As we noted in our instant analysis of the Cashius Howell pick, the Bengals got some productive pass-rushing help, but he’s a pretty extreme outlier in some measurements that could end up causing problems. Likewise, in our instant analysis of the Tacario Davis pick in the third round, most consensus boards suggest he was a major reach and he might only fill a niche as a tight-end stopper. That’s not to say they were bad picks.

But the Bengals taking risks and not aligning with consensus boards has come back to hurt them often. Even so, NFL draft grades mostly liked what the Bengals did through the first three rounds. NFL draft grades for BengalsUSA TodayMichael Middlehurst-Schwartz at USA Today gave the Bengals a B+ for the Howell pick, writing that they deserve “credit for breaking from its established pattern of prioritizing size and arm length.”Then, a B- for the Davis pick: “He offers depth and some developmental upside behind DJ Turner II and Dax Hill, who are both entering the final years of their deals.”NFL MediaOver at the NFL’s website, Chad Reuter has assigned the Bengals an A grade through three rounds.

There, more credit for the Bengals leaving their comfort zone: “The Bengals have typically relied on larger defensive ends, but signing Boye Mafe in free agency and picking Howell in Round 2 shows they’re open to building around players who lack ideal length off the edge.”CBS Sports As for CBS Sports, Carter Bahns has the Bengals at an A-, with the Davis pick a B-, and bringing things down a bit. He notes the loss of Trey Hendrickson and that “Cashius Howell dominated SEC offensive tackles during his Texas A&M career and could be in for a prolific pro career, even though his arms measured concerningly small.”The AthleticMore praise for the Bengals from The Athletic, where Nick Baumgardner and Scott Dochterman went with an A and B grades for their first two picks.

They especially complimented the overall reset of the Bengals defensive line. Baumgardner and Dochterman wrote the following: “The SEC defensive player of the year and a unanimous first-team All-American last season, Howell (6-2 1/2, 253) finished with 11 sacks, 14.5 tackles for loss and six passes defensed. The Bengals have reset their defensive line.”This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: NFL draft grades praise Bengals despite risky gambles