Surprise Name Could Have Major Potential in Bengals' 2026 Slot Cornerback Competition

It's time to turn our attention to the player with clear potential to emerge as a playmaker at the slot cornerback position.

Bralyn Lux is entering his second NFL season after being signed as an undrafted free agent by the Bengals out of Texas Tech in 2025.

Lux faced an uphill battle last year and got waived as part of the final roster cuts. He then signed to the practice squad, though he managed to be elevated for the Bengals final two games of the season last year and played 19 total snaps as a rotational player against the Cardinals and Browns.

Lux Could Make Mike Hilton-Type Leap

Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Bralyn Lux (21) catches a throw during a preseason training camp practice in downtown Cincinnati on Thursday, July 31, 2025. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Lux was making the most of the opportunities he was being given during Training Camp and the Preseason, flashing ability to come up the line of scrimmage and make big plays off the edge in a very similar way that Mike Hilton did for the Bengals for many years.

While he was ultimately waived during final cuts, Zac Taylor and Al Golden may have seen potential in him after adding him to the practice squad as soon as possible. He even earned playing time as a first-year undrafted free agent at the end of the season.

Lux's trend of earning playing time has continued into the 2026 offseason program as well, evidenced by his earning of first-team reps during OTA's, something that solidified him as a true competitor in the teams three-way competition at slot corner.

During his college career, Lux played primarily as a boundary corner, accruing 159 tackles, two sacks, two forced fumbles, four interceptions, and an impressive 25 passes defended, including eight in his first season with Texas Tech in 2023.

From those numbers alone, Lux has the ball skills needed to play in the NFL. His best fit obviously comes in the slot due to his size of 5-foot-10 and 180 pounds, but he has shown that he can certainly move to the outside corner spot in a pinch.

Entering his age 26 season, there is a chance that Lux takes the opportunity to compete against Davis and Taylor and seizes the starting nickelback job from both veterans. Should that happen, it is logical to believe that he could become the team's long-term answer at the position given his playmaking ability and versatility, much like Hilton did across four seasons.

Mike Hilton, I mean Bralyn Lux mixing it up in the run game pic.twitter.com/EFelRTrGiL
— Bengals & Brews (@BengalsBrews) August 19, 2025

Bralyn Lux pic.twitter.com/4X9n0lJXBS
— Bengals & Brews (@BengalsBrews) August 9, 2025

Bralyn Lux in the slot with the starters 👀 https://t.co/Feo5ppOAvj
— Goodberry (@JoeGoodberry) June 16, 2026

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