Bengals double dip at two positions, add offensive weapon to round out their 2025 NFL Draft class
The Cincinnati Bengals stuck with their final three picks on Day 3 of the 2025 NFL Draft. Two position groups received added reinforcements after needs were addressed in the second and third round, and the Bengals officially close out the week with six new players. Let's take an in-depth look at the three picks Cincinnati […]
The Cincinnati Bengals stuck with their final three picks on Day 3 of the 2025 NFL Draft. Two position groups received added reinforcements after needs were addressed in the second and third round, and the Bengals officially close out the week with six new players.
Let's take an in-depth look at the three picks Cincinnati made Saturday afternoon.
Bengals Day 3 picks in the 2025 NFL Draft
- Round 4, Pick 119: Clemson LB Barrett Carter
- Round 5, Pick 153: Miami OT Jalen Rivers
- Round 6, Pick 193: Texas Tech RB Tahj Brooks
Barrett Carter gives Al Golden's defense another linebacker variation
Linebacker was not expected to be a position the Bengals double up on in the draft, but Barrett Carter remaining on the board in the middle of the fourth round had the Bengals making the call anyways. Cincinnati drafted Demetrius Knight Jr. in the second round.
The difference between the two, according to defensive coordinator Al Golden, is that Carter projects as a true inside "stack" linebacker whereas Knight fits the mold of an outside "combo" backer.
Golden's classification of each player is telling. From a depth chart perspective, consider Carter the new backup for Wilson when the defense is in nickel personnel with two LBs on the field. He could be paired next to Wilson in 3-4 groupings when two inside backers are flanked by outside backers playing on the edge. Knight could see the field in nickel next to Wilson and rep alongside him and Oren Burks in 4-3 packages with three off-ball backers.
There's also familiarity in the locker room for Carter. He played two years with defensive end Myles Murphy at Clemson and went to high school with cornerback DJ Turner II. Turner and Carter FaceTimed each other after the pick was made.
Barrett Carter is a former five-star recruit who didn't quite live up to the hype at Clemson. He had flashes throughout his four-year career with three years as a starter. Even if he didn't become an All-American at Clemson, he still had some solid production; he finished his career with 12.5 sacks and 31.5 tackles for loss. The athletic traits that led to him being a five-star recruit will help him carve out a role early into his career, whether that's on special teams or as a rotational linebacker. And if he buys into his coaching staff's training philosophies, he could very well end up being a major steal. – A to Z Sports' Destin Adams
Jalen Rivers fills an underrated need along the Bengals' offensive line
Cincinnati ran into issues last season when starting offensive tackles Orlando Brown Jr. and Amarius Mims suffered injuries after Trent Brown went down with a season-ending injury of his own. Depth at one of the most important positions on the offensive side of the ball flew under the radar as one of the roster's most concerning weaknesses, and Jalen Rivers has been drafted in the fifth round to solve that problem.
Rivers was a highly-touted tackle recruit back in 2020 who ended up starting at guard as an underclassman and went through his own injury struggles during those first two years. His only full season was at left tackle in 2023, and he started 2024 at that spot before another injury took him out five games. When he returned, he was tasked with playing left tackle and left guard, alternating positions throughout his final seven games.
That's a rare form of versatility Rivers can hang his hat on, the kind of versatility Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin highlighted in his pre-draft press conference earlier this week.
"I think versatility is important," Tobin said. "If you're a starter, it's less important. If you're a backup. It's paramount. On the offensive line, you have to, as a backup, be able to cover two spots. Whether it's tackle or guard, or whether it's guard and center, or whether it's both sides, you have to have position versatility as a backup offensive lineman."
Rivers' best chance of dressing on game days is to prove his worth at tackle, but if he's cross-training at guard to provide emergency depth, no one should be surprised. His presence will allow the team to go lighter along the o-line if other positions need more bodies.
Tahj Brooks can become Chase Brown's new partner in crime
To round out their draft, the Bengals picked running back Tahj Brooks to add size and explosion to a running back room that's quite crowded at the moment.
Chase Brown leads the group with Samaje Perine and Zack Moss set to make the team behind him. Brooks will come in to compete with Perine and Moss and potentially emerge as the No. 2.
Perine and Moss' veteran experience gives them a leg up on the competition, but Brooks hasn't found a challenge he can't run through yet.
Brooks played five years at Texas Tech and led the team in rushing for four of them. His physical style of running resulted in him leading all running backs in forced missed tackles with 96 in 2023 according to Pro Football Focus. He leaves the college game with 879 career attempts to his name; a workload that surely led to him falling to the middle of the sixth round.
Punishing would-be tacklers is one thing, preventing would-be sackers is another. Brooks is an experienced pass blocker in the backfield, taking 324 reps and allowing just two sacks, per PFF.
Is Brooks the long-term thunder to Brown's lightning? He'll have his chances to be just that.
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