Davis is an interesting prospect to evaluate. Entering the season he looked like easily the best interior lineman in the 2021 class. He is a well-rounded prospect, who looked to have few weaknesses to his game. His form in 2020 took a step back though and he did not look like the same player. Which version of Davis will we see in the NFL?
You can read more of my 2021 NFL Draft content here.
Strengths
Davis is easily one of the most polished interior linemen in this class. With two seasons as a starter under his belt, he has developed and refined the technical aspects of his game. He showcases independent hand usage and has real power at the point of attack. This is particularly effective in the running game, where Davis can knock defenders off course with a single punch.
Davis also offers elite balance at the position. He is measured and considered with his movement and understands how to maximise leverage. He doesn’t get ahead of himself as a blocker and his patient approach means that you rarely see him whiff on blocks. His ability to stay upright and adjust to the defender is what makes him such a strong prospect.
One of the things that really works in Davis’ favour is his all around versatility. He is a scheme-versatile lineman, with proven ability as both a pass protector and a run blocker. Davis has allowed just 33 total pressures across his 865 career pass blocking snaps. Prior to this season he had only allowed a single sack or hurry in his career. He was also a key part of Ohio State’s successful running game, gifting the likes of J.K. Dobbins and Trey Sermon with wide open running lanes.
Weaknesses
Davis entered the season as the top interior lineman on my board. It is safe to say that he was underwhelming in 2020 and failed to live up to lofty expectations. He allowed 11 pressures this season, giving up three sacks in just eight games. He took a step back as a run blocker too. His 83.0 PFF run blocking grade in 2019 saw him ranked as the fifth best guard in the FBS, but this season he dropped to a 66.4 grade and the 115th ranked guard.
The biggest reason for these issues appeared to be miscommunication and issues reading the game. Whilst Davis has all of the physical tools to be an elite guard at the next level, he struggled with the mental side of the game this year. All of his sacks and hits allowed this season came on stunts and blitzes and his processing speed is still not quite where you want it to be. As a one-on-one blocker he is excellent, but he needs to show that he can handle more diverse responsibilities.
Bottom Line
Davis is a well-rounded and versatile prospect, with a strong track record as a pass protector and run blocker. His dip in form this season was definitely concerning and his issues at processing stunts and blitzes needs to be ironed out. That said, he offers the ideal combination of physical tools and should develop into a strong interior lineman in the NFL.
Big Board Rank: #45
Positional Rank: #3
