Overview
Position: Cornerback
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 203 pounds
School: Auburn Tigers
Combine Performance Data
40-yard dash: 4.53 seconds
Bench press: 16 reps
Vertical jump: 34 inches
Broad jump: 10 feet, 4 inches
Carlton Davis 2018 NFL Draft Profile
Year in and year out, South Florida is a hotbed of talent which attracts college programs across the nation. Carlton Davis was a perfect example. Rivals ranked the product of Norland High in the Miami area as the 25th-best prospect out of the state of Florida. Davis initially committed to Ohio State, one of many non-local schools with a sizable recruiting presence in the area. But after taking a visit to Auburn, he de-committed from the Buckeyes and signed a letter of intent with the Tigers on national signing day 2015.
The coaching staff thrust Davis into the spotlight fairly quickly as he made nine starts as a true freshman. He didn’t disappoint them either considering he finished his maiden campaign with three interceptions, tied with Alabama’s Marlon Humphrey for the SEC lead among freshmen. His immediate impact in the Auburn secondary saw him become the first defensive back from the school since Daren Bates to earn SEC all-freshman honors.
Where Davis truly distinguished himself over his 32 starts and 38 total games played in college was his propensity for breaking up passes. Though he made just one more interception in the two seasons after his freshman year, his time at Auburn concluded with him racking up a total of 33 passes defended. In fact, he’s the only player in the SEC to have finished with 10 or more passes defended in each of the last three seasons.
Strengths
- big-bodied corner with traits well-suited to press coverage;
- possesses good length with the wingspan to bat balls down from behind;
- shows attitude and controlled aggression against receivers at the line of scrimmage;
- anticipates and contains well in run support and against screen passes;
- effective at disengaging blockers to get to the ball carrier in the open field;
- reads quarterback’s eyes then uses plus closing quickness to break on the ball;
- fairly solid wrap-up tackler who doesn’t sacrifice many yards after contact;
- quite a bit of starter level reps for an early entrant into the draft.
Weaknesses
- bit of a top-heavy frame with a lean lower body;
- had some issues diagnosing offensive tendencies and making correct pattern reads;
- footwork can get a little inconsistent when swiveling hips;
- struggles to track the ball in the air when covering downfield;
- can mistime his jumps when battling for contested catches;
- dealt with panic grabs at times leading to pass interference calls;
- a bit late reacting to transitions in routes when playing off-man.
NFL Comparison: Marcus Peters
Teams With Need at Position: Arizona Cardinals, Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, Green Bay Packers, Indianapolis Colts, Kansas City Chiefs, New England Patriots, New York Giants, Oakland Raiders, Seattle Seahawks, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Redskins
Projection: possible late first round but more likely a day two selection
Bottom Line
Davis held his own at a very high level of college football for three years. It’s no surprise then that he thinks he’s ready enough to face NFL-caliber competition. His combination of size, length, and tenacity should make him a handful for receivers trying to achieve immediate separation. That said, his read and react instincts are a work in progress and he could struggle early on against vertical threats down the sidelines. Scheme fit will be key, with Davis an ideal match for defensive coordinators who utilize a lot of press alignment on the boundary.
