the Bengals’ effort to get stronger up front, though I think there could have been more of a difference-maker selected here. The Bengals could have waited and landed a very good interior offensive lineman in the second or third round.

CBS Sports: C+

He’s coming off a pec injury at the combine, but will be ready for camp. They needed a center so it makes sense.

Sports Illustrated: A-

It’s not a sexy pick, especially with Lamar Jackson, a potential replacement for Andy Dalton, on the board. But it’s a grossly necessary pick. The Bengals have had major problems against interior designer pass rush tactics the past two years, and their O-line got no movement in the ground game last season. With every interior O-lineman in the last year or two of his contract, this lineup could be altered at any spot. And it must—Andy Dalton needs a clean pocket. When he doesn’t have one, his flawed footwork leads to the mechanical breakdowns that cause most of his befuddling incompletions and turnovers.

Bleacher Report: B+

Billy Price is everything an NFL team wants from a center. He started 55 consecutive games at center or guard for the Buckeyes, so he has both ideal experience and a clean health history. He’s a high-effort, high-intensity player who should excel at making adjustments and calls. He’s a solid run defender and capable pass protector, and he can get the job done on second-level blocks and when moving laterally on stretch runs.

Yahoo Sports: B

The Bengals could use some pass rush. But there’s apparently something in the water with teams in Ohio picking Ohio State players. The Bengals filled their biggest hole at center. Will they regret passing on James Daniels, though?