OLB/DE Bruce Davis...

[Seneschal2]

Feedback requested on this player...as he's now the latest prospect the Pats have shown interest in:

http://www.kffl.com/team/24/nfl

Patriots | Team ran LB and DL drills at UCLA Pro Day
Wed, 23 Apr 2008 15:16:35 -0700
During an interview on SIRIUS NFL Radio, Movin' The Chains, University of California Los Angeles LB Bruce Davis said members of the New England Patriots staff ran the linebacker and defensive line drills at UCLA's Pro Day.


Patriots | Team has had contact with B. Davis
Wed, 23 Apr 2008 15:15:29 -0700
During an interview on SIRIUS NFL Radio, Movin' The Chains, University of California Los Angeles LB Bruce Davis said he spoke with the New England Patriots during the Senior Bowl and the 2008 NFL Scouting Combine.

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Some notes:

Listed at 6025 252, projected as a 4th rounder. Emotional-type player/sack artist. Very productive junior and senior seasons at RDE. Played SLB and DE as a Soph. One of the "football is important to him" prospects. High motor player.

Appeared lost in coverage during LB drills at Senior Bowl practices, [FONT=Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif][SIZE=-2]yet flashed explosive speed off the edge[/SIZE][/FONT] as a pass rusher. Very raw as a LB -- not a finished product.

Here's a good article and excerpt :

"People always tell me to calm down or tell me I get too emotional. No, no, no. This game is my life," says Davis, whose father Bruce Sr. also went to UCLA and won two Super Bowl rings as an offensive lineman for the Raiders. "As far as I'm concerned I owe this game everything I have, so every time I go out there on the field I let it go. There's no let up, there's none of that. It's just not in my wiring. When I was little kid, I asked my dad if I could miss practice to go to mall one time and I got smacked in the face. There is no room for complacency with me. I'll never take a day off. The day I play my last snap of NFL football is the day I'll finally kick my feet up. "

"It's overwhelming to think about this sometimes, but at the same time this is what I wanted my whole life," he says as he looks at the television. "If the opportunity presents itself and I catch Peyton Manning with his arm still in the air ready to **** back and throw, I'm going to unload on him. Same goes for Tom Brady and all those guys. They're going to be out there trying to torch whatever team I'm playing on, so if I catch 'em, I'm going to hit 'em. I'm going to hit them as hard as I can and let them know that I'm there."

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The Pats are covering all bases at the tweener position. To date, all of the prospects range from #7 through day two. Some good pass rushers in the group (Davis is one). Some have excellent intangibles too. Most are flawed to some degree; some are undersized, several have limited LB experience, yet many are good football players.

Here's the list of DE/OLB's:

DE/OLB Vernon Gholston - PW & PV
DE/OLB Quentin Groves - PV & PW
DE/OLB Cliff Avril - CBI & PW & PV
DE/OLB Lawrence Jackson - PW
DE/OLB Jason Jones - PV
DE/OLB Darrell Robertson - PV
DE/OLB Bryan Smith - PW
DE/OLB Hilee Taylor - PW
DE/OLB Bruce Davis - PW & CBI & ASI

 

[SamBamsFan]

DE/OLB Vernon Gholston - PW & PV
DE/OLB Quentin Groves - PV & PW
DE/OLB Cliff Avril - CBI & PW & PV
DE/OLB Lawrence Jackson - PW
DE/OLB Jason Jones - PV
DE/OLB Darrell Robertson - PV
DE/OLB Bryan Smith - PW
DE/OLB Hilee Taylor - PW
DE/OLB Bruce Davis - PW & CBI & ASI

If you get a chance to look at some tape you'll like him a lot. Very vertical player, so a lot of plays in the backfield. Obviously very raw in other aspects of Pats LB requirements. I definitely like him @ 94 (though I'd have to give up my binky, J Williams). Any later and you probably wouldn't get him. He reminds me of Bruschi in '96, McGinest in '94 in both the good, and the bad. Very quick, but I wonder how that translates into lateral quickness.

