Bengals select linebacker Markus Bailey in seventh round

The Bengals selected Purdue linebacker Markus Bailey in the seventh round of the 2020 NFL Draft

The Bengals wanted to improve at linebacker and that's exactly what they did in the 2020 NFL Draft. 

They put the finishing touches on a revamped defense by selecting Markus Bailey in the seventh round. Bailey is the third linebacker the Bengals have taken in this draft. 

Cincinnati selected Wyoming linebacker Logan Wilson in round three and Akeem Davis-Gaither from Appalachian State in the fourth-round. All three players were in Mobile for the Senior Bowl. 

Bailey started all 13 games as a junior and led the Boilermakers with 115 tackles (nine for loss). He also had 5.5 sacks and one interception that he returned for a touchdown against Ohio State. 

"For him to fall where he did, we could not pass him up," head coach Zac Taylor said. 

Much like Wilson and Davis-Gaither,  Bailey excels in coverage and has the athleticism that NFL teams look for at the linebacker spot. 

His senior year ended after just two games when he suffered a torn right ACL in September. He was cleared to do combine-related drills earlier this month. He made 40 straight starts prior to the injury.

“I feel great," Bailey said. "I was cleared to do full movements the week before the combine, and then I came back after the combine planning to do a pro day at Purdue on April 2. Obviously that all got shut down, but I continued to train here in Phoenix with the NFL group at (the Fischer Institute) full-go, full reactive with no limitations. So I was preparing my body to get ready for rookie minicamps and OTAs.”

Bailey admitted that he has a chip on his shoulder. He knows his injury and the pandemic didn't help his draft stock. Team doctors weren't able to look at him like normal. He sent video of his workouts to all 32 teams before the draft began. 

"I feel like it's almost an against all odds type thing," Bailey said. "I feel like we've done everything that we could to show teams that I am healthy and that it's not something that should continue going forward."

Bailey torn the ACL in his left knee as a freshman. He said the recovery process was much different the second time. 

"When it happened this time, I didn't have any time to be sorry for myself," Bailey said. "I had to quickly figure out my next move. I had to sign with an agent. I had to figured where I was going to get surgery at, where I was going to train at — all of the components that go into having a successful pre-draft process."

The Bengals wanted speed and versatility at the linebacker position. Bailey is another piece that defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo can use in a variety of ways. 

 “Hey man, I’m planning on staying healthy the rest of my career," Bailey said. "I’ve got two fresh ACL’s. I’ve been feeling good, and I’m ready to go out there and start a successful NFL career.”