A 2020 Bengals fourth-round pick, Davis-Gaither has played in 54 games with four starts as a rotational LB over his four pro seasons ... He battled through a knee injury in 2023, but still played in 13 games and logged 16 tackles while contributing on special teams ... Played in all 16 regular-season games and three postseason contests in 2022, helping Bengals reach second consecutive AFC Championship ... Suffered a left foot injury midway through 2021 season, after playing in 25 consecutive games to begin his career ... Named the 2019 Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Year as a senior at Appalachian State University ... His father, Keith Gaither, is currently the special teams coordinator/running backs coach at the University of Virginia.
Selected by Cincinnati in fourth round of 2020 NFL Draft (107th overall) ... Signed with Bengals on 7-21-20 ... Signed contract extension with Bengals on 3-13-24.
2020—Played in all 16 games (two starts) for Bengals as a rookie ... Saw time mostly as a rotational LB, and played 29.6 percent of team's defensive snaps ... Totaled 26 tackles, a half sack, one INT and three PDs on defense, along with five tackles on special teams ... Made NFL debut in season opener on Sept. 13 vs. L.A. Chargers, and made three tackles ... Recorded first career half sack on Oct. 4 at Jacksonville, helping bring down QB Gardner Minshew to force a punt ... Made first career start on Oct. 11 at Baltimore, and recorded four tackles and a PD ... Logged season-high 10 tackles in season finale vs. Baltimore, and recorded first career INT when he caught a tipped pass thrown by QB Lamar Jackson.
2021—Played in Bengals' first nine regular-season games, before suffering a season-ending left foot injury on Nov. 7 vs. Cleveland ... Totaled 26 tackles, three PDs and a FF, along with two special teams stops ... Placed Nov. 9 on Reserve/Injured, where he remained through Cincinnati's run to Super Bowl LVI.
2022—Played in all 16 regular-season games (one start) and three postseason games for Cincinnati ... Saw action on 227 defensive snaps and 294 special teams snaps during regular season ... Totaled 37 tackles (25 solos), with two TFLs, one PD and one FR ... Also had nine tackles on special teams (fourth most on team) ... Led Bengals with a career-high 13 tackles (nine solos) on Sept. 25 at the N.Y. Jets ... Started on Oct. 23 against Atlanta and registered team-high nine tackles (six solos) ... Played 23 defensive snaps and 48 special teams snaps in the postseason ... Had an INT and four special teams tackles in Wild Card Playoff vs. Baltimore; INT came on Ravens' opening drive, when he picked off QB Tyler Huntley at the Bengals' 40-yard line.
2023—Played in 13 games with one start as a third LB ... Inactive for Games 4-7 due to knee injury ... Recorded 16 tackles (10 solos), with one TFL ... Also had one special teams tackle, and lined up for 289 ST snaps (third most on team) ... Posted two solo tackles on Sept. 17 vs. Baltimore, including a TFL on WR Zay Flowers that forced a third-and-long in the fourth quarter ... Logged three tackles on Nov. 26 vs. Pittsburgh, then had another three-tackle stat line on Jan. 7 vs. Cleveland.
Spent five seasons (2015-19) at Appalachian State, with a redshirt year in '15 ... Played in 55 career games and totaled 258 tackles, including 28 TFLs and eight sacks, with 17 pass breakups, one INT, two FFs and a blocked FG ... In his five college seasons, he helped App State to a 54-12 record, a 5-0 mark in bowl games and four straight conference titles ... Named Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Year as a senior in 2019 ... Coached by the Bengals' staff at the 2020 Senior Bowl (South team).
Hometown is Thomasville, N.C. (outside Greensboro) ... Attended Thomasville High School, where as a senior he totaled 115 tackles, including five sacks, along with two FFs ... Also played RB and posted eight rushing TDs over his final two seasons ... Additionally earned three varsity letters in track and field, two in basketball and one in baseball ... His father, Keith Gather, is a longtime assistant coach in the college ranks, and is currently special teams coordinator/running backs coach at the University of Virginia ... First name is pronounced "AH-keem" and last name is pronounced "DAY-viss-GAY-thur."