 

[tjones7]

Here's the list of DE/OLB's:

DE/OLB Vernon Gholston - PW & PV
DE/OLB Quentin Groves - PV & PW
DE/OLB Cliff Avril - CBI & PW & PV
DE/OLB Lawrence Jackson - PW
DE/OLB Jason Jones - PV
DE/OLB Darrell Robertson - PV
DE/OLB Bryan Smith - PW
DE/OLB Hilee Taylor - PW
DE/OLB Bruce Davis - PW & CBI & ASI

The only guys from this list I am interested in are Groves and Avril.
Everyone else seems like too big a risk for a conversion

 

[PonyExpress]

BDavis has elite football character. His motor is off the charts. His athleticism is on the very low threshhold for a starting NFL DE/3-4 OLB, but it is enough to give him a chance to make it as a starter by year 3. Combine that with his extraordinary football character and I think it is well worth investing a 2nd day pick in BDavis. He is not physically like Daryl Tapp, current DE for Seattle, but his football IQ and motor are comparable. There is misinformation spreading that V Gholston had the most sacks in Div I football in the last 2 seasons. I fell for it. The actual King of Div I sacks is B Davis with 25. He also had an incredible 9 passes defensed last season.

It looks like BDavis could be available at the end of rd 5, and IMO that would be a good investment. At the least he will be a special teams demon, with some real upside.

Of those 3-4 OLB names most mentioned, here is how I would rank them- Also a current NFL player whose career I see them mirroring.

1. C. Long = Shawne Merriman. Their size, length, weight are virtually identical; their burst is similar; C. Long may be a bit more fluid, and Merriman slightly more explosive in his lower body, but not by much. Their motors are similar.

2. Gholston= Will Smith. Gholston has the athletic upside of DWare. However his motor is shabby, and that will take very good coaching to correct. IOW, Gholston lacks football character, but still has enough to impact on the level of a Will Smith, even if the motor never improves.

3. C. Avril= Mark Anderson.

4. LJackson= L Woodley. Slightly better athlete, better length, not quite as relentless or explosive as Woodley. An underrated prospect who should make an impact in the NFL at DE or OLB.

5. DHarvey= Kiwanuka. Not really the athlete that Kiwanuka is, and I don't expect him to have as good a career as Kiwanuka due to lack of edge speed, but his length and lack of raw power are somewhat similar. Harvey lacks power, but is very fluid; his surprising quickness and length will allow him to impact. IMO he will not be a pro bowl player, but a solid contributing DE, like an Antwan Odom, for example.

6. Groves= J Moss, not visually like Moss, but as a package of raw ability and uncertain football character. Groves has the athletic ability of a Gaines Adams, but injuries and off the field issues make him a risk. Throw in the heart problem and he is teetering on the edge of trouble as a prospect. At this stage I wouldn't draft him on Day 1 (before rd 3) simply due to risk factor.

7. BDavis= Pierre Woods. B Davis can be better than Pierre Woods, but its a good place for him to begin, on special teams.


There are plenty of other potential conversion prospects, but these are just a few recently mentioned.

 

[patsfaninpa]

Didn't really see him at all this year. But, I remember he torched ND's ol in 06. When they had a decent offense. Also, played well in their upset of USC. Doubt he falls to 5. End of Round 3 would seem about right.

What do you think of the Howard kid from Georgia? He won't be a full-time player in our defense. But, might be useful as a situational pass-rusher.

 

[sebman2112]

Here's the list of DE/OLB's:

DE/OLB Vernon Gholston - PW & PV
DE/OLB Quentin Groves - PV & PW
DE/OLB Cliff Avril - CBI & PW & PV
DE/OLB Lawrence Jackson - PW
DE/OLB Jason Jones - PV
DE/OLB Darrell Robertson - PV
DE/OLB Bryan Smith - PW
DE/OLB Hilee Taylor - PW
DE/OLB Bruce Davis - PW & CBI & ASI

During an interview on SIRIUS NFL Radio, Movin' The Chains, University of California Los Angeles LB Bruce Davis said members of the New England Patriots staff ran the linebacker and defensive line drills at UCLA's Pro Day.

That does not actually qualify as a private workout. If the player is just going through his Pro Day drills, while NFL team staff members are helping out, then it's not a "private workout", and various NFL coaches and other staff members will help out with these drills from to to time.

So, he probably shouldn't have the "PW" next to his name.

Davis was a speed guy, who was among the more productive pass rushers in the nation, but he was also undersized for most of that time, and recently gained weight. From what I've seen, he's not so great against the run, and needs a develop more moves as a pass rusher. He seems to have the athleticism to play OLB in a 34, but can he be successful dropping into coverage? His strength is something that could be improved as well, so it will be interesting to see how long he last.

 

[unoriginal]

Looks to me like the kind of player the Pats would draft in the 7th round.

 

[SamBamsFan]

Looks to me like the kind of player the Pats would draft in the 7th round.

It sounds like you have him confused with Banta- Cain.
http://www.nfldraftscout.com/members/ratings/profile.php?pyid=15549

 

[dryheat44]

Looks to me like the kind of player the Pats would draft in the 7th round.

