2010 NFL re-draft alters course of Bengals history in huge way

The Cincinnati Bengals enjoyed a really interesting trip to the 2010 NFL draft.

Bengals fans probably don’t remember tight end Jermaine Gresham all that fondly, but the memory of the draft class is made quite a bit better by the fact they unearthed Carlos Dunlap in the second round and Geno Atkins all the way down in the fourth.

Understandably, though, a new 2010 re-draft from Pro Football Focus turns everything on its head, though.

There, Atkins comes off the board fifth overall to Kansas City, while Dunlap goes 14th to Seattle. That leaves the Bengals out to dry at No. 21, where they settle on Jerry Hughes:

“Hughes didn’t get to play much during his short time in Indianapolis, but his career really took off after he was traded to Buffalo. He spent nine seasons there and recorded a 90.2 PFF pass-rush grade. He is also the only Bills defensive lineman in PFF history to record a 90.0-plus single-season PFF pass-rush grade, having done so in 2018.”

So…it should go without saying that the Bengals much prefer how the real-life draft played out.

With Dunlap, they got one of the best pass-rushers in franchise history. And with Atkins, they got a guy who effectively wrote the blueprint for guys like Aaron Donald and who has a possible shot at the Hall of Fame one day.

It just goes to show that the real value of draft classes certainly can’t be drawn up right after they happen.

This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: 2010 NFL re-draft alters course of Bengals history in huge way

2010 NFL re-draft alters course of Bengals history in huge way

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