Bengals showing interest in Barika Kpeenu

· Yahoo Sports

FRISCO, TX - JANUARY 06: North Dakota State Bison running back Barika Kpeenu (8) waits for the snap during the FCS Championship game between the North Dakota State Bison and the Montana State Bobcats on January 6, 2025 at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas. (Photo by Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Barika Kpeenu of North Dakota State reportedly met with the Cincinnati Bengals during the American Bowl last month, according to Justin Melo of Sports Illustrated. Kpeenu is a running back for the Bison.

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In 2025, Kpeenu rushed for over 1,000 yards. Even more impressive was his touchdown production. He ended the season with 20 rushing scores.

Kpeenu has a powerful build that helps him with his contact balance and the ability to instinctively find the end zone in short-yardage situations. He runs through arm tackles and shows good effort as a blocker.

The Bengals have a solid trio of backs with Chase Brown, Samaje Perine, and Tahj Brooks. However, teams are always looking for more running backs on late day three or as undrafted free agents. Meeting with Kpeenu makes sense as a potential player to take a look at in training camp and preseason.

With the NFL Scouting Combine starting next week, we can expect to hear about a lot more meetings between the Bengals and this year’s draft prospects.

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