High School and College Career

Tyler Davis, was a 4-star recruit from Wekiva High School prior to joining Clemson.

As a freshman for Clemson in 2019, Davis proved his worth as a valued player, contributing to 15 games and playing a total of 549 snaps for the Tigers. He showcased his skills on the field with an impressive set of statistics, recording 24 tackles and 3 assists. Davis also impressed as a pass rusher during his freshman year with 31 total pressures, including 19 QB hurries, 4 QB hits, and an outstanding 8 sacks throughout the season.

During the 2020 season, he featured in 7 games and played in a total of 196 snaps for the team. Although his statistics were not as impressive as his freshman year, he still proved to be a valuable player in the team. Davis recorded 9 tackles with 4 assisted tackles. As a pass rusher, he chalked up 7 total pressures with 4 QB hurries, one QB hit, and 2 sacks.

The following year, he played in 9 games and contributed his skills to 320 snaps. Throughout the season, he recorded 15 tackles and 4 assisted tackles. He continued to be a valuable asset as a pass rusher, producing 22 total pressures with 18 QB hurries, one QB hit, and 3 sacks.

In his senior season, he logged playing time in 11 games and played a total of 451 snaps for the Tigers. Davis recorded 17 tackles and as a pass rusher, he tallied an impressive 35 total pressures, including 22 QB hurries, 7 QB hits, and 6 sacks on the season.

Tyler Davis Scouting Report Introduction

Tyler Davis is an impressive defensive interior player that possesses a rare combination of athleticism and power. His standout ability to shoot gaps or power his way through the pocket in passing situations is a sight to behold. Davis has an unquestionable influence inside that can wreak havoc on opposing offenses. In his freshman year of 2019, Davis displayed his dominance with more than 10 TFLs and consistently living in opposing backfields. He is built like a bowling ball and his uncanny ability to play loose off of blockers is a gift. He can twist, contort, or rip through blocks in high-traffic spaces to push to daylight and squeeze quarterbacks and ball carriers alike. Davis is surprisingly nimble on his feet, meets Mike Mayock’s criteria of a “dancing bear,” and possesses all the physical tools needed to become a top penetration front defender at the next level. His powerful hands and violent play off blocks make him a force to be reckoned with.

However, the biggest obstacle to Davis’s projection as a potential pro is his injuries, which have derailed many opportunities for him to display his phenomenal freshman season. Although he deserves praise for playing through the wear and tear, it has cast a black cloud over his pro projection, making it difficult to predict his future development without witnessing another fully healthy season under his belt. There were also some concerns about his pad-level and consistency in clearing blocks throughout the full 60 minutes, which may be attributed to his lingering injuries. Therefore, despite his immense potential, he remains somewhat of a wildcard for the season ahead. Still, given his superb athletic ability and Clemson front’s talent, it would be no surprise if he emerges as a significant riser in the upcoming season.

Strengths

His technique is notable in that he uses his large hands to block passes, and if unsuccessful, he follows the quarterback on moving pockets and sniffs out screens.

Additionally, Davis is capable of flashing enough quickness off the snap to threaten gaps at the three-technique, especially when slanting. He inhabits sufficient strength in the lower body to hold up at the point of attack, and his grappling ability is impressive in the phone booth, consistently getting blockers off-balance before sending them to the ground.

Despite his bowling-ball build, Davis has good feet and agility, catering to his ability to work laterally down the line of scrimmage in pursuit. Davis brings a nice blend of power and quickness to the field, making him a target for high recruitment. His impressive get-off is often displayed in his ability to explode off the line and get into gaps, leaving little time for blockers to react.

Overall, Tyler Davis’ style of play is that of a compactly built, high-motor lineman with notable power and quickness. These traits make him a prime candidate for being a top 120 pick and a valuable asset to any team with a rotation-heavy defensive line.

Weaknesses

He falls short when it comes to chasing players down in pursuit. Tyler lacks the necessary range to effectively track down opponents, which limits his impact on the field in certain situations.

In terms of lateral movement, Tyler is adequate, but he struggles to demonstrate impressive closing speed when he does need to pursue someone. This somewhat detracts from his overall effectiveness, as he cannot always be relied upon to make a critical stop when it counts.

When it comes to physical strength, Tyler has some positive traits. However, one significant limitation is his marginal arm length, which puts him at a disadvantage when trying to grab a hold of ballcarriers as they pass by him. This can limit his ability to make tackles or otherwise impact plays when he is positioned to make contact with an opponent.

Overall, Tyler Davis has a few strengths as a football player, particularly with regard to his straight-line speed and lateral movement. However, his limitations in other areas, such as range and arm length, may hold him back from reaching his full potential on the field.

Tyler Davis is our 91st prospect on our draft big board.