Jan 2, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs wide receiver Brenen Thompson (0) makes a opening play catch defended by Wake Forest Demon Deacons defensive back Karon Prunty (3) during the first quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

ACC Star Defensive Back Nails Down Pre-Draft Visit With Bengals

Originally posted on Cincinnati Bengals on SI
By Russell Heltman | Last updated Apr 2, 2026 11:17 AM ET

The pre-draft visits are flowing in hot and heavy for the Bengals as we sit just a few weeks away from the 2026 NFL Draft. ESPN's Ben Baby posted on X this week that former Wake Forest cornerback Karon Prunty is going through a Top 30 visit with the Bengals.

Prunty is ranked 398th on the Mock Draft Database's consensus big board and is more of a UDFA candidate in this class.

"Former Wake Forest CB Karon Prunty has a Top 30 visit scheduled with the Bengals. Was the Demon Deacons’ No. 1 cornerback last season and was a third-team All-ACC selection in 2025," Baby posted on X.

Canvassing The Class

Melina Myers-Imagn Images

The All-ACC talent played in all 13 games last season. Pro Football Focus graded him as the No. 12 coverage cornerback in the country and second-best in the ACC after a strong redshirt senior season.

Cincinnati just added another name to its cornerback room on Thursday in former Chargers defender Ja'Sir Taylor to mix with Dax Hill, DJ Turner II, and Jalen Davis.

It's all in an effort to turn around one of the worst defenses in the NFL last season. Bengals defensive coordinator Al Golden is ready to put that rough campaign behind his young unit.

"Really excited about the nucleus we have coming back," Golden said at the 2026 NFL Combine. "It’s not just a fresh start, you know what I mean. You’re starting from ground zero. There are pieces there. A healthy Dax at the end of last year, if you look at his last eight, nine games, when he was healthy. Really starting to transition better. His change of direction got better. His agility got better. His man coverage got better. Really excited about that. DJ came on for us. We talked about the linebackers, talked about JB (Jordan Battle). Myles Murphy really improved. So no, I’m excited. I feel like we can add pieces to it. We can add the leadership. They have to match our culture. They have to have the FBI that we need. Obviously, we need some impact guys. That would be great."

This article first appeared on Cincinnati Bengals on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: