Tahj Brooks News: Taken by Cincinnati in sixth round

The Bengals selected Brooks in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, 193rd overall.

Brooks was a four-year starter at Texas Tech, breaking the school record with 4,560 career rushing yards while posting back-to-back 1,500-yard seasons in his junior and sophomore seasons. He's a compact back with a 5-foot-9, 214-pound frame, and his tempo and vision allows him to navigate through defenses to pick up tough yards. Though he's not the fastest back in the draft, Brooks displayed his quickness at the 2025 NFL Combine with a 4.06-second shuttle time and 6.90-second three-cone time. Chase Brown (ankle) and Zack Moss (neck) are the Bengals' top two running backs, but Brooks will have a shot to compete against veteran Samaje Perine for the No. 3 job.