Tacario Davis to Bengals in NFL draft: Instant grade for round 3 pick

The Cincinnati Bengals remained committed to overhauling their defense by taking Washington Huskies cornerback Tacario Davis in Round 3 with the 72nd overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft.

Davis is the ninth defensive player the Bengals have taken in Rounds 1-3 since 2023. Cincinnati used both its picks Friday night on defensive players, with Davis following second-round pick Cashius Howell of Texas A&M.

Here's our instant draft grade and our rapid analysis of the pick:

Washington cornerback Tacario Davis to Bengals NFL draft grade: Instant reaction

Grade: C+

Why: "Doesn't miss many tackles," ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. said of Davis.

That's a big deal for the Bengals, who led the NFL in missed tackles last season. Remember safety Geno Stone consistently whiffing on tackles downfield? Davis' job will be to help fix that as the Bengals' potential new nickel. He should bolster the depth of a secondary that includes talented cornerbacks Dax Hill and DJ Turner and newly signed veteran safety Bryan Cook.

Davis, 6-foot-4 and 194 pounds, is big and fast and has the ability to cover one-on-one downfield. But draft analysts are critical of his footwork, saying he struggles to quickly change directions. One ESPN analyst called Davis' technique "sloppy."