Bengals C Billy Price on Ohio State QB Dwayne Haskins: ‘I’d love to see him close to home in Cincinnati’

Center Billy Price readily acknowledges his bias when it comes to assessing NFL Draft prospects at Ohio State, from where the Cincinnati Bengals made him a first-round draft pick last year.

“Obviously, my guys are the best guys in the draft,” he told Bob Papa and Charlie Weis on The Opening Drive.

‘He’s going to be phenomenal’

In particular, Price sees quarterback Dwayne Haskins as having the ability to be a long-term starter in the NFL. Price also wouldn’t mind if the Bengals felt the same way and selected Haskins later this month.

“I think Dwayne is going to be a franchise guy later on, once he gets the offense rolling, once he gets complete control of what he’s doing in whatever program, whatever franchise, whatever type of offense he’s in,” Price said. “He’s going to be phenomenal. And I really look forward to watching him develop as he gets up in the NFL. Again, I’d love to see him close to home in Cincinnati with me whenever, you know, Andy (Dalton) decides to hang it up. But it’s going to be great. He’s going to be a very good player.”

‘There’s a little sense of urgency around the building lately’

Price said he has noticed a “completely different” energy during the Bengals’ offseason workouts under new coach Zac Taylor and his staff.

“I have to prove to him, I have to show him that I am his guy, a franchise guy in the center of that line, making sure I hold things down.”

“There’s a little sense of urgency around the building lately,” Price said. He feels a great deal of it as a first-round pick in 2018 by a different head coach, Marvin Lewis, and a different offensive line coach, Frank Pollack.

‘It’s just tremendous, tremendous expectation, especially on myself’

“These guys weren’t the guys that drafted you,” Price said. “Coach Pollack and Coach Lewis gave me a great opportunity in Cincinnati. It’s just tremendous, tremendous expectation, especially on myself, especially coming in early. Went through preseason, went through the first two games, (suffered a foot injury) in the second game, and then I went away had some rough stuff, issues that I had to make sure I got fixed on the field-wise.

“And then coming into this year again, (new offensive line coach Jim) Turner and I have never worked together before. He’s never been able to coach me, I’ve never been under his authority, etc. So I have to prove to him, I have to show him that I am his guy, a franchise guy in the center of that line, making sure I hold things down.”