I was delighted to get the opportunity to interview Bengals rookie linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither briefly during the Bengals’ bye week. Davis-Gaither was drafted by the Bengals in the 4th round of the 2020 NFL draft. He had 104 tackles, 5 sacks, and 1 INT in his last year with the Mountaineers. Davis-Gaither has been considered a very athletic and rangy linebacker which has been the trend in the NFL from the linebacker position. It was enough for him to get drafted in the first 4 rounds of the NFL draft.

Bengals drafted Davis-Gaither to help bolster their linebacker corps that has been a weakness for the past years. With the addition of Davis-Gaither the Bengals linebacker corps got younger and faster and a group with a lot of potential.

Here’s the quick interview that I had with the young Bengals rookie…

How’s the transition been from Appalachian State to the NFL for you?

ADG: It has been good so far, It’s a lot different from college. No classes, all the extra stuff you have to do as a college athlete. I feel I have handled the transition good, coming from a smaller school and jumping to the big stage.

Do you listen to music before a game, and if so what’s the playlist looking like during pregames?

Oh yes for sure, I kind of switched it up a little now that I play on Sundays. I start the morning/day off with my gospel playlist and once I get to the field to warm up, I switch to more game time vibes like Major Nine, Jay Z, Young Thug, Gunna, etc.

How was getting your first taste at a sack in Week 4 vs the Jaguars?

It was awesome to get my first sack and helping my team get off the field on 3rd down.

Which quarterback are you the most excited to play against in your career?

I wouldn’t say excited, but I’m grateful for the opportunity to play against all these great quarterbacks.

How’s the locker room feeling after the big win vs the Titans?

The feeling was great, we have to continue to get better and prepare for our next opponent (The Steelers).

What are your expectations for yourself for the rest of the season?

Just to continue to get better each week, find things in my game to improve, make the plays I’m supposed to make when they present itself, and of course help this team win games and be better!