With the No. 122 overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, the Cincinnati Bengals selected defensive tackle Andrew Billings, formerly of the Baylor Bears. Billings was long considered one of the top defensive linemen in this year's draft, but made a surprising fall to the fourth round after many expected him to go in the first.
Bengals end draft slide for DT Andrew Billings with No. 122 pick
Billings is a disruptive interior lineman that should be able to play right away.
Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images
Billings was a first-team All-American and a unanimous first-team All-Big 12 player in 2015, his junior season. He was also named the Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year, was a semi-finalist for the Bednarik Award and in 2014 he was a consensus first-team All-Big 12 player. In other words, he earned all the praise he’s received.
Billings was a part in the most successful three-year span in Baylor history, which included a pair of Big 12 championships, 32 wins and a bowl win. He had 30 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks, 15 quarterback hurries and 107 tackles in 36 games over three years with the school.
Off the field, he has plenty of accolades as well. He is one of the strongest players in the draft and will immediately be one of the strongest players in the NFL. He broke a 22-year-old Texas prep state meet record with a 2,010-pound effort in weightlifting — that included an 805-pound squad, 500-pound bench and a 705-pound dead lift — back in 2012. The previous mark was held by WWE wrestler Mark Henry.
Billings may have even been in the discussion for the top pick in the draft were it not for a ridiculously strong defensive tackle class that also includes Alabama’s A’Shawn Robinson and Ole Miss’ Robert Nkemdiche. While most of the talk centered around the quarterback position and the big trades at the top of the draft, several teams are walking away with talented defensive linemen.
That includes the Bengals. Billings is the one in the gif above that looks like he’s moving faster than everyone else ... because he is. He immediately disrupts the play, sheds his blocker and completely annihilates the ball carrier. The guy never had a chance to make something of that play, and there are plenty of other examples of Billings completely dominating the flow of a play and, ultimately, the game.
He’s massively strong, uses leverage well, keeps his pad level low and effort has never once been considered an issue while at Baylor. Some have questioned his range and his ability to make plays outside of the hash marks. Well ...
The play above may not be representative of every single time Billings sees the field, but it’s clear the guy has speed, range and all the effort he’ll ever need. Billings has a high ceiling, a high floor and should be able to contribute as a rookie right out of the gate.
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