Back in the 2017 NFL Draft, the Cincinnati Bengals made a former Washington Huskies wide receiver one of the highest-drafted players in program history.

Coming off his then-NFL record 40-yard dash in the 2017 NFL Combine (4.22 seconds), the Bengals selected wide receiver John Ross III ninth overall. The other former Huskies ranked ahead or at the same spot as Ross are: defensive end Steve Emtman (first overall - 1992), quarterbacks Jake Locker (eighth overall - 2011) and Michael Penix Jr. (eighth overall - 2024), wide receiver Rome Odunze (ninth overall - 2024) and wide receiver Reggie Williams (ninth overall - 2004).

In addition to the Bengals drafting Ross high, they were also the longest stop for one of the best quarterbacks in Washington's recent history. Quarterback Jake Browning played with Cincinnati from 2021-25 and played in 17 games (10 starts).

On Friday, in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft, the Bengals' affinity with former Huskies grew by one more player.

Cincinnati selected cornerback Tacario Davis with the 72nd overall pick of the draft.

The 6-foot-4, 194-pound defensive back joined Washington this past season after three years with the Arizona Wildcats. He was originally recruited by current UW head coach Jedd Fisch while the latter was the head coach at Arizona.

Davis opted to not follow Fisch to the Pacific Northwest in the latter's first year coaching the Huskies.

While Davis was with Arizona, he was a two-time all-conference selection. He was second-team All-Pac-12 in 2023 and was second team All-Big 12 in 2024 following the Wildcats' move to the Big 12.

Davis was unable to put together a full year in his lone season on Montlake due to injuries. The cornerback was limited to just seven games due to a rib and hamstring injury, respectively.

The Long Beach, Calif., native still found a way to make an impact in his limited time on the field this season. He finished the year with 19 total tackles (16 solo), including one tackle for loss, two interceptions and five passes defended.

Davis' combination of size and weight already made him an intriguing prospect for several teams. He added speed to the mix, as well and ran a 4.41 40-yard dash at the 2026 NFL Combine. He was regarded as one of the best cornerbacks in press-coverage in this year's draft.

Due to the current status of the Bengals' cornerback rooms, Davis will have an opportunity to earn starting reps this offseason. He'll have a chance to sharpen his skills against one of the best wide receiver rooms in the NFL, which featured Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.

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