Tahj Brooks

It's never good for a running back to fall to the sixth round of the draft, especially when that running back lands on a depth chart with multiple established NFL runners like Cincinnati has, so plenty is working against Brooks as a rookie. Chase Brown is likely locked into a three-down role or something close to it, and whatever Brown doesn't claim might go to Zack Moss (neck) and Samaje Perine. All of Brown, Moss and Perine have credibility through all three downs, so the fact that Brooks might have a credible three-down skill set of his own might not be enough to get him an initial opportunity. If Brooks does get his chance to run then there's reason to believe he'll capitalize, however. Brooks accumulated 4,557 yards (5.2 YPC) and 45 touchdowns in 56 games at Texas Tech, adding 102 receptions for 548 yards and two touchdowns on 131 targets (77.9 percent catch rate, 5.4 YPT). Brooks is densely built at 5-foot-9, 214 pounds, and was previously listed at an even heavier 230 pounds at Texas Tech. For Brooks to carry such a dense frame and still run with the coordination he does indicates that he might have an uncommon combination of anchor and functional movement, which could pay off well at running back even despite Brooks' lack of long-range speed. Read Past Outlooks