Who is Eric Gentry? Get to know the NFL’s tallest linebacker now on the Bengals
YOU’RE WATCHING WLWT NEWS 5 LEADING THE WAY. BENGALS FANS ARE COUNTING DOWN THE DAYS UNTIL TRAINING CAMP AND THEY’RE ADDRESSING ALMOST EVERY POSITION THIS OFFSEASON EXCEPT ONE LINEBACKER. SPORTS ANCHOR JEREMY JOINS US IN STUDIO WITH MORE ON THE INTERESTING CANDIDATE. THAT’S PRETTY EASY TO KEEP YOUR EYE ON. WELL, IT’S NOT HARD TO SPOT ERIC GENTRY AT A BENGALS PRACTICE. THE ROOKIE IS SIX FOOT SEVEN, MAKING HIM THE TALLEST LINEBACKER IN THE ENTIRE NFL. THE FORMER USC TROJAN THOUGHT HE WAS GOING TO BE A BASKETBALL PLAYER ALL THE WAY UNTIL JUNIOR YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL. THEN HE MADE THE SMART SWITCH OVER TO FOOTBALL, WHICH LANDED HIM HERE IN CINCINNATI AS AN UNDRAFTED FREE AGENT. BUT DON’T GET IT TWISTED, GENTRY CAN STILL HOOP. GET THIS ONE. THIS MY HEATING UP. HEY, YOU DON’T LOOK LIKE A FOOTBALL PLAYER. YOU LOOK LIKE A BASKETBALL PLAYER. YES. DO YOU GET THAT A LOT? YES, ALL THE TIME. EVERY DAY. IT’S MORE IMPRESSIVE WHEN I BE ABLE TO SHOW THAT I COULD REALLY PLAY FOOTBALL, FOR SURE. WHEN DID YOU FIRST START PLAYING BASKETBALL? MAYBE FOR PLAYING ALL SPORTS FOOTBALL, BASKETBALL AND TRACK. THOUGH YOU GREW UP IN A HOUSEHOLD OF TEN KIDS. NINE SIBLINGS? YEAH. WHAT WAS THAT LIKE FROM 5 TO 15? THOSE WERE TEN YEARS OF RAGE OF JUST WANTING TO BE BETTER THAN A MAN AND EVERYTHING, BUT I THINK IT MADE ME MORE THAN COMPETITIVE. I ALWAYS WANTED TO HAVE THEM BE LIKE, YOU’RE GOOD. OKAY, TWO FOR FIVE. HOW OFTEN ARE YOU GETTING OUT AND TAKING SHOTS? ALWAYS. EVEN THE ROOKIES GET AFTER IT EVERY DAY. OTHER THAN YOU, WHO’S THE BEST ROOKIE ON THE TEAM IN BASKETBALL? THEY GONNA HATE ME FOR SAYING THIS. KOBE, BOBO AND JAMAL. HEY, BOBO, I’M GONNA TELL YOU THIS ONE. KNOW HOW COMPETITIVE DO THOSE GAMES GET? WE’RE NOT LIKE FULL ON FULL. WE JUST LITERALLY SHOOTING. NO. OH NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO WE CAN’T DO THAT. WE’RE GETTING PAID FOR FOOTBALL AND BASKETBALL. I’M SURE YOU WERE HOPING TO GET DRAFTED. WHAT WAS THAT MOMENT LIKE FOR YOU. DRAFT DAY WAS A HARD DAY TO REALLY TALK ABOUT. OH IT WAS AN AWAKENING FOR ME. I JUST THINK BEING ABLE TO, MORE THAN ANYTHING GET A CAR. IT’S BEEN MORE THAN A DREAM COME TRUE. HERE WE GO. WHAT DO YOU WANT TO PROVE TO THE COACHES AND THE CITY OF CINCINNATI IN TRAINING CAMP? JUST SEIZING THE MOMENT. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN. BEING BEING HAPPY FOR THESE OPPORTUNITIES THAT’S GOING TO COME. BUT NOT MORE THAN JUST HAPPY AND JOYFUL LIKE, YOU KNOW, READY FOR THE TIME. OH, WAIT, HOLD ON. THAT WAS THAT WAS MY FAULT. OH, YEAH. I’M DONE. GENTRY AND THE BENGALS START
Who is Eric Gentry? Get to know the NFL’s tallest linebacker now on the Bengals
Updated: 5:59 PM EDT Jul 2, 2026
Spotting Eric Gentry at a Bengals practice is not hard. The rookie stands a proud six-foot-seven, making him the tallest linebacker in the entire National Football League.Gentry thought he was going to be a basketball player growing up, but in his junior year of high school he decided to switch to football. It was a fruitful decision. Gentry got a scholarship offer to play at Arizona State. He began his college career there where he was a consensus freshman All-American. Gentry then transferred to the University of Southern California.After four years with the Trojans, Gentry entered his name into the 2026 NFL Draft, but never heard his name called.Instead, he was signed by the Bengals as an undrafted rookie free agent. Now, the tallest guy on the Bengals defense is hoping to prove the doubters wrong and earn a spot on the 53-man roster.WLWT’s Jaron May caught up with Gentry while shooting some hoops to learn about his past, present and future.Watch the interview in the video player at the top of the story.
CINCINNATI —
Spotting Eric Gentry at a Bengals practice is not hard. The rookie stands a proud six-foot-seven, making him the tallest linebacker in the entire National Football League.
Gentry thought he was going to be a basketball player growing up, but in his junior year of high school he decided to switch to football. It was a fruitful decision.
Gentry got a scholarship offer to play at Arizona State. He began his college career there where he was a consensus freshman All-American. Gentry then transferred to the University of Southern California.
After four years with the Trojans, Gentry entered his name into the 2026 NFL Draft, but never heard his name called.
Instead, he was signed by the Bengals as an undrafted rookie free agent.
Now, the tallest guy on the Bengals defense is hoping to prove the doubters wrong and earn a spot on the 53-man roster.
WLWT’s Jaron May caught up with Gentry while shooting some hoops to learn about his past, present and future.
Watch the interview in the video player at the top of the story.