2020 NFL Draft: Grading each draft pick made by the Cincinnati Bengals
Appalachian State. Akeem Davis-Gaither. Pick Analysis. LB. player. 56. Scouting Report. 4
Grade: A
Day three kicks off with the Bengals landing another linebacker with the 107th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. This time they grab one of the best remaining outside linebackers to add to their young core of playmakers. Akeem Davis-Gaither had back-to-back productive seasons for the Appalachian State Mountaineers putting up over 200 total tackles.
Davis-Gaither will provide some depth on the strong side where only Jordan Evans has experience at for the Bengals. Evans was a sixth-round pick in 2017 and despite having a good 2018 season, he struggled mightily in 2019. He finished with only 12 total tackles and Davis-Gaither will be in consideration for the starting gig on the strong side by the end of the preseason.
5. 56. Pick Analysis. Edge . Khalid Kareem . Notre Dame. player. Scouting Report
Grade: B+
The Bengals start the fifth round off by taking edge rusher Khalid Kareem from the Notre Dame Fighting Irish with the 147th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. Kareem tied the team lead in tackles and sacks with 46 tackles and 5.5 sacks during his senior season.
The nice thing about adding Kareem is he will not have to start immediately for the Bengals. He will have starters Sam Hubbard and veteran Carlos Dunlap to learn from. Dunlap who is 31 years old has two years left on his contract and by then Kareem could replace Dunlap.
The Bengals have plenty of depth at defensive end with six total on their roster so Kareem will have to battle his way up the depth charts. He will most likely start as the third-string option on the left side behind Dunlap and 2018 fifth-round pick Andrew Brown and have to work his way up the ladder.