Instant NFL Draft Grade: Bengals Reach on Tacario Davis in Round 3

The Cincinnati Bengals traded their first-round pick for superstar defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft. They added Texas A&M edge rusher with their second-round pick at No. 41 overall. These two additions are huge for the Bengals, but they still needed to upgrade their secondary.

In the third round, the Bengals shocked a lot of people by selecting 6-foot-4 cornerback Tacario Davis out of Washington. Davis has a lot of potential, but this feels like a bit of a reach for the Bengals at Pick 72.

"Yeah, there's not many guys really at that position when you talk about being able to change directions, being able to line up and play physical at the line of scrimmage, but then also match the routes vertically. There's not a lot of guys just athletically, that can do that," Bengals assistant GM Trey Smith said after the pick. "We saw that on tape. And also saw it with all the workouts that he's had. He was a guy that really, every step of the way, you're like, wow, look at him there. Wow."

Bengals Reach For Tacario Davis With Third Round Pick

Feb 26, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Washington defensive back Tacario Davis (DB05) speaks to members of the media during the NFL Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images | Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images

NFL Draft Grade: C+

Davis is a reach. He is ranked 120th on the consensus big board from Arif Hasan. There were better options on the board. The Bengals could have taken a chance on Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy, though his knee issues might be worse than everybody on the outside is privy to.

This is the ultimate lottery ticket addition for a Bengals team that has a few solid cornerbacks on the roster right now. The Bengals didn't need a cornerback who would start on the boundary, but both their starting cornerbacks, Dax Hill and DJ Turner II, are free agents after next season.

If they can help develop Davis for a year, he could be tasked with helping lighten the blow of losing one or both starting cornerbacks. The move doesn't help the Bengals much right now, which isn't great, but Davis has some potential to develop and could play an impact role on special teams.

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