Another NFL Draft, another Day 2 defensive back coming out of Washington.
Tacario Davis, a 6-foot-4, 194-pound cornerback, became the second Husky selected in the 2026 NFL Draft on Friday when the Cincinnati Bengals picked him No. 72 overall in the third round. He is the first Washington cornerback taken since Trent McDuffie and Kyler Gordon in 2022, and the ninth former Husky drafted by Cincinnati, joining tight end Drew Sample as the most recent in 2019.
Originally from Long Beach, California, Davis began his college career at Arizona under coach Jedd Fisch and cornerbacks coach DeWayne Walker, sticking with the program despite a difficult 1–11 season.
As a freshman in 2022, he appeared in five games, recording seven tackles, a pass breakup, and a fumble recovery.
His breakout came in 2023, when he started 11 games and played in 13, posting 25 tackles, an interception, and 16 pass breakups.
His performance earned him second-team All-Pac-12 honors from The Associated Press and honorable mention recognition from the conference, helping Arizona reach a 10-win season and an Alamo Bowl victory.
Even after Fisch and Richardson left for Washington following that year, Davis initially stayed at Arizona under new head coach Brent Brennan before eventually transferring to UW.
In 2024, he earned second-team All-Big 12 honors, finishing with a career-high 44 tackles, two tackles for loss, and six pass breakups across 12 games during a difficult season for the Wildcats.
Davis reunited with Fisch, Richardson, and teammate Ephesians Prysock at Washington in 2025, but injuries limited his impact.
A rib injury early in the season sidelined him for several games, and later a hamstring issue ended his year prematurely.
In just seven games, he still managed 19 tackles, two interceptions, and three pass breakups, earning All-Big Ten honorable mention recognition.
With his selection, Davis continues Washington’s strong recent track record of producing Day 2 defensive backs, joining names like Trent McDuffie, Kyler Gordon, Byron Murphy, Taylor Rapp, Kevin King, Budda Baker, Elijah Molden, and Sidney Jones IV.
He now joins a Cincinnati Bengals defense looking for a major turnaround after allowing 28.9 points per game in 2025, one of the worst marks in the NFL.
The team made multiple offseason additions, including veteran defensive help in both the secondary and front seven, and Davis is expected to compete for a starting role alongside returning corners DJ Turner II and Dax Hill.
With no first-round pick following a trade for defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II, Cincinnati used Day 2 of the draft to strengthen its defense, selecting Texas A&M edge rusher Cashius Howell before landing Davis in the third round as part of a major defensive overhaul.
