DI #38

DJ Ivey

Cornerback · Miami

A hometown seventh-round pick who fought back from a season-ending knee injury to become a steady slot corner for Cincinnati.

DJ Ivey is a cornerback for the Cincinnati Bengals whose five-year college career at Miami and perseverance through a serious rookie-year injury have defined his NFL journey. He has settled into a role defending slot receivers and tight ends for the Bengals.

★ Seventh-round pick, 2023 NFL Draft

★ Six interceptions and 17 pass deflections across five seasons at Miami

★ Overcame a season-ending rookie-year knee injury to reach his first full 17-game season in 2025

Path to the league

Ivey played five seasons at Miami from 2018 to 2022, appearing in 58 games with 32 starts and totaling six interceptions, 17 pass deflections and two forced fumbles for the Hurricanes. The Cincinnati Bengals selected him in the seventh round of the 2023 NFL Draft, the 246th overall pick.

Career highlights

Ivey's rookie season ended early when he suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 15 against Minnesota, after flashing potential with a pass deflection and a special teams fumble recovery against Indianapolis. He missed the first six games of 2024 recovering from the injury before returning to carve out a role as a slot defender against tight ends.

2025 season recap

Ivey played in all 17 games in 2025, his first full season since the injury, continuing his role as a slot defender while also getting extended run at outside cornerback, logging 47 snaps there over the final three weeks of the season.