Cincinnati selected former University of Miami versatile tackle/guard Jalen Rivers from Miami in the fifth round at No. 153 overall to add depth on the offensive line, which also saw the addition of Georgia left guard Dylan Fairchild in the third round.
The Bengals concluded their draft by taking Texas Tech running back Tahj Brooks in the sixth round, at No. 193 overall.
Carter rarely came off the field and was described by The Athletic’s Dane Brugler as “one of the best open-field pursuit defenders in this draft class.” A speedy and physical athlete, he shows real sideline-to-sideline range and is a strong blitzer. The 22-year-old produced 82 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks in 2024, finishing with 12.5 sacks and 31.5 tackles for loss in four years.
“I was not anticipating it at all,” Carter said in a conference call with local media. “I was just trying to take in every day, just pick by pick, and, you know, I saw Cincy on the clock, and I was hoping for it, but I mean, you never know with the draft. And I see my phone light up and I answer the call, and, you know, here we are. So, I’m super, super blessed to be a part of it. And I’m ready to get to work and go win some games. So I’m super excited.”
Bengals defensive coordinator Al Golden said while Knight is more of a combo outside linebacker, Carter is a true stack linebacker like Logan Wilson. Although he would likely come in as Wilson’s backup and a special teams contributor, Golden also envisions being able to get him on the field in three- and four-linebacker packages.
Carter gives Cincinnati a true four-down linebacker.
“He’s a guy we had high regard for and grades higher than the current round, a true stack linebacker who gives us four-down value, early downs, third down and special teams,” Golden said. “Team captain, green dot, 4.0 GPA, just a family-oriented guy. He’s a really impressive human being and he’s going to have an immediate impact for us.”
Rivers, a three-year starter for the Hurricanes, primarily lined up at left tackle but also shifted inside to left guard in most games. Despite missing time throughout his career because of injuries, he showed clear improvements each season and played his best ball toward the end of the 2024 season.
Bengals offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher said Rivers could compete at either guard or for a swing tackle role, but at the Senior Bowl, he even played center, so perhaps he could be a backup to Ted Karras, who is in the last year of his contract.
“Versatility is always key there and we’ve just added talent to the room,” Pitcher said, also noting Rivers is a high-character guy. “We’ve gotten better. We feel really good about that. It’s key as you are adding guys that are expected to compete, potentially serve as depth pieces at least initially, that they have that versatility, so Jalen has that and it will prove valuable for us.”
Brooks gives the Bengals a fourth running back on the roster after producing 3,046 yards and 27 touchdowns the last two seasons.
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