Without a first-round pick after trading the 10th overall selection to the New York Giants for Dexter Lawrence, the Cincinnati Bengals made seven selections across Rounds 2 through 7 of the 2026 NFL Draft. They opened with edge rusher Cashius Howell out of Texas A&M at No. 41, followed by cornerback Tacario Davis out of Washington at No. 72, center Connor Lew out of Auburn at No. 110, wide receiver Colbie Young out of Georgia at No. 128, offensive tackle Brian Parker II out of Duke at No. 189, tight end Jack Endries out of Texas at No. 221, and defensive tackle Landon Robinson out of Navy at No. 226. 

It’s a class built almost entirely around defense, which makes sense given where this roster has been bleeding over the past three seasons. But of all seven picks, one player stands out as perhaps the most intriguing and consequential selection of Cincinnati’s entire draft weekend: Davis.

To understand what the Bengals are getting with Davis, look no further than his measurements and what the tape shows. Davis is 6-foot-4 and 194 pounds with arms just shy of 34 inches and a wingspan just shy of 81 inches. At the combine, he ran a 4.41 in the 40-yard dash with a 37-inch vertical and a 9.76 Relative Athletic Score. 

To put that in perspective, most cornerbacks in this draft are 5-foot-11. Davis is four inches taller, runs just as fast, and has arms that close passing windows like a shade being pulled down.

Defensive coordinator Al Golden made no effort to hide the motivation behind the selection when he addressed the media: “Elite length.“We wanted length. We targeted length.”

Assistant GM Trey Brown also didn’t mince words when discussing the Bengals’ decision to select Davis: “We love cover guys. Tacario Davis in the third round is an outstanding pick for us. He’s a guy we targeted through the draft process. When you look at big, long, athletic corners that can absolutely fly, he checked the box.” 

And the tape backs up the freakish testing. Davis is a physical, press-man corner who does a good job riding receivers outside and pressing them to the sideline, consistently throwing off timing with an effective jam. He’s active in the run game, comes downhill, and is a consistent and willing tackler who uses his length to wrap up. 

Across his college career at Arizona and Washington, he totaled 95 tackles, three interceptions, and 25 passes defensed in 37 games, including 15 passes defensed in 2023 alone. Davis finished second in the Pac-12 in passes defended in 2023, which tracks with how his length creates chaos in passing windows even when he’s not fully in position.

Davis should come in and compete right away for the CB3 job behind Dax Hill and DJ Turner II. Both Hill and Turner are in their contract years in 2026, which means the Bengals are drafting a cornerback they hope is ready to start by 2027 at the latest. Davis is 21 years old, he’s cheap on a rookie deal for four years, and if he develops under a competent coaching staff, he slots perfectly into the outside boundary role that fits his size. 

What’s really interesting about his fit alongside Lawrence and Howell is the complementary nature of the whole defense. Lawrence and Howell generate pressure from the line. 

If an opposing quarterback is forced to hold the ball, Davis’s length becomes exponentially more valuable. He can cover an extra half-second in man coverage because his wingspan closes the passing window even when he’s a step late.

The Athletic’s Dane Brugler summarized his value perfectly: “Davis has truly unique measurables for a cornerback, which work against him at times, but his size-speed traits and ball skills are worth the gamble.” 

At pick 72, on a rookie deal, with Golden publicly saying he’s a starting-caliber NFL corner, this is exactly the kind of calculated bet a team built to win now should make.