Marcus Davenport, UTSA: 2018 NFL Draft Scouting Report
By Jon Dove
UTSA’s Marcus Davenport is a small school edge defender with the skills needed to make an impact early in his NFL career.
Marcus Davenport features a solid build with length and average bulk. His quickness and short-area burst help him make plays behind the line of scrimmage. He mainly rushes from a two-point stance and maybe be better suited to continue that trend in the NFL.
Davenport is an aggressive defender who takes the fight to the offensive linemen. He routinely delivers a powerful punch that knocks the blocker off balance. This allows him to unleash his wide-array of pass rush moves.
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His ability to both push the pocket with his strength and turn the corner with his speed makes Davenport a nightmare to block.
He is a quick-twitch athlete who gets off the line of scrimmage in a hurry. This speed helps him attack the edge and flatten out to purse the quarterback. He also features a non-stop motor which results in him always playing until the whistle.
Davenport plays with sound technique by focusing on maintaining leverage and gaining inside hands. This combined with this raw physical skills makes him a very polished defender.
As a run defender, he does a good job setting the edge and using his upper body strength to disengage. Davenport also features the quickness needed to close on the ball carrier. It’s difficult to gage whether he would remain as effective if moved into a three-point stance.
His ability to play a step off the line helps him explode into the blocker. It also gives him a chance to read his keys.
The big question facing Davenport is how he will adjust to the change in competition. His time at USTA saw him face top-level talent only a handful of times. Davenport plans on attending the Senior Bowl which will be a great opportunity for him to showcase his skills.
Overall, this is a high-upside pass rusher who also has a chance to make an immediate impact. Davenport features a strong combination of raw talent, commitment to proper technique and an aggressive playing style.