Coley Harvey breaks down the 2016 Cincinnati Bengals draft class.

Round 1, Pick 24: William Jackson III, CB, Houston | Highlights

My take: If you're a Bengals fan, you may now start rueing the respective days the organization was unable to hang on to assistant coaches Jay Gruden, Mike Zimmer and Hue Jackson. All three made selections Thursday night that ultimately caused the Bengals to deviate from what many saw as the course that would have them taking a receiver in the first round. Hue Jackson, the Browns' current head coach, started the domino effect by drafting Corey Coleman 15th overall. Then Gruden and Zimmer took Josh Doctson and Laquon Treadwell at Nos. 22 and 23, to Washington and Minnesota, respectively. Because of those moves, the Bengals had to focus on one of their defensive possibilities. One of this draft class' fastest players and top cover corners, Jackson is a strong selection. The fact he came to Cincinnati after several overtures from rival Pittsburgh (25th selection) during the draft process makes it an even better pick for the Bengals.

Cornerback kings: Cornerbacks have defined the first round for the Bengals in recent history. Three of their past five first-round selections have come at that position. Dre Kirkpatrick (2012) and Darqueze Dennard (2014) are their other more recent selections. Before that, Leon Hall (2007) and Johnathan Joseph (2006) were other first-round picks. Current corner Adam Jones wasn't drafted by Cincinnati, but he also is a former first-rounder. As for Kirkpatrick and Dennard, it took both a couple of seasons before becoming regular contributors in the defense. Bengals coach Marvin Lewis doesn't anticipate it will take William Jackson too long before getting onto the field, although Lewis stressed Thursday night that the corner would have to show he could play on special teams first.

What does it mean for Kirkpatrick? This will become one of the big questions of the remainder of the offseason: What happens to Kirkpatrick from here? The veteran is entering a contract year after having his fifth-year option picked up last spring. This could be a make-or-break season for him as the Bengals now have another a taller corner to compete for long-term playing time with him. Why are the Bengals so high on Jackson? Perhaps his nation-leading 28 pass breakups and 4.37 40-yard combine time help explain it.

Round 2, Pick No. 55: Tyler Boyd, WR, Pittsburgh | Highlights

My take: The Bengals continue to quietly hit home runs in this draft. Are we really surprised, though? After all, this is the same team that caught the league off guard last year with back-to-back picks of offensive tackles in Rounds 1 and 2, then ended up giving both players legitimate playing time at the end of their rookie seasons. As quickly as Cedric Ogbuehi and Jake Fisher panned out, the Bengals are hoping Boyd will do the same now that he's in stripes. Yes, it would have been nice if the Bengals could have gotten a receiver in the first round, but this was perhaps the best alternative.

Sanu Part 2: One of Boyd's most valued traits is his versatility. If you'll recall, after Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu left in free agency, "versatility" was the buzzword around the Bengals. That was specifically the case following Sanu's departure because he was Cincinnati's relative Swiss Army knife on offense the past four seasons. That's very much the role Boyd played at Pitt. There, he ran the ball off jet sweeps, lined up in the backfield at times, played in the slot, threw on a rare occasion and made plays as an outside receiver. While the Bengals will want Boyd to catch passes as a traditional receiver, don't be surprised if he helps their offense showcase a few of the wrinkles that made it so unique in recent seasons.

Terrible Towel waver: Not only did Boyd play at Pitt, but he's from western Pennsylvania, meaning he grew up a Steelers fan. On a conference call with Bengals media, he admitted to having pictures in his home of him as a kid in a Hines Ward jersey. Naturally, that won't go over big in Cincinnati, but he promised to sacrifice himself for the team that drafted him. He knows he's a Bengal now, and he's proud of that. The Terrible Towel is being buried for now.

Round 3, Pick No. 72: Nick Vigil, ILB, Utah State| Highlights

My take: Give the Bengals credit for carefully examining their draft board and then having the resolve to stick so closely to it that they selected a player at a time no one else likely would have. That takes some courage. Prior to his selection at No. 87 overall, Vigil had been expecting to be taken as early as the middle of the third round, and as late as the middle of the fifth. At the very least, he was banking on a Day-3 selection that was most likely to come in the fourth round. But no, the Bengals took him one round prior. In most instances, such an earlier-than-expected selection might be considered lunacy. But this time, maybe not. The Bengals are so secure in their roster that their only worry at this point is to lock down the back end. As a quick, multi-positional linebacker, Vigil should take care of that well.

