The Cincinnati Bengals inched closer to locking up their entire draft class Wednesday. The team has signed sixth-rounder Deshaun Davis to his rookie contract, per Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com. Davis is now the sixth Bengals draft pick to sign after he inked his standard four-year deal.
With Davis in the fold, the Bengals still have four rookies left to sign, including their first pick offensive tackle Jonah Williams. An inside linebacker out of Auburn, Davis was the 210th pick in last year's draft.
A three-year starter for the Tigers, Davis had a standout senior season. In 13 games, Davis racked up 112 tackles, including 15 for loss and 3.5 sacks. He was a first-team All-SEC selection last year, and he probably would've gone higher in the draft if he wasn't considered a bit undersized.
A late-round linebacker prospect, Davis will almost certainly be asked to play special teams in order to carve out his spot on the roster. He's not a great athlete, but he was obviously able to get it done against great competition in the SEC, so he shouldn't be doubted.
The Bengals' run defense was a huge issue last year, and they had a lot of turnover in their linebacking corp this offseason. Longtime starter Vontaze Burfict is no longer with the team, and it's possible that Davis could be groomed to be an inside linebacker of the future if he shows well in training camp.
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