Just like the Cleveland Browns, the Cincinnati Bengals used their first-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft to select a former Buckeye in Billy Price. The Bengals took it one step further in selecting Sam Hubbard with their third-round pick.
Also much like the Browns, the Bengals haven't drafted many former Buckeyes in recent history and when they have, the success rate hasn't been all that high.
Let's take a look back at the last five Buckeyes – prior to Price and Hubbard – to be selected by the Bengals and how their NFL careers panned out.
Reid Fragel, Offensive Tackle, 2013
Fragel was taken with the 240th selection in the seventh round by the Bengals in 2013. A converted tight end, Fragel spent his senior year at Ohio State playing tackle for Urban Meyer's first team in Columbus, helping the Buckeyes to an undefeated season.
Fragel didn't last long in Cincinnati. He was signed by the Browns off the Bengals practice squad in October of 2013, where he spent the remainder of his rookie season. He has since played for the Falcons, Buccaneers, Chiefs and Vikings, making his only NFL game appearance for Tampa Bay in 2015.
He spent the majority of the offseason in 2017 in Minnesota before being waived in early September, and is not currently on an NFL roster.
Dan Herron, Running Back, 2012
An infamous member of Ohio State's tattoo scandal, Herron played the final eight games of the Buckeyes' 2011 season after being suspended for the first five. After rushing for 672 yards during his senior campaign, he was selected with the 191st pick in the sixth round of the 2012 draft by the Bengals.
Herron spent just one season with Cincinnati, appearing in just three games before being signed by Indianapolis in 2013. After playing in just six games in 2013, Herron had his most successful season in 2014, rushing for 351 yards on 78 carries and a touchdown. He also caught 21 passes that season and started three games while playing in all 16 regular season contests.
Herron was signed by Buffalo in 2015 but played just four games with the Bills before being re-signed by the Colts, where he played six games that season. He returned to the Bills for training camp in 2016, but did not make the final roster cut in September, marking the last time he played in the NFL.
Dan Wilkinson, Defensive Tackle, 1994
In 1994, the Bengals took 'Big Daddy' Wilkinson with the first overall pick in the NFL Draft, and would not take a Buckeye for the next 18 years in the draft.
Wilkinson spent four years in Cincinnati, collecting 128 tackles and 25 sacks in that span, but the Bengals never made the playoffs in his time there.
The former Buckeye was traded to Washington in 1998, spending his next five NFL seasons in the nation's capital. He recorded 107 tackles and 23 sacks with the Redskins, making just one playoff appearance in that stretch. He finished his NFL career with three seasons in Detroit and his final campaign in Miami in 2006. He retired with 54.5 career sacks and 298 career tackles.
Jeff Cothran, Fullback, 1994
Much like 2018, the Bengals used their first- and third-round picks on Buckeyes in the 1994 draft, selecting fullback Jeff Cothran with the 66th overall pick in the third round.
Cothran, who scored eight touchdowns as a Buckeye and rushed for more than 800 career yards, spent three seasons with the Bengals before finishing his football career in the Arena League. He carried the ball 57 times for 191 yards in Cincinnati, scoring one touchdown on the ground and adding another receiving score.
His football career ended with three seasons in the AFL, culminating with the now-defunct Florida Bobcats in 2001.
Steve Tovar, Linebacker, 1993
Tovar was taken by the Bengals with the 59th overall pick in the third round of the 1993 draft after a stellar career at Ohio State which included a pair of All-America honors and the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Award in 1992.
Tovar spent five of his eight NFL seasons with the Bengals, tallying 361 tackles, seven sacks and seven interceptions. He played three more seasons after his Bengals career was over, playing two seasons in San Diego and one in Carolina.
Prior to Tovar, you would have to go back to the 1987 draft to find a Buckeye taken by the Bengals, when Cincinnati selected defensive back Sonny Gordon in the sixth round.
Fast Forward: Billy Price, Sam Hubbard, 2018
Price and Hubbard made up two of the first three picks by the Bengals in the 2018 draft, replicating the 1994 draft. The duo are both Ohio natives, and Hubbard is a native of the Queen City.
With the Bengals' needs on the offensive line, Price could be asked to play immediately, while Hubbard will likely have to earn his way to a starting role with Cincinnati.
