Overview
Position: Edge defender
Height: 6’6″
Weight: 255 pounds
School: Texas-San Antonio Roadrunners
Combine Performance Data
40-yard dash: 4.58 seconds (fifth among defensive linemen)
Bench press: 22 reps
Vertical jump: 33.5 inches
Broad jump: 10 feet, 4 inches (tied for third among defensive linemen)
Three-cone drill: 7.20 seconds
20-yard shuttle: 4.41 seconds
Marcus Davenport 2018 NFL Draft Profile
Every NFL Draft prospect has their own unique story on how they got to this point. Some had huge expectations levied upon them out of high school. Others weren’t as highly touted but rather displayed their pro potential with standout collegiate careers. Marcus Davenport certainly falls into the latter category.
The San Antonio native garnered a two-star rating from recruiting website Rivals.com and received just two scholarship offers from UTSA and UNLV. Davenport decided to stay close to home and committed to the Roadrunners. Over the next four seasons, he gradually established himself as one of the top perimeter presences on defense in Conference USA.
The first time Davenport piqued the interest of NFL scouts likely came late in the 2016 season when UTSA took on Texas A&M. Though the spotlight was indelibly on future first overall pick Myles Garrett, Davenport himself proved to be a menace in the backfield that day. He ended up leading all players on either team with 11 tackles, 1.5 of which were for loss and added a sack.
When all was said and done on his college career, Davenport finished as UTSA’s all-time leader in tackles for loss (38.0), sacks (22.0) and quarterback hurries (21). His 8.5 sacks and 17 tackles for loss in 2017 both ranked second in Conference USA. He took home league defensive player of the year honors and made first team all-conference for his efforts.
Strengths
- possesses ideal combination of bulk and length in frame;
- powerful bull rush move that overwhelms blockers;
- able to veer underneath blocker’s hands to separate and get to the quarterback;
- does a good job translating speed to power in wrapping up runners;
- exhibits solid lateral movement which should make him useful in exotic blitz packages;
- functional coverage ability as a rat defender;
- shows up in big games as evidenced by his performance against Texas A&M;
- no real durability issues during college;
- high character individual – was a Senior CLASS award candidate in 2017.
Weaknesses
- initial burst and acceleration to top speed could use improvement;
- play speed doesn’t exactly jump out on tape;
- sets up a bit flat-footed and on his heels before the snap;
- plays a bit too upright from a pad level standpoint;
- tends to remain overly engaged with blocker instead of pursuing the ball;
- needs a bit of work in terms of diagnosing plays post-snap;
- operated almost exclusively as a stand-up pass rusher.
NFL Comparison: DeMarcus Ware
Teams With Need at Position: Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, New York Jets, Oakland Raiders, San Francisco 49ers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Redskins
Projection: potential top 10 pick
Bottom Line
Top level perimeter pass rushers are in high demand nowadays. The elite ones end up cashing in big-time with their second contracts. Just ask Von Miller or Olivier Vernon. Davenport is a little rough around the edges at this point and there are elements of his game that need to develop in order for him to excel at the next level. But his body type is tailor-made for the position and will become even more so as he adds more bulk to his frame. It’s one of the reasons Davenport is set to be off the board fairly early on day one of the draft.
