Tahj
Brooks.
Tahj
Brooks.
Texas Tech· 5'9"· 214 lb· 4.52s 40
"A five-year Texas Tech workhorse who left with 4,566 rushing yards and 45 touchdowns, Brooks is a dense, low-center-of-gravity back whose limited long speed caps him as a physical committee runner rather than a lead option."Pre-draft read
Brooks runs low and heavy at 5-9, 214. He presses the line patiently, cuts once, and delivers contact rather than absorbing it; tacklers who arrive high slide off. The 2024 season — 286 carries for 1,505 yards and 17 touchdowns — was a volume showcase, and he never looked worn down by it, which speaks to both durability and running style.
What he does not have is a second gear. The 4.52 forty matches the tape: he wins the first ten yards and gets caught after twenty. He is a willing pass protector with real anchor for his size, and he has 102 career receptions, though most came as checkdowns rather than as a route-running weapon.
Inside-zone and duo run game that rewards a one-cut, downhill runner working behind a physical line.
Year 1 rotational RB3 and special teamer with short-yardage carries; committee back by Year 2.
Outside-zone stretch offense built on perimeter speed and home-run explosiveness.
Tahj Brooks Texas tech full highlights
Game film cut-up of Tahj Brooks's Texas Tech tape.
Tahj Brooks 2024 Regular Season Highlights | 2024 Big 12 Football
Game film cut-up of Tahj Brooks's Texas Tech tape.
Tahj Brooks 2025 NFL Draft Tape | Texas Tech RB
Game film cut-up of Tahj Brooks's Texas Tech tape.
Brooks projected as a physical committee back rather than a lead option, a dense, low-center-of-gravity runner at 5-9, 214 who wins the first ten yards and delivers contact instead of absorbing it. Tacklers arriving high slide off him, and he consistently falls forward.
The production was substantial and durable: 4,566 career rushing yards, 45 touchdowns and 881 carries across five Texas Tech seasons with no injury red flags, including a 286-carry, 1,505-yard, 17-touchdown 2024 that never seemed to wear him down. He also caught 102 passes and pass protects willingly with a real anchor for his size, which matters for third-down survival. The cap was speed. His 4.52 matched the tape — long runs got caught from behind — and his route tree rarely extended past the flat. Vision could get tight in gap schemes when the first read closed, and the college mileage on a compact frame was a legitimate discussion.
Cincinnati took him at 193, a slot that fits the projection exactly. He was drafted to be the heavy half of a committee and a reliable protector, not to break 60-yard runs, and that job is one he was demonstrably ready to do as a rookie.
- 01
Contact Balance
Brooks consistently falls forward and breaks arm tackles.
- 02
Career Production
He recorded 4,566 career rushing yards and 45 touchdowns.
- 03
Durability
Brooks handled 881 career carries with no durability red flags.
- 04
Pass Protection
He is a willing, competent pass protector with a strong base.
- 05
Receiving Ability
Brooks made 102 career catches, showing reliable hands.
- 01
Lacks Breakaway Speed
Brooks' long runs are often caught from behind.
- 02
Limited Route Tree
His route tree is limited beyond flats and checkdowns.
- 03
Vision in Gap Schemes
His vision can be tight in gap schemes when the first read closes.
- 04
College Mileage
Brooks has heavy college mileage on a compact frame.
— — — positional median (p50)
- 40 yd
- 4.52sp50
- Vertical
- 35inp50
- Broad jump
- 120inp50
- Three-cone
- 6.90sp50
- Shuttle
- 4.06sp50
- Bench
- 16repp50
| Yr | Team | G | Att | Yds | TD | Rec | RecYds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Texas Tech | 7 | 69 | 255 | 4 | 12 | 58 |
| 2021 | Texas Tech | 9 | 87 | 568 | 7 | 6 | 52 |
| 2022 | Texas Tech | 13 | 148 | 693 | 7 | 28 | 170 |
| 2023 | Texas Tech | 13 | 291 | 1545 | 10 | 29 | 69 |
| 2024 | Texas Tech | 11 | 286 | 1505 | 17 | 27 | 185 |
| Career | — | 53 | 881 | 4566 | 45 | 102 | 534 |
A dash means the figure is not published by a source we trust — never a zero we invented.
- Behren MortonQB20%
- Josh KellyWR13%
- Will HammondQB11%
#4 of 19 tracked contributors · Production leaned on volume · Offense explosiveness 1.32 (p75) · CFBD — usage x PPA per tracked player
Brooks projects as a tough, physical back like Murray, capable of handling a significant workload and excelling in short-yardage and goal-line situations as a strong RB2.
Like Walker, Brooks is a powerful, low-to-the-ground runner who can break tackles and gain significant yardage after contact, making him a lead back in a committee.
At his floor, Brooks offers value as a strong special teams player and a reliable third-down back, similar to Ogunbowale, with limited carries but good blocking.
Everything above is the pre-draft evaluation. This section is what actually happened — updated year over year.
Drafted in the sixth round by Cincinnati in 2025, entering the league as a physical short-yardage and rotational back.
Production this large rarely lasts this long, and the reason is straightforward: 4,566 yards in the Big 12 came from durability and contact balance, not from separation speed, and NFL teams price speed.
In hindsight Cincinnati found a useful complementary piece. A back who protects the quarterback, converts third-and-one and never fumbles the moment away has a job, particularly behind an offense that throws as much as this one does.
The ceiling is a committee starter on a team that runs inside zone and duo. The floor is a special-teams roster body. Both outcomes are reasonable, and either one justifies a sixth-round pick.