The Athletic's Dane Brugler Mock Draft.

[*Synric*]

This is from Dane Brugler's final Draft Guide. (The guide is an excellent read btw. He breaks down about 30ish prospects per postion group).

Quote:5. AKEEM DAVIS-GAITHER | Appalachian St.  6014 | 224 lbs. | rSR.  Thomasville, N.C. (Thomasville)  9/21/1997 (age 22.59) #35  

BACKGROUND: Akeem Davis-Gaither (GAY-thur) was a four-sport performer at Thomasville, lettering in basketball, baseball, football and track. He started at defensive back as a freshman and sophomore before moving to linebacker for his final two prep seasons, also seeing snaps at running back. As a junior, Davis-Gaither recorded 93 tackles, 21.0 tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks and three forced fumbles, earning all-county. As a senior, he earned second-team all-state honors and was named the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year, finishing with 115 tackles, 33.0 tackles for loss, 5.0 sacks and two forced fumbles.  A two-star linebacker recruit out of high school, Davis-Gaither was the No. 82 inside linebacker nationally and the No. 59 recruit from North Carolina. He attracted offers from Ball State, Charlotte, Miami (Ohio) and Old Dominion, receiving one Power 5 scholarship offer (Boston College). However, Davis-Gaither felt a connection with Appalachian State, which was located close to home (two hours west of Thomasville) and was about to begin its first season as an FBS-level program. He has a 1-year old daughter. His father (Keith) was a four-year starting defensive back at Elon before starting his coaching career, currently serving as the

STRENGTHS: Elite length for the position…field fast and can really run when he has a chance to stretch out his stride…agile feet on the edge to skirt blocks, gain proper leverage and contain outside runs…unyielding pursuit skills and his motor never spurts…always chasing at full speed and closes with short-area burst…uses his long arms to lasso runners on the move…velvet feet in coverage with the smooth turn-and-run skills to play man-to-man down the seam…aggressive, confident competitor, which rubs off on his teammates…called an “extra coach on the field” by his defensive coaches at Appalachian State…started every game the last two seasons posting triple-digit tackles both years.

WEAKNESSES: Lean-framed and lacks desired bulk for NFL linebacking duties…inconsistent take-on player, struggling to scrape down the line of scrimmage…gets pinballed in a crowd and must rely on his fundamentals to work through contact and stay off the ground…quick to trigger, but needs to be more reliable as a finisher…bad habit of leaving his feet too early or arriving too hot, falling off his target…inconsistent coverage player due to spotty instincts, which leads to spacing issues and missed opportunities to make plays on the ball…suffered a stress fracture in his right foot during the 2019 season, requiring off-season surgery (March 2020) that sidelined him for part of the draft process.

SUMMARY: A two-year starter at Appalachian State, Davis-Gaither lined up at outside linebacker in defensive coordinator Ted Roof’s 3-4 base scheme, playing an overhang defender role. Despite his tweener size, he owns the length and speed that NFL teams covet, projecting as discount version of Clemson’s Isaiah Simmons on day two of the draft. Probably the best “Tag” player in the neighborhood growing up due to his lower body quickness to avoid blocks, Davis-Gaither plays with terrific closing burst once he unlocks and goes. His relentless play style is a strength, but his motor is stuck in overdrive at times and he would benefit by adding more discipline and control to his game. Overall, Davis-Gaither needs to fine-tune his take-on skills and develop his cover instincts, but his twitched-up athleticism and confident play speed help mask his technical flaws, projecting as a subpackage linebacker as a rookie who should shine on special teams.  

GRADE: 2nd Round