Possible Patriots, 2015 NFL Draft – Carl Davis, DT Iowa
 Carl Davis is a two-gapping DT that may be a nice addition to the Patriots front seven. (USA TODAY Images) |
As the 2015 NFL Draft draws closer we’ll profile some of the players that may be on the Patriots radar. Some of these players have already been linked to New England as possible targets while others; we feel would be a great fit.
Check out our earlier profile on DE/OLB Nate Orchard from Utah.
With New England losing an icon in the middle of the defense in the case of Vince Wilfork the Patriots have some big shoes to fill in the defensive line. Having brought back Sealver Siliga and Alan Branch, the team also has Chris Jones and Dominique Easley at the position. But Easley is more of a smaller penetrator and the Patriots could use another big body there.
Carl Davis from Iowa would be a nice fit; the two-year starter for the Hawkeyes was one of their most important pieces. Davis, like Wilfork is a guy that may not show up large in the stat sheet but eats up space and clogs things in the middle allowing other players to make the play.
Big bodied at 6’5, 321, Davis is surprisingly athletic for a man his size. He’s very strong and is not an easy player to move at the point of attack. He handles double teams very well and will anchor the line without being swallowed up and pushed back
Plays a one-technique rather than a nose tackle and will be a perfect guy for the Patriots two-gap system.
Pros:
- Nice blend of size, strength and agility, big enough to handle the punishment inside.
- Good hand placement, very good at shedding blockers
- Two-gap capable, excellent fit for the Patriots defense
Cons
- Not very explosive, won’t be a big sack guy, more of a pocket pusher
- Plays too upright at times, losing leverage
Davis was voted the most outstanding practice player at the Senior Bowl and may have vaulted himself into a first round selection. The knock on him has been his consistency but after a stellar week he’s made a believer out of NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock.
“He played every snap, he showed athleticism, an ability to push the pocket and get to the quarterback," Mayock said on NFL.com.
If he can improve on some conditioning concerns, Davis may indeed find himself into the first round. But he’s probably end up going in the second round. Most GMs don’t value a one-technique as highly as a three or a five-technique. Would Davis last until pick #64? Some draft simulations have him there, others going much earlier. It will be a crap shoot for the Patriots to wait that long if they value him.
But Davis teamed with Siliga and Branch inside would give the Patriots a nice trio of bigger bodies to rotate in and out. He’s used to playing in the two-gap system and has a lot of experience being double-teamed. Easley and Jones are more of the penetrators; the quicker interior players who can get after the passer.
Davis has been mocked to the Patriots by a couple of different Draft analysts with pick #32. He’s someone to keep an eye on in the Draft.
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