Bengals' 2013 third-round draft pick has developed into one of Cincinnati's most vocal leaders and valuable defenders ... Has held Cincinnati's No. 1 SS role the last four seasons, but coaches credit his position versatility and effectiveness against the run ... Led team with 112 tackles (career-high) in 2019, and added a sack, INT and three PDs ... Started all 16 games, and saw action on 93.6 percent of defensive snaps (second on team) ... Also saw action on 143 special teams snaps, despite central role on defense, and recorded two special teams tackles ... In 2018, led Bengals with five INTs (second in AFC), and ranked second in tackles (108) ... Enters 2020 as Bengals' active INT leader, with 11 (all-time leader Ken Riley had 65) ... Also enters 2020 with streak of 35 consecutive games played, dating back to late 2017.
Career transactions: Selected by Cincinnati in third round of 2013 NFL Draft (84th overall) ... Signed with Bengals on 5-24-13 ... Signed contract extension with Bengals on 5-17-16.
2019 highlights: Played in all 16 games (15 starts) ... Recorded team-high 112 tackles, and added three PDs, an INT and a sack ... Saw action on 93.6 percent of defensive snaps (second on team) ... Also saw action on 143 special teams snaps, despite central role on defense, and recorded two special teams tackles ... Recorded team-high nine tackles in Game 3 at Buffalo ... Was second on the team with nine tackles in Game 4 at Pittsburgh ... Tied for the team lead with 13 tackles in Game 5 vs. Arizona ... Made nine tackles in Game 10 at Oakland ... In Game 11 vs. Pittsburgh, picked off Steelers QB Mason Rudolph at the Bengals' three-yard line on third-and-nine, thwarting a Pittsburgh scoring opportunity ... Logged 13 tackles in Game 15 at Miami, including a three-yard sack of Ryan Fitzpatrick ... Made three tackles in season finale vs. Cleveland, and was part of defensive effort that held Browns RB Nick Chubb, who entered the game as the NFL's leading rusher (5.0 yards per carry, 99.6 yards per game), to just a 3.2-yard average and 41 total rushing yards.
Previous seasons: 2013—Had seven of his team-leading 14 special teams tackles over the final six games ... Tied for team lead with two special teams tackles Oct. 13 at Buffalo ... Two tackles on defense Oct. 27 vs. N.Y. Jets ... Tipped a Spencer Lanning punt Nov. 17 vs. Cleveland, with ball traveling only nine yards, and offense responded with 38-yard TD drive for 14-13 lead ... Also had two special teams tackles vs. Cleveland ... Two special teams tackles on Dec. 1 at San Diego, and again had two on Dec. 8 vs. Indianapolis ... One special teams stop in Wild Card playoff vs. San Diego. 2014—Played in Games 1-16 and in Wild Card playoff, seeing action primarily on special teams ... Ranked tied for third in special teams tackles (nine), and also had a special teams FR ... On Nov. 6 vs. Cleveland, had one special teams tackle and a recovery of a Jim Leonhard fumble on a punt return ... On Nov. 16 at New Orleans, teamed with LB Rey Maualuga in stopping Saints FB Erik Lorig on fourth-and-goal play from the one ... One special teams tackle in Wild Card playoff at Indianapolis. 2015—Played in Games 1-16, with four starts, and in Wild Card playoff ... In regular season, had 28 tackles, two INTs, five total PDs and four special teams tackles ... Made game-changing play with his first pro INT on Nov. 1 at Pittsburgh, snagging Ben Roethlisberger pass with diving catch at Pittsburgh 45 in fourth quarter, setting up Bengals' game-deciding TD drive ... On Dec. 20 at San Francisco, ended a 49ers threat in fourth quarter with INT of Blaine Gabbert pass at Bengals one ... Five tackles and PD in Wild Card playoff vs. Pittsburgh. 2016—Started at SS in Games 1-10 and 12-16 ... Inactive for Game 11 due to hamstring injury ... Ranked third on team in tackles (81), tied for the team lead in INTs (three), with five PDs and a sack ... Team-high nine tackles (tied for his season high) on Oct. 16 at New England ... Logged five tackles, as well as a four-yard sack of Kevin Hogan, on Oct. 23 vs. Cleveland ... Also vs. Cleveland, had a 14-yard INT but fumbled ball back to Browns during return ... Two tackles Nov. 20 vs. Buffalo, but exited in second quarter with hamstring injury ... Had INT Dec. 4 vs. Philadelphia, picking off Carson Wentz pass deflected by George Iloka in fourth quarter ... Thwarted a first-and-goal chance from the two for Baltimore on Jan. 1, intercepting Joe Flacco pass in end zone to protect 17-3 second-quarter lead. 2017—Started all 11 games he played ... Was inactive for Game 1 with an elbow injury, and Games 9 and 11-13 with a hamstring injury ... Totaled 49 tackles on defense, including two TFLs ... Added one INT, two FRs and three PDs ... Recorded season-high seven tackles on Oct. 22 at Pittsburgh ... Recovered a fumble from Jaguars RB T.J. Yeldon on Jacksonville's opening drive on Nov. 5 at Jacksonville ... Recovered a fumble from Broncos RB C.J. Anderson in the fourth quarter of a one-score game on Nov. 19 at Denver, with the Bengals scoring a TD on the resulting possession ... Intercepted Vikings QB Teddy Bridgewater in the fourth quarter on Dec. 17 at Minnesota. 2018—Started all 16 games at SS, and saw action on 995 of 1129 possible defensive snaps (88.1 percent) ... Finished second on the team with 108 tackles, behind rookie FS Jessie Bates III (111) ... Led the team with five INTs, which was also second in the AFC ... Tied for second on the team with nine PDs ... On Sept. 13 vs. Baltimore, recorded an INT and forced a key fumble on Ravens QB Joe Flacco late in the fourth quarter, sealing a Bengals win ... Had a season-high 13 tackles on Oct. 21 at Kansas City ... On Oct. 28 vs. Tampa Bay, intercepted Buccaneers' QB Jameis Winston and had two PDs ... On Nov. 18 at Baltimore, had a team high 11 tackles and an INT ... On Dec. 30 at Pittsburgh, intercepted Steelers' QB Ben Roethlisberger and returned it 58 yards for his first career TD.
College: Played four seasons (2009-12) at Georgia ... Rose to team captain and was known as "quarterback of the defense" ... Played 13-14 games each season, and 27 of his 30 starts came in last two campaigns ... Totaled 209 career tackles, including 170 over last two seasons, and had 23 special teams stops ... His run-stuffing ability was such that coaches started him at inside LB for one game as junior ... Ranked second on team with 98 tackles as senior, helping lead Bulldogs to 12-2 season and Capital One Bowl win over Nebraska.
Personal: Hometown is Damascus, Ga. ... Attended Early County High School in Blakely, Ga., where he played S, WR and LB ... Earned First-Team Class AA All-State honors from Atlanta Journal-Constitution as a senior, despite playing on a team that struggled to a 1-9 record ... Lettered in prep basketball as a power forward and center ... Consumer Economics major at Georgia.a.
