Maintaining a strong locker room is a tall task in the NFL. Coaching continuity can go a long way, but ultimately, the players are responsible for leading themselves on the field, in practice, and in meetings.

It's an unheralded aspect of the Cincinnati Bengals' resurgence over the past two years. Head coach Zac Taylor and de facto GM Duke Tobin have a shared vision of the kind of players they want on the roster, and the vast majority are natural leaders.

Since 2020, the Bengals have drafted at least one college captain in each NFL Draft and eight total since that year. They added five alone in 2020, including Joe Burrow and Logan Wilson, and traded up for captains Cam Taylor-Britt and Tycen Anderson last year.

Set to enter the draft with seven picks, odds are the Bengals will use one on a player who had a captain's patch, and at a winning program to boot. This is even more likely when looking at the fifth round and beyond, as they've drafted one in the final three rounds in the past three drafts. 

The captains that fall that far in the draft usually have some athletic or production shortcomings. Meanwhile, the Burrows, Wilsons, and Taylor-Britts of the world have basically all the boxes checked in their profile. 

What are those prospects in this year's class? I went and identified 10 college captains likely to go in the first three rounds of the draft who play positions the Bengals will be targeting early. 

10 former team captains on the Bengals’ radar

Michael Mayer, Tight End, Notre Dame

2022 captain

Average Big Board Rank: 20.1

Where they would have to draft him: First round (28). Mayer's not likely to fall to pick 28, and that's quite alright for some who believe a tight end isn't worth a first-round pick. That philosophy won't resonate inside the Bengals war room if he somehow survives 27 picks.

Adetomiwa Adebawore, Interior Defender, Northwestern

2022 captain

Average Big Board Rank: 54.6

Where they would have to draft him: First round (28). Originally pegged as a Friday night selection for most of the pre-draft process, Adebawore has done everything in his power to sneak into the first round, and he might just do it. No way he's lasting all the way to the end of the second round. 

Sam LaPorta, Tight End, Iowa

2022 captain

Average Big Board Rank: 59.3

Where they would have to draft him: First round (28). I'm not buying the low big board rankings for LaPorta. He's more likely to go in the top 40 than last all the way until 60, even in a deep tight end class. The NFL gods will likely give him the best overall career out of all the tight ends just because he won't be picked first out them.

Isaiah Foskey, Edge Defender, Notre Dame

2022 captain

Average Big Board Rank: 56

Where they would have to draft him: Second round (60). There are quite a few edge defenders who fit the physical profile the Bengals look for, and Foskey fits better than most. He could go anywhere in the second round, and there's a possibility he slips into the third. 

Derick Hall, Edge Defender, Auburn

2022 captain

Average Big Board Rank: 57.4

Where they would have to draft him: Second round (60). Hall's a bit smaller compared to Foskey (and one more edge we'll get to in a minute) but 34.5" arms make up for the lack of ideal height and weight. His production profile screams value in the second round.

Keeanu Benton, Interior Defender, Wisconsin

2022 captain

Average Big Board Rank: 59.6

Where they would have to draft him: Second round (60). An early investment at either defensive tackle spot would be wise for Cincinnati, giving the team a boost in the pass-rush, or a long-term replacement for D.J. Reader. Benton could provide both, but he's far from a guarantee to last until the 60th pick.

Clark Phillips III, Cornerback, Utah

2022 captain

Average Big Board Rank: 59.8

Where they would have to draft him: Second round (60). A forgotten name amidst a talented cornerback class, Phillips has everything except for ideal weight and length, which will push him into Day 2 status. That said, there's plenty of ball production to adore as a guy who played on the boundary and in the slot. 

Isaiah McGuire, Edge Defender, Missouri

2022 captain

Average Big Board Rank: 96.1

Where they would have to draft him: Third round (92). As we enter third-round range, it's only right another edge gets propped up. Cincinnati has a long history of drafting defensive linemen in the third round, and McGuire has the dimensions and production to make defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo pound the table for him.

Blake Freeland, Tackle, BYU

2022 captain

Average Big Board Rank: 112.6

Where they would have to draft him: Third round (92). If you want to bet on athletic upside, Freeland is your edge protector beyond the first round. The movement skills and experience may get him all the way up into the second round. Everything else that gives teams pause may have him going sometime in the third.

Roschon Johnson, Running Back, Texas

2022 captain

Average Big Board Rank: 115.5

Where they would have to draft him: Third round (92). A running back had to make the list somewhere. Johnson's being Bijan Robinson's backup for a few years hardly diminishes how evaluators feel about him. His NFL-ready size without the wear and tear combined with a willingness to do everything will have his team falling in love. 

Average big board rank provided by Neal Angleberger (@nangleberger on Twitter).