With the 72nd overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Cincinnati Bengals selected Washington cornerback Tacario Davis.
The 6’4”, 194-pound DB has nearly a 6”9” wingspan. This projects an obvious immediate role covering tight ends, but could Davis be an eventual starter at outside cornerback?
Davis’s length jumps out at you, but he is much more than that.
In this clip, he shows smooth hips and excellent eye discipline. This combination allows him to run almost in unison with the route.
Here, you see Davis matched up against 2024 top 10 pick Rome Odunze on the vertical route on the outside.
Davis is patient and doesn’t flip his hips too soon or outrun the route.
He stays focused on the receiver until the receiver’s eyes take him to the ball, and Davis is able to knock it away.
This is a similar play, but on the goal line.
Here, Davis isn’t able to find the ball, but it doesn’t matter. Davis has great body position and is leaning on the route, taking him out of bounds. The receiver tries to go up and make a play, but Davis is simply too big to allow that.
I’ve shown a few clips where Davis is right where you want him to be, in perfect phase with the receiver, but there are many plays where Davis seems to be a bit behind just to show great burst and close when the ball is in the air.
This is a great example.
The quarterback thinks he has a touchdown, but Davis quickly slams that window shut.
Tacario Davis skills to be a quality starter at outside cornerback if he is called on to do so in his rookie season, particularly with Al Golden’s love for man coverage.
