Considered one of Cincinnati's top young defenders, Bates enters 2020 having started all 32 possible games at S since joining the Bengals as a second-round pick in '18 ... Topped 100 tackles in each of his first two seasons ... Led Bengals in defensive snaps in each of first two seasons, including 99 percent (1059 of 1070) of defensive snaps in 2019 ... Finished third on team in tackles (100) in 2019, and added three INTs (second on team) and a team-high nine PDs ... In 2018, became just the sixth Bengals rookie ever to lead the team in tackles (111), and was team's first rookie defender to start all 16 games since LB Takeo Spikes in 1998.
Career transactions: Selected by Cincinnati in second round of 2018 NFL Draft (54th overall) ... Signed with Bengals on 5-12-18.
2019 highlights: Started all 16 games at S, and played a team-high 99 percent of defensive snaps (1059 of 1070) ... Totaled 100 tackles (third on team), along with three INTs (second on team), nine PDs (led team), one FF and one FR ... Had 11 tackles (eight solo) in Game 2 vs. San Francisco ... Recorded his first-career fumble recovery in Game 4 at Pittsburgh, giving Cincinnati's offense a start in the red zone ... In Game 7 vs. Jacksonville, recorded team-high 12 tackles, which tied his career high ... Had a team-high seven tackles in Game 8 against the L.A. Rams (London) ... Had a team-leading eight tackles in Game 9 vs. Baltimore ... In Game 10 at Oakland, jumped a route and intercepted a QB Derek Carr pass in the third quarter that set up a Bengals FG ... In Game 12 vs. the N.Y. Jets, was part of defensive effort that held the Jets, who entered the contest having scored 34 points in each of their three previous games, to just six points ... In Game 13 at Cleveland, intercepted a Baker Mayfield pass to set up a Bengals TD drive ... In Game 15 at Miami, recorded five tackles, a PD and an FF.
Previous seasons: 2018—Started all 16 games at FS ... Elevated to No. 1 FS role in 2018 preseason after team released veteran starter George Iloka ... Played a team-high 98.7 percent of Cincinnati's defensive snaps (1114 of 1129), and was first Bengals rookie defender to start all 16 games since Takeo Spikes in 1998 ... Recorded team-high 111 tackles, and was the first Bengals rookie to lead the team in that category since Vontaze Burfict in 2012 ... Also recorded seven PDs, including three INTs (second on team) ... Selected to the All-Rookie team by the Professional Football Writers of America ... Recorded first career INT on Sept. 13 vs. Baltimore, when he picked off Ravens QB Joe Flacco in the first quarter ... On Oct. 7 vs. Miami, intercepted a pass from Dolphins QB Ryan Tannehill late in the fourth quarter to help seal a Bengals win ... Recorded season-high 12 tackles Oct. 21 at Kansas City ... Scored first career TD on Oct. 28 vs. Tampa Bay, after he intercepted Bucs QB Jameis Winston and returned it 21 yards for a score.
College: Spent three years (2015-17) at Wake Forest, with a redshirt season in '15 ... Played in 24 games, with 21 starts, in two seasons of action ... Totaled 179 tackles, including 120 solo, with 9.5 tackles for losses, six INTs, nine pass breakups and two forced fumbles ... Averaged 32.5 return yards on his six career INTs, and his 195 total return yards were third-most in school history ... Also saw time at punt returner, with 26 career returns for 234 yards (9.0) and a TD.
Personal: Hometown is Fort Wayne, Ind. ... Attended Snider High School in Fort Wayne, Ind. ... As a senior, recorded nine INTs, tying Snider's record set by NFL Hall of Famer Rod Woodson ... Earned first-team all-state honors (AP) as a junior and senior ... Also played basketball (point guard) and baseball (center field) for Snider.
