The retirement of 49ers defensive lineman Just Smith closes the books on the Bengals’ most successful draft ever, the 2001 edition where the Bengals selected four players that ended up in their top four all-time for receiving, rushing, and sacks.
Smith, out of Missouri, played 111 of his 221 NFL games during his first seven NFL seasons in Cincinnati as a 4-3 right end. After they took him with the fourth pick, his 43.5 sacks put him fourth on the Bengals’ all-time list.
Then in the next round they took wide receiver Chad Johnson out of Oregon State and 751 catches and 10,783 yards later he left after the 2010 season as the club’s all-time leading receiver.