2026 NFL draft prospects Jacob Rodriguez of Texas Tech and Rueben Bain Jr. of University of Miami visited the Cincinnati Bengals on April 10, according to NFL Network reports.
Many expect Rodriguez, a linebacker who ran an official 4.57-second 40-yard dash at the 2026 combine, to be selected in the second round of the upcoming draft.
Here are five things to know about Rodriguez, who played the past four seasons for the Red Raiders after playing one season, as a reserve quarterback/receiver/tight end/running back, at Virginia.
Rodriguez impressed at the NFL combine.
NFL.com’s Mia Fowler listed Rodriguez among “10 under-the-radar prospects who boosted their draft scores” in Indianapolis.
“He came in with a draft score of 71, which he boosted to a 79 by the end of combine, ranking fourth among all linebackers,” Fowler wrote. “He led all linebackers in Indy in both the shuttle run (4.19s) and the three-cone drill (6.9s) and ranked sixth in the 40-yard dash. He was initially tabbed as a late second-round pick in (Chad) Reuter’s mock draft, though he could move up a few spots after putting up the second-highest athleticism score (86) among his position group.”
In addition, former Carolina Panthers great Luke Kuechly, a Cincinnati native who starred at St. Xavier High School and was elected in February to the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s class of 2026, gave Rodriguez quite an endorsement.
Rodriguez finished fifth in 2025 Heisman Trophy voting.
Only Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia, Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love and Ohio State QB Julian Sayin received more Heisman votes than Rodriguez.
The 6-foot-1, 235-pound Rodriguez won the Chuck Bednarik Award (nation’s top defensive player), the Butkus Award (nation’s top linebacker), the Vince Lombardi Trophy (nation’s top lineman or linebacker) and the Bronko Nagurski Trophy (nation’s most outstanding defensive player) as a senior.
He also was named Big 12 defensive player of the year, and first-team Associated Press All-American.
Rodriguez helped lead Texas Tech to its first Big 12 championship in program history.
Rodriguez recorded a team-high 13 tackles and one tackle for loss in the Big 12 title game against BYU.
Rodriguez entered bowl season leading the FBS with seven forced fumbles and ranked among the top 15 nationally with 117 tackles.
Rodriguez was the first FBS player since 2005 to record at least five forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and four interceptions in the same season.
Lance Zierlein’s NFL comparison for Rodriguez is the Cleveland Browns’ Carson Schwesinger.
“Rodriguez arrived in college as an offensive ‘athlete’ and leaves Texas Tech as a bigger-than-life, stat-stuffing linebacker,” Zierlein wrote in Rodriguez’s NFL.com draft profile. “He’s uniquely productive, with elite tackle, interception and forced fumble production. He’ll occasionally bounce out of a run fit when chasing action, but he has the burst to race back inside and finish.”
“Rodriguez displays ballhawking instincts and outstanding hands but busted coverages were part of the package in 2025,” Zierlein said. “His unbridled urgency and ‘make every play’ mindset can inflate missed tackle totals, but the production should outweigh the occasional headaches. He projects as a long-term starting inside linebacker.”
NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah ranks Rodriguez 41st among his Top 50 prospects 4.0.
“He has a unique ability to punch the ball away as a tackler, leading to 13 career forced fumbles,” Jeremiah wrote. “Overall, Rodriguez is polished and equipped to make an immediate impact.”
Rodriguez starred at quarterback at Rider High School in Wichita Falls, Texas.
Rodriguez also played basketball and baseball, and competed in track and field in high school.
He played quarterback and safety, and led Rider twice to the Class 5A Division II state semifinals.
Rodriguez passed for 7,085 yards and 68 touchdowns in high school, adding 3,051 rushing yards and 38 rushing TDs.
Rodriguez’s wife, Emma, is a helicopter pilot in the U.S. Army. Rodriguez’s father, Joe, served in the U.S. Army.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Who is Jacob Rodriguez? Texas Tech LB, draft prospect visits Bengals
Reporting by Dave Clark, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
