The Cincinnati Bengals are heading into the 2025 season with one of the NFL’s most formidable offenses, and they may have found an unexpected new asset in Tahj Brooks, a late sixth-round pick from the 2025 NFL Draft. Despite concerns about the overall quality of the draft and players slipping through the cracks, Brooks, chosen 193rd overall, stands out due to his impressive college career at Texas Tech, where he rushed for 4,560 yards. Notably, only three NFL legends—Cedric Benson, Ricky Williams, and Darren Sproles—rushed for more yards at Texas Tech before him.
Texas Tech’s head coach Joey McGuire even likened Brooks to Emmitt Smith, praising his ability to evade defenders and catch passes out of the backfield. Brooks has impressed Bengals head coach Zach Taylor during training camp with his vision, understanding of protection schemes, and ability to identify and exploit openings beyond the line of scrimmage.
With Zach Moss released, Brooks joins Chase Brown and Summer Je Perrine as the top three running backs on the Bengals’ roster. Taylor believes Brooks can contribute significantly to the offense due to his skills in the running game, pass catching, and pass protection. Brooks exemplified this in practice by securing a sideline catch thrown by Joe Burrow, fitting well into a team that heavily targets running backs in the passing game.
Though listed at just 5 feet 9 inches, Brooks possesses a powerful build and agility that helped him gain over 1,500 rushing yards in each of his last two college seasons. He aims to contribute at least 500 rushing yards and several touchdowns in his rookie year, with the ultimate goal of helping his team reach the Super Bowl. Success stories of late-round rookie running backs like Elijah Mitchell and Isaiah Pacheco offer hope that Brooks could become a surprise weapon for the Bengals.
Brooks acknowledges the challenges of adapting to the NFL, particularly in pass protection, which requires refined technique and physicality. However, his strength in this area in college gives him confidence he can adjust. He values the experience he’s gaining playing alongside stars like Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins and learning from veteran running backs.
Despite being a late-round pick, Brooks remains confident that he can prove the teams who passed on him made a mistake. His combination of vision, agility, and physicality could make him a valuable contributor to the Bengals’ talented offense.
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Fan Take: This story highlights how hidden gems can emerge from late draft rounds and significantly impact NFL teams, reminding fans that greatness often comes from unexpected places. If Tahj Brooks lives up to his potential, he could be a game-changing player who elevates the Bengals’ already powerful offense and inspires other late-round rookies to step up and shine.
