Cincinnati Bengals rookie RB gets compared to NFL Hall Of Famer

The Cincinnati Bengals added to their backfield this offseason by selecting Tahj Brooks out of Texas Tech in the sixth round of this year's draft. Brooks, who totaled 1,704 scrimmage yards last season and a career-high 18 touchdowns from scrimmage. 

Brooks joins a running back room that is led by third-year back Chase Brown who had a breakout season in 2024, along with veterans Zack Moss and Samaje Perine, who is in his third stint with Cincinnati. With three experienced backs ahead of him, it may be tough for Brooks to get playing time in his rookie season, but he's got plenty of potential to breakthrough. 

Brooks' college coach at Texas Tech, Joey McGuire, gave his former Red Raider running back high praise, saying the Bengals rookie reminds him of NFL Hall Of Famer and Dallas Cowboys Super Bowl champion, Emmitt Smith. 

"His ability to make people miss, his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield… He really reminds me of Emmitt Smith." (Bengals.com)

It would be quite the find for Cincinnati if Brooks shows any resemblance of Smith, who three Super Bowls, one Super Bowl MVP, and one NFL MVP while gaining the most rushing yards in NFL history in his career with 18,355 yards. Brooks will have to climb the depth chart to earn an opportunity to showcase his skillset, but his former coach sees plenty of tatlent and potential in him.