Tahj Brooks

Trade: Rome Odunze, Jordan James, Tahj Brooks, Tucker Kraft

2026 Season Outlook

There wasn't much of a role on offense for Brooks as a rookie, and the 2025 sixth-round pick saw only 17 touches over 16 regular-season games. The Texas Tech product did see regular work on special teams, however. Brooks looks the part of a power back with a 5-foot-9, 220-pound frame, and a strong athletic profile at the combine included a respectable 4.52 40-yard time as well as a 91st percentile showing in the short shuttle and a 79th percentile mark in the three-cone drill. A lack of third-down skills limits his utility, but Brooks offers some value to the Bengals as a short-yardage option behind Chase Brown and Samaje Perine. Perine also turns 31 in September and is in the final year of a modest contract, so if Brooks can take a step forward as a ball-carrier, he could muscle his way into the No. 2 job