Bengals poised to have second-most valuable draft class

In all likelihood, the Bengals will have ended up with more than seven picks by the end of this year’s NFL Draft. If they don’t, they’re still set up better than 30 other NFL teams according to one metric.

Using the value chart created by former Dallas Cowboys head coach Jimmy Johnson, the Bengals have the second-most valuable draft class, trailing just the Miami Dolphins. Tankathon.com put together the full rankings list here.

The most valuable pick in the draft is obviously the first pick, but the true value of that pick seems to be misrepresented by Johnson’s chart. 3000 points is a lot, but is it really only 400 more than the second pick? The difference between getting a franchise quarterback and missing out on one is one pick, and having the top pick is only sure way you can have your choice.

The point of the chart is to give general managers an idea of how much each pick is worth when discussing draft trades, but no taking it 100% literal is a recipe for disaster. The value of the second picks in the first and second rounds exceed the value of the first pick, but the Bengals would never accept that exchange if offered.

When and if the Bengals add picks in this draft (via trading Andy Dalton or trading down after the first round), their total point value will inch closer to the Dolphins’ mark. For now, they’re ready to reap the benefits of being at the top of each round in the draft.