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A Cincinnati Bengals rookie has drawn early praise

Discussion surrounding the Cincinnati Bengals this offseason has primarily centered around the team’s big-name additions in free agency and via trade.

While free agents like Boye Mafe, Bryan Cook, Jonathan Allen and trade acquisition Dexter Lawrence are expected to form the backbone of Cincinnati’s defense that does not mean the team won’t require a strong rookie class.

Surprisingly, one of the Bengals rookies who has drawn attention from the national media went undrafted in the 2026 NFL Draft. 

Undrafted Cincinnati Bengals Rookie Draws Praise

Bengals on SI’s Zach Pressnell said of undrafted rookie cornerback Ceyair Wright: “Already turning heads in best possible way.” Pressnell added, “The Bengals may have struck gold with one of their undrafted free agent signings.”

Regarding Wright fitting into the Bengals, Pressnell wrote:

“Bengals starting cornerbacks Dax Hill and DJ Turner II are both on expiring contracts, which means Cincinnati needs to have young depth beyond their top two starters. While one, if not both, of these starting cornerbacks could be back in Cincinnati after this season, it’s smart to add a player like Wright with a low risk deal in undrafted free agency.

Wright isn’t a flashy cornerback prospect. He’s not an incredible athlete. But he does the little things well and has shown the ability to play on the boundary and in the slot. His ability to come down and defend the run makes him a potentially valuable asset, too.”

Wright was most recently listed by Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport as Cincinnati’s most exciting undrafted free agent addition. Regarding Wright, Davenport wrote:
“Now, Ceyair Wright isn’t going to challenge for a starting spot in the Queen City. There’s a reason why he wasn’t drafted—his speed and agility are average at best. But the 6’0″, 185-pounder started 32 games over five seasons at USC and Nebraska, and he has good technique and isn’t afraid to get dirty in run support.

Wright also has experience starting both inside and outside, and that versatility is a sought-after commodity in the NFL nowadays.

In the right defensive scheme, he could stick in the NFL as a subpackage corner and special teamer.”

Cincinnati Bengals Cornerbacks

Wright isn’t the only addition Cincinnati made at cornerback. The team drafted Tacario Davis with its third-round pick. Unlike Wright, who arrives with little expectations, the team will probably expect Davis to develop into a starter.

Davis was ranked by The Ringer’s Todd McShay as the 71st-best prospect in this year’s draft class. Regarding Davis, McShay wrote:
“Davis is a tall press corner with outstanding length and good top-end speed, and he tied for the fifth-fastest 40-yard dash time among all corners at the combine. He can flip his hips and run with receivers. He doesn’t always shoot the correct hand, but he can get his hands on receivers and reroute them at the line of scrimmage. He reads receivers, gets his eyes on the quarterback, limits production after the catch, and shows a good feel for route combinations in zone looks. 

He can reach in and break up passes from a trailing position and win in 50-50 and jump ball situations. (He finished second in the Pac-12 with 15 passes defended in 2023.) He’s not a ball hawk and drops some passes, but he has a wide catch radius and can pluck passes out of the air.”