Carl Davis DT Iowa #71
Wt: 320
[level-scouting-reports]
Size/Athleticism: Elite size, strength and length. Above average athleticism for a player with nose tackle size. Long powerful arms and big hands.
Run Defense: More than just a space eater. Strong enough to get some push, even at the point of attack. Capable of holding ground against double teams.
Pass Rush: Dangerous combination of size and athleticism. Long, powerful arms and can easily drive his way into the backfield when he gets leverage. Shows a nice swim move and occasionally goes to a spin move as a counter. Lacks a closing burst, which gives him limited obvious production in terms of sacks but consistently collapses the pocket and forces the quarterback to move. Came off the field a lot on passing downs.
Versatility: Primarily plays the 3-technique spot in Iowa’s 4-3 defense but has the size to play nose tackle. Lining up at the 5-tech spot as a 3-4 end is a possibility for him in the pros, but probably not where he would make the most impact.
Intangibles: High character guy off the field but scouts questions his desire to be great.
Durability: Kneecap popped out of place twice during 2012 season, which led to offseason surgery.
[/level-scouting-reports]
Overview: Davis stock comes down to how he handles the interview process. Teams want to know why his top-10 physical tools translated to Day 2 production on the field. They also want to know how a mediocre team like Iowa could take a talent like that off the field so frequently on third downs. From a raw talent standpoint, Davis has the same profile of Ndamukong Suh, but he lacks the relentless effort and tenacity that Suh shows on the field. The ceiling is incredibly high, but does he want to reach it?