I don't know about the seventh....but I doubt the Patriots have him rated as highly as other teams, like the Colts or Bucs, for example.

He played his senior year at something like 235 lbs....so I'm a little concerned about his putting on 20 lbs in less than a year, and even if on the up and up, how it would affect his speed and agility.

 

[Metaphors]

Here's the list of DE/OLB's:

DE/OLB Vernon Gholston - PW & PV
DE/OLB Quentin Groves - PV & PW
DE/OLB Cliff Avril - CBI & PW & PV
DE/OLB Lawrence Jackson - PW
DE/OLB Jason Jones - PV
DE/OLB Darrell Robertson - PV
DE/OLB Bryan Smith - PW
DE/OLB Hilee Taylor - PW
DE/OLB Bruce Davis - PW & CBI & ASI

I would add Jeremy Thompson as well.

Has a cut physique with the frame to get even bigger...Long arms...A smooth and fluid athlete...Good strength...Has a good motor and does a nice job in pursuit...Is stout at the point of attack and does an excellent job against the run...Real smart with terrific awareness...Has some potential in coverage...Versatile..A hard worker with good intangibles...Had his best season as a senior and still has some upside.

From what I've seen of him (couple of games against not-so-great competition), he moves real well and is around the ball a lot. Has injuries in his past so that will need to check out, but worth considering in the mid-rounds.

 

[unoriginal]

It sounds like you have him confused with Banta- Cain.
http://www.nfldraftscout.com/members/ratings/profile.php?pyid=15549

The link does nothing for me, but I was under the impression TBC was rated much higher than Bruce Davis coming out, and he slipped down to one of the rounds where the Pats have nothing better to do than draft linebackers.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

I think Davis is the only OLB/DE player in this draft with more TFL/sacks than Groves over the past two seasons, I think Davis had 41.5 TFL/Sacks.

That is an awesome number. If he were more sudden, like Groves, then I would be very happy if the Pats snagged him in the third round.

 

[alvinnf]

Yippee!!!!
I am an official card carry member of the Bruce Davis fan club.......
He played DE, (5 tech), then when asked to switched to OLB, then back to DE.. This guy will do anything to get on the field or to the quarteback.. He is going to be gone Day One, period. You don't get 24 sacks in two years by default. If you look up his profile on NFL.com (Draft Exchange), you'll see he is compared to T.Bruschi, and if you remember Bruschi was an integral part of the dessert swarm crew, and started here outside before moving inside. He is the perfect replacement for Rosie.

 

[PonyExpress]

I think Davis is the only OLB/DE player in this draft with more TFL/sacks than Groves over the past two seasons, I think Davis had 41.5 TFL/Sacks.

That is an awesome number. If he were more sudden, like Groves, then I would be very happy if the Pats snagged him in the third round.

Unless I'm mistaken... in college football records, sacks are included in TFL. IOW, if a player is credited with 10 sacks and 15 TFL, he actually had 10 sacks and 5 tackles behind the line of scrimmage vs the run. Pat Kirwan recently made this mistake on NFL.com, thinking that the 15 TFLs were seperate from the 10 sacks.

By my count, Groves had 12.5 sacks and 6.5 tackles for loss vs the run the past 2 seasons combined. That adds up to 19 TFL total. There are many Div I players who accumulated more than 19 total TFL over the past 2 seasons.

 

[alvinnf]

In college stats, sacks are included in TFL. If a player had 10 sacks and 15 TFL, he actually had 10 sacks and 5 tackles behind the line of scrimmage vs the run. I've seen Pat Kirwan recently make this same mistake on NFL.com.

Groves had 12.5 sacks and 6.5 tackles for loss vs the run the past 2 seasons combined. That adds up to 19 TFL total. There are many Div I players who accumulated more than 19 total TFL over the past 2 seasons.

I think 24 sacks in 2 years in the pac 10 speaks for itself.

 

[PonyExpress]

I think 24 sacks in 2 years in the pac 10 speaks for itself.

Tell that to Mkristo Bruce. I give BD a much better shot of making it than MBruce in the NFL, but sacks in the Pac 10 do not an NFL star make.

 

[unoriginal]

I think 24 sacks in 2 years in the pac 10 speaks for itself.

You'll never guess about how many sacks Tully Banta-Cain had in the Pac-10.

 

[SamBamsFan]

You'll never guess about how many sacks Tully Banta-Cain had in the Pac-10.

Well a quick google says that he had 13.5 in his first 3 years... Do you want to end the suspense?

 

[unoriginal]

Well a quick google says that he had 13.5 in his first 3 years... Do you want to end the suspense?

Pats profile said he has 21 sacks in 2 years.