2018 NFL Draft: Buy into Marcus Davenport’s rapid rise
Every draft has one player that comes from seemingly nowhere to crash the first round. Marcus Davenport is that rising star of the 2018 NFL Draft.
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The UTSA Roadrunners don’t attract the same level of attention as the Alabama Crimson Tide. The Mavericks’ program has existed for as many seasons as Nick Saban has championships, six. In that short span of time, the Roadrunners have one NFL draft pick, tight end Drew Morgan who was selected in the sixth round by the Minnesota Vikings in 2016.
Not only are the Roadrunners going to double their draft history this time around, they may just have produced the first top round pick in school history. Defensive end Marcus Davenport has rocketed up draft boards, and for good reason.
Strengths
Davenport did everything he could to put himself on the map at UTSA. He registered 8.5 sacks and 17.5 tackles for a loss in his senior season. The level of competition pales in comparison to the NFL, but all of the physical tools are there.
Davenport is 255 pounds of raw power. He’s fierce, drives through blockers and moves with unassuming power. His acceleration off the line is something that can’t be taught, which makes his potential particularly intriguing. For a senior pass rusher, Davenport is incredibly raw. With the right coach in his ear and a few more pounds of muscle he could become one of the more devastating edge rushers in the NFL.
Watch him destroy a blocker and the quarterback on the same play.
Weaknesses
The lack of coaching is a double-edged sword. While it presents plenty of opportunity, Davenport’s game also has rather obvious flaws. He was able to bull rush through almost every offensive lineman he faced in Conference USA, but that’s not going to work at the next level. He needs to get down in the trenches and play with more intelligence than raw power.
Davenport’s block shedding is circumspect and he’s going to need to develop additional pass rushing skills. His A-to-B straight line power is evident, but his lack of ability to improvise when pushed off his block is concerning. He does not dictate the line of scrimmage as much as someone his size should.
Draft Expectations
The highlight reel plays are all there for Marcus Davenport. As far as NFL front office members are concerned, those are important, but the measurables drive a large portion of the evaluation. At 6-foot-6 and 255 pounds, Davenport has already added a significant amount of muscle during the offseason.
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Hubris, from one coaching staff or another, is going to elevated Davenport from a fringe first round prospect to a first round lock. Someone is going to see his potential and believe they can make the finishing touches.