What's the consensus opinion of this guy? I know the knock on him was his height, but being undersized was also a knock on Bush. 3 year starter at MLB in the SEC, All SEC Team. Pratt is getting all the press, but could this be one of our 6th rd. sleepers?

Quote:2018: Third-year starter at middle linebacker ... first team all-SEC ... 116 tackles this season ... 266 career tackles, most on squad ... fourth among Auburn career tacklers since 2000 ... Reese’s Senior Bowl invitation ... Lott Impact Trophy quarterfinalist ... recorded seven tackles, TFL vs. Washington ... eight tackles vs. Alabama State ... career-high 13 tackles, 4 TFL, sack, 2 QB hurries vs. LSU ... five stops vs. Arkansas ... 10 tackles vs. Southern Miss and at Mississippi State ... 10 tackles, TFL against Tennessee ... career-best 13 tackles at Ole Miss ... nine tackles, TFL in Texas A&M win ... led team with 10 tackles, sack, 2.0 TFL at Georgia ... team-best seven tackles vs. Liberty ... led team with nine tackles, sack vs. Purdue ... preseason: Lott, Butkus, Senior Bowl watch lists ... all-SEC: 1st team (Lindy’s); 2nd (Athlon, AL.com, SEC media/coaches); 3rd (Phil Steele)

2017: Second-year starter at middle linebacker … 150 career tackles … four stops at Clemson … 5 tackles, PBU vs. Mercer … 3 tackles at Missouri … team-high 10 tackles vs. Mississippi State … team-best 7 tackles vs. Ole Miss … led team with 7 tackles, sack at LSU … fumble recovery, 4 tackles at Arkansas … TFL, 4 tackles at Texas A&M … sack, 5 tackles vs. Georgia … team-best 9 tackles, 2 TFL, sack vs. ULM … sack, team-high 7 tackles vs. Alabama … 10 tackles, TFL in SEC championship … fumble recovery, 7 tackles vs. UCF in Peach Bowl ... Preseason: 4th team all-SEC (Phil Steele)
2016: Started every game … 63 tackles for the season … earned his first start against Clemson, recording five tackles, two QB hurries … three tackles vs. Arkansas State … leading tackler with six stops, TFL vs. Texas A&M … two tackles, PBU vs. LSU … five tackles against ULM … three tackles at Mississippi State … five tackles, TFL against Arkansas … career-best 10 tackles at Ole Miss … six tackles, TFL, PBU at Georgia … team-best 10 tackles with four TFL at Alabama, the most TFL by an Auburn player since 2009 ... team-best eight tackles against Oklahoma in Sugar Bowl
2015: Redshirt freshman providing depth at linebacker and seeing action on special teams … two tackles, TFL at LSU … two stops at Texas A&M

2014: Redshirted for the Tigers ... Academic Top Tiger

“Academic Top Tiger.” I like it! Smart linebackers have good careers.

I think the knock on him is speed. His 40time was ridiculous....not much of a track record of success in the NFL with that much of a speed deficiency.

Have no idea why he ran so slowly? An injury? I mean, I think offensive linemen outran his 40.

(05-15-2019, 09:12 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: I think the knock on him is speed. His 40time was ridiculous....not much of a track record of success in the NFL with that much of a speed deficiency.

Have no idea why he ran so slowly? An injury? I mean, I think offensive linemen outran his 40.

I can’t find anything on his 40 time. Do you remember what it was?

(05-15-2019, 09:12 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: I think the knock on him is speed.  His 40time was ridiculous....not much of a track record of success in the NFL with that much of a speed deficiency.  

Have no idea why he ran so slowly?   An injury?  I mean, I think offensive linemen outran his 40.

I'm hoping he is one of those guys that plays faster than he practices. His play on the field seems to be well ahead of his physical assets. If he actually played slow, I doubt he would be All SEC, which is the fastest conference in college football...

(05-15-2019, 09:17 AM)KillerGoose Wrote: I can’t find anything on his 40 time. Do you remember what it was?

4.78 at his pro day workout.

He's ok going downhill. Has good instincts. Speed, athleticism lacking. Tight hipped, poor coverage. Practice squad candidate.

I've seen this guy play quite a few times.

I didn't like the Sample pick because it (IN MY OPINION, before you all start barfing up your breakfast hot pockets) was way too early to pick an in-line blocking TE.

The Davis pick I didn't like because he's just not that good. He's track slow and football slow. Cannot cover a fire hydrant in pass pro. We grabbed him because this a) was a crummy draft for linebackers and b) we missed on all the less crummy ones.

(05-15-2019, 09:40 AM)jj22 Wrote: He's ok going downhill. Has good instincts. Speed, athleticism lacking. Tight hipped, poor coverage. Practice squad candidate.

Well, you don't like anyone, so...….

(05-15-2019, 09:50 AM)RunKijanaRun Wrote: I've seen this guy play quite a few times.

