Cincinnati Bengals Select Running Back Tahj Brooks in Sixth Round of 2025 NFL Draft

The Bengals selected Texas Tech running back Tahj Brooks in the sixth round (193rd overall) in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Brooks gives the Bengals a young running back that they can develop behind Chase Brown and company.

He was projected to be a fifth round pick according to Dane Brugler.

"With his low center of gravity, Brooks runs with tempo and vision to navigate through bodies and the physicality to finish each run (usually after breaking a few tackles)," Brugler wrote. "Though his quickness is an asset, his lack of top-end acceleration put a cap on some of the ways he produced against Big 12 defenses. Overall, Brooks won't be a fit for a team searching for a speed back, but his agility, contact balance and feel as a runner directly leads to rushing production. Even with worn treads, the dependability factor plays to his favor, because of his durability and reliability on third downs."

Brooks is a 5-9, 220 pound running back and should pair well with Brown. He ran for back-to-back 1,500 yard seasons in his junior and senior year. He also topped the 95-yard mark with 22-straight games of 95 yards or more.

The Bengals also have Samaje Perine and Zack Moss in the running back room. Brooks gives them a compact, strong runner that could get on the field as a rookie. He also caught 20+ in three-straight seasons.