Bengals met with LB Akeem Davis-Gaither at combine

Linebacker figures to be a big priority for the Cincinnati Bengals this offseason, perhaps both in free agency and the draft.

If the latter, Appalachian State’s Akeem Davis-Gaither has always been one to keep a close eye on given his skillset and the expected draft range around the early second round.

Apparently, the Bengals concur with that sort of consensus idea.

Accoridng to Draft Wire’s Justin Melo, the Bengals met with Davis-Gaither at the combine.

Davis-Gaither, 6’1″ and 224 pounds, is a versatile modern ‘backer who could fit in well with Cincinnati’s multiple look. Here’s a snippet of a summary from NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein:

“No matter his size, Davis-Gaither is a playmaker with a talent for slipping blocks and ending up near the football. Teams who hope to roll him into a hybrid role may find he’s a better pass rusher than cover man.”

Davis-Gaither is someone to keep in mind beginning in the second round, if not later. The biggest recent news — besides his draft-stock ascent — is a bit of a small hurdle:

Appalachian State LB Akeem Davis-Gaither will have surgery Tuesday with Dr. Robert Anderson for a partial stress fracture in his right foot that has bothered him since the season, source said. It’ll be a 6- to 8-week recovery, so healthy in plenty of time for his rookie year.

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) February 29, 2020