I didn't like the Sample pick because it (IN MY OPINION, before you all start barfing up your breakfast hot pockets) was way too early to pick an in-line blocking TE.

The Davis pick I didn't like because he's just not that good. He's track slow and football slow. Cannot cover a fire hydrant in pass pro. We grabbed him because this a) was a crummy draft for linebackers and b) we missed on all the less crummy ones.

So if he's so slow and just not that good, how does he make 1st team ALL SEC and have all those tackles? Track slow doesn't bother me in the least. If he's football slow, I don't see how he accomplished what he did in the SEC.

(05-15-2019, 09:00 AM)Sled21 Wrote: What's the consensus opinion of this guy? I know the knock on him was his height, but being undersized was also a knock on Bush. 3 year starter at MLB in the SEC, All SEC Team. Pratt is getting all the press, but could this be one of our 6th rd. sleepers?

He's a tough run stuffer that produced in the SEC. He shows good instincts, which helps him produce. He's not overly athletic or fast, and he doesn't excel in coverage. I'm not willing to assume he'll become a good starting MIKE, but his skill set makes me think he'll back up Preston Brown and play a lot of ST.

(05-15-2019, 09:53 AM)Sled21 Wrote: Well, you don't like anyone, so...….

Whatever dude. If saying that to me made you feel better than so be it.

He was a late 6th round pick for a reason.

In the mean time, I agree with everyone else who watched him and said the same thing.

(05-15-2019, 09:00 AM)Sled21 Wrote: What's the consensus opinion of this guy? I know the knock on him was his height, but being undersized was also a knock on Bush. 3 year starter at MLB in the SEC, All SEC Team. Pratt is getting all the press, but could this be one of our 6th rd. sleepers?

Davis needs to make up for his lack of athleticism with instincts and the ability to diagnose plays. I think he might be able to do this as he did play in the SEC and was really good there, his tackles for loss show he takes great angles, tackles well and diagnoses plays well. Not betting against this guy based on his forty time.

Dhani Jones was no great athlete and he was a good MIKE for us. Think Davis could be the same or even better.

Just hoping Deshaun's football speed is faster then his forty, that is all. Betting it is judging from his play in the SEC.

Also, i might add that those dumpoffs and screens last year really plagued us, i find it unlikely they would with Davis out there...

(05-15-2019, 09:55 AM)ochocincos Wrote: He's a tough run stuffer that produced in the SEC. He shows good instincts, which helps him produce. He's not overly athletic or fast, and he doesn't excel in coverage. I'm not willing to assume he'll become a good starting MIKE, but his skill set makes me think he'll back up Preston Brown and play a lot of ST.

Agreed. He looks like a special teamer to me. If he plays significant snaps at the NFL level he will get exposed and abused. I like his playing style, but his physical tools are ordinary at best. That is tough to overcome at the next level.

(05-15-2019, 09:54 AM)Sled21 Wrote: So if he's so slow and just not that good, how does he make 1st team ALL SEC and have all those tackles? Track slow doesn't bother me in the least. If he's football slow, I don't see how he accomplished what he did in the SEC.

So, according to you, every all-SEC first teamer should be a good pro?

I'm not going to do it this morning. Some people are just of the mindset that "because the Bengals drafted him, he must be great." I have neither the time nor the inclination to wage that war today.

We'll see how he turns out. Hope he's an all pro someday. I truly do.

(05-15-2019, 10:09 AM)jj22 Wrote: Whatever dude. If saying that to me made you feel better than so be it.

He was a late 6th round pick for a reason.

In the mean time, I agree with everyone else who watched him and said the same thing.

Tom Brady was also a 6th round pick for a reason.

(05-15-2019, 10:22 AM)PV Bengal Wrote: Tom Brady was also a 6th round pick for a reason.

Tom Brady also had extraordinary coaching, as evidenced by so many meh players going to that organization and actually becoming good contributors or better. The Bengals may have finally found a good LB coach to help these guys improve, but we haven't had a chance to see it yet. Until that happens, it's understandable that people are skeptical given previous history at the LB position.

I liked the pick. I worry about the speed but he diagnoses really well. Smart player.

40 times are way over rated since it's almost always just one moment of a player's entire career. I ran track in school and usually could run faster than anyone in my school at the time, but there were days when I was sluggish at best. I ran a 100 yard sprint and was clocked 4/10ths of a second slower than the then worlds record. (the guy with the stopwatch may have been mostly blind at the time so there's that..)The very next day at an actual meet I ran like my legs were set in concrete and I could feel it. I came in dead last with everyone asking what went wrong.. It just wasn't my day.. 

My take is that the fan base is so desperate to find a decent linebacker we’re hoping anyone we bring in will be some hidden gem. I personally think Davis is just a guy and nothing special. He actually has a good chance to make the team because are depth is horrendous.