Tyler Davis Scouting Report

By: Michael Higgins

(Image courtesy of Isaiah Vazquez/Getty Images)

School: Clemson

Class: Redshirt Senior

Position: DL

HT: 6’2

WT: 301 lbs

Sideline Prospect Ranking: #79

Background: Tyler Davis is a veteran interior defensive lineman for the Clemson Tigers. Davis was a 4-star recruit in the 2019 class out of Apopka, Florida. Davis attended Wekiva High School and became one of the better players at his position in the state. He helped his team to a top ten ranking in the state of Florida. Tyler Davis chose Clemson over Miami, Florida State, and others.

College: Davis came into Clemson and immediately became one of their best defenders. As a true freshman, Davis was selected to the All-ACC Second Team after posting 5.5 sacks across 13 starts. In his second season at Clemson, he struggled with injuries and a COVID-shortened season. This led to a noticeable dip in production. In 2021, Davis was selected First Team All-ACC despite dealing with a multitude of injuries. His volume statistics were not eye-popping due to the fact that he missed games with injury, but his presence was felt when he did play. Davis was 2nd Team All-America in his 4th season at Clemson. He was finally getting recognition as one of the best 3-techs in the country. Davis elected to return to Clemson for the 2023 season. He was named to the All-ACC First Team in his final season with the Tigers.

Strengths: Out of his stance, Davis is noticeably quick. He has explosiveness to launch himself into the backfield much quicker than the opposition can handle. Davis is a stout run defender, that is where his value is truly shown. Tyler Davis plugs and fills lanes better than anyone in the country. He has tremendous instincts and can read the play well to fill the correct gap. Davis wins with power in his get up. The momentum he generates combined with his heavy hands is enough to knock offensive linemen off their foundation and give Davis enough room to make a play. Davis’ hands are both quick and violent, creating problems for the offensive lineman and dominating the phone booth. For an interior defensive lineman, Davis displays exceptional change of direction skills. He has the ankle flexion to allow for a cut on a dime. As a 1-tech, pass rushing is not Davis’ strong suit, but he has a variety of pass rush moves in his bag. His most commonly used move is his swim move. This allows Davis to reach over his opponents’ pads despite not having ideal length for the position. That is the first knock on Davis’ scouting report.

Weaknesses: He lacks the required length that is needed to succeed in the NFL. He is strong but his arms are short and he can be easily knocked back out of his rush. Additionally, Tyler Davis has a worrisome injury history that teams will take into account. Lastly, Davis’ size prevents him from being able to take on double teams. If his opponent receives help, he is more than likely going to be taken out of the picture.

Scheme Fit: 4-3

Ideal Role: 1-tech

Best Team Fits: HOU, SEA, KC

Player Comparison: David Onyemata

Player Grade: 78.4