It wasn’t too much of a surprise to see the Cincinnati Bengals call Appalachian State linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither’s name to start Round 4 of the 2020 NFL draft.
The Bengals coaching staff really liked ADG at the Senior Bowl and met with him at the combine. They also made a point to meet with him at the NFL combine.
ADG immediately projects as a flex/hybrid player in Cincinnati who can come in with certain packages and get downhill jamming up running lanes or applying pressure.
Classified as a “small” linebacker at 6’1″ and 224 pounds, that sort of thought process only applies if the Bengals try to use him as a traditional linebacker.
At the very worst, ADG doesn’t see the field much as a rookie besides special teams. But he’s too versatile and athletic to really hold back from getting on the field, though how he’ll fight with guys like Vonn Bell and others for playing time should prove interesting.
Perhaps the only outright knock on the pick is the injury history. But even then, it’s one of those risks onlookers can’t fault the Bengals for taking too much. He tested and graded incredibly well:
A “modern” linebacker is probably the best way to describe ADG and provided he can stay on the field, he’s going to have an impact.
The Bengals hitting a position of need with a guy they’re very familiar with is hard to knock and an acceptable risk this late.
