John Raoux/Associated Press
For the 20 teams that didn’t make the NFL Playoffs this year, their draft positions have been set in stone for the better part of six weeks. For Cincinnati, it’s only been a little longer—even if it felt like the 2-14 Bengals were destined for the No. 1 overall pick when the team lost 11 straight games to start the season.
Their prize for such putrid play is almost assuredly LSU quarterback Joe Burrow, this year’s Heisman trophy winner, and by all metrics the biggest need on Cincinnati’s roster. As for the other teams picking in the first round—notably Miami, with three selections in the top-26—the NFL Scouting Combine will go a long way in determining who each franchise sees as its next cornerstone piece.