Fast, instinctual ... running back?: The three on-field characteristics you need to know about Vigil are the ones here in bold. Timed by the Bengals with a 4.66-second 40-yard dash, he's a quick player who plays that way. Although coaches tried to shy away from comparing him to another NFL player, they do believe his game tape revealed flashes of Luke Kuechly-style instincts and pass coverage ability. Vigil appears to understand the game well, and that carries a lot of weight in the minds of Marvin Lewis, Paul Guenther and Jim Haslett, three Bengals coaches who have all coached the linebacker position at some point during their careers. Oh, by the way, Vigil also was a running back briefly at Utah State. Last season, he had 41 rushes with three touchdowns in mostly goal-line and short-yardage activity.

Bring back the rat-tail: Along with being a bit of a throwback on the field, Vigil has some of that style off it, as well. Up until the combine, he sported a rat-tail that he grew in college. When he was in high school, he always wanted the unique hairstyle that had its peak popularity in the early 1990s. Vigil cut the rat-tail just before the pre-draft period because he didn't want it to take away from any visits he had with coaches and general managers. But now that he's been drafted, maybe he'll bring it back?

Andrew Billings is on the short side at 6-0, but that hasn't stopped Geno Atkins from dominating. AP Photo/Rod Aydelotte

Round 4, Pick 123: Andrew Billings, OT, LSU | Highlights

My take: Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin doesn't get anywhere near the credit he ought to nationally, but he has been successfully guiding the Bengals to unexpectedly strong draft hauls the past five years. For him and his staff to demonstrate the patience to wait on a player like Billings said something. It said that unlike some teams that might give in to popular opinion and go with the players who have been mocked to them in specific rounds, the Bengals consistently stay true to their draft board. Coach Marvin Lewis believes Billings likely slipped all the way into the fourth round because of his height. At 6-foot, Billings is shorter than most players at his position. In that way, he's similar to Geno Atkins, the Bengals' Pro Bowler who is only 6-foot-1. Atkins also fell into the fourth round in 2010. Along with Atkins and Billings, the Bengals also took defensive tackles Domata Peko (2006) and Marcus Hardison (2015) in the fourth round.

Round 5, Pick No. 161: Christian Westerman, G, Arizona | Highlights

My take: The Bengals have done a good job of using all five of their draft picks to this point on players from different positions. They've gone cornerback, receiver, linebacker, defensive line and now offensive line. These moves are all about bolstering depth, and particularly the back-end depth as it comes to the most recent three picks. That said, though, in typical Bengals fashion, don't be surprised if some of these rookies contribute in some capacity this season. Westerman probably isn't going to be one of them, but he could help jolt starting center Russell Bodine, a former fourth-rounder who has started since he was selected in 2014. A guard and tackle in college, Westerman projects to be an interior lineman. Even if he doesn't play center -- the Bengals have worked him out there before -- Westerman's arrival also could have an impact on guard Kevin Zeitler. The veteran is entering a contract year.

More Bengals versatility: After receiver Tyler Boyd's (second round) and linebacker Nick Vigil's respective versatility was celebrated Friday, the Bengals have reason to do the same with Westerman. His ability to play all over the offensive line is similar to the way the Bengals are hoping Vigil resumes his ability to play at several linebacker spots like he did at Utah State. Similarly, Boyd lined up in the slot, on the outside and in the backfield at Pitt. It will be interesting to track his development the next couple of years.

Round 6, Pick 199 Cody Core, WR, Mississippi | Highlights

My take: Core could begin his time with the Bengals on special teams. Although he was a valued pass-catcher at Mississippi, he also was a defensive back and did play on punt and kickoff teams during his college career. He had eight tackles in both 2012 and 2013 when he played in all three phases of the game.

Round 7, Pick 245 Clayton Fejedelem, S, Illinois

My take: While the safety's college career ended at Illinois, it began at NAIA school St. Xavier. It's a rare rise from a little-known school to the NFL. In Fejedelem, the Bengals picked up a player who likely will spend any playing time he receives this fall on special teams. That said, he'll be given every chance to make the roster in the mold of Derron Smith, the 2015 sixth-round safety who came off the special-teams squads as a rookie to fill in on occasion on defense. Fejedelem doesn't come to the Bengals quite as highly decorated as Smith, though.