Chalk up another linebacker for the Bengals. According to sources, the Bengals have reportedly agreed to terms with Virginia Tech linebacker Bruce Taylor.
Just got off the phone w Bruce Taylor- Not official, but he's been signed by the Cincinnati Bengals. Congrats to him! #breaking #Hokies
— Mike Stancik (@MikeMoooch) April 28, 2013
Taylor is an inside linebacker and will likely compete to back up current starter Rey Maualuga. He has some injury concerns after missing time due to a Lisfranc injury in his right foot during his junior year, but possesses decent size for an NFL linebacker. His 40-yard dash time was a very pedestrian 5.01 seconds, however, which is probably why he wasn't claimed during the draft.
More from NFL.com:
Thanks to head coach Frank Beamer and long-time coordinator Bud Foster, the Hokies have become a regular contributor to NFL defenses. Virginia Tech has had at least one defender drafted each spring since 1999, one of only a half dozen colleges to achieve that feat.
Taylor suffered a Lisfranc injury in his right foot eight games into his junior season. He earned honorable mention All-ACC honors despite missing four games, making 53 tackles, eight for loss, and five sacks. He started every game the previous year, leading the team with 91 tackles, 15.5 for loss, six sacks, and four pass break-ups, after playing in six games as a reserve in his redshirt freshman season (six tackles). Coaches considered playing Taylor in his first year on campus, moving him from linebacker to defensive end, but a shoulder injury prevented it. As a senior, in 12 games, Taylor racked up 76 tackles (10.5 for loss) and 5.5 sacks. He was named a honorable mention to the Coaches All-ACC team for the second consecutive year.
(h/t to emeybee)