Bengals Draft Jonah Williams; Twitter Jokes Andy Dalton Will Get New Contract

The Cincinnati Bengals bolstered their offensive line by taking tackle Jonah Williams out of Alabama with the 11th overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft.  

Although some Bengals fans may have wanted to see the team select a potential successor to Andy Dalton, many on social media praised Cincinnati, highlighting Williams' versatility.

"

Jonah Williams could be a 5-for-1 player for the Bengals but I see him more of an inside guy than a tackle. Don't think he has the feet for LT. I still love him as a player, and he received excellent coaching at Alabama.

— Gil Brandt (@Gil_Brandt) April 26, 2019"

Others joked about what the pick meant for Dalton.

The Cincinnati Enquirer's Paul Dehner Jr. spoke with Dalton before the draft, and the incumbent starter sounded confident his job was safe for 2019.

"We've had conversations like that," he said. "Some people think we are taking a quarterback in the first. Some don’t. But I'm not worried about that. I know they have full confidence in what I can do. I've heard it from the top down. That's a good thing. I'm worried about learning and playing football right now."

Jonah Williams NFL Draft 2019: Scouting Report, Grade for Bengals Rookie

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This is the second straight year in which the Bengals used a first-round pick on an offensive lineman. They took center Billy Price 21st overall in 2018.

After Alabama's 28-point loss to Clemson in the national championship game, Williams announced he would forgo his senior season and enter the 2019 NFL draft.

Williams started all 44 games during his three seasons for the Crimson Tide. Williams' junior season saw him miss only three assignments in 920 snaps—not allowing a sack all season. 

Prior to the NFL combine, Bleacher Report's Matt Miller projected Williams to be the first offensive lineman taken. At the combine, Williams posted a 5.12 time in his 40-yard dash and 23 reps in his bench press. 

Throughout his Alabama career, Williams started at both left and right tackle. The Bengals first addressed their offensive line on March 12 by re-signing tackle Bobby Hart to a three-year contract.