The Miami Dolphins got a monster with the No. 56 overall pick, and head coach Brian Flores and general manager Chris Grier couldn’t be happier.
Shortly after the Dolphins made former University of Alabama defensive tackle Raekwon Davis their second-round choice, Flores and Grier offered their takes on what the youngster brings to the table.
“I think when people talk production, they want to talk sacks,” Grier said. “Brian has mentioned it before, this kid has created a lot of opportunities. He’s had plays where he’s been blowing up stuff. The one thing he is: He’s big, physical, tough, he stops the run and I think as a kid, he’s matured over the years. We were really happy to get him. We didn’t have any qualms about him and I know Brian and the coaching staff and the scouting staff were really excited. We all had him rated as a high-rated player for us.”
Flores echoed his GM, saying that much of what Davis offers on defense doesn’t show up on the stat sheet.
“I’ve always told players that you can play a great game and have no stats,” he said. “If you set the edge every time, if you’re in your gap, if you make every tackle, if you force the ball wherever we want to force it, if you make your block, you can literally have nothing on the stat sheet but play a great game. I’m on record saying that to players dating back to as long as I have been coaching. I truly believe that. So when people say statistics – when I see Raekwon, I see a guy who is defeating blocks, taking two blocks, and creating plays for his teammates. There are a lot of hidden statistics that I look at personally. I think he does a good job at maybe some of those hidden stats.”
Davis recorded 175 total tackles during his time at Alabama. With the Dolphins, he’ll look to use his 6-foot-6, 311-pound frame to clog up lanes and put pressure on opposing quarterbacks for many years to come.
While the Dolphins’ draft was exciting from start to finish, landing a player of Davis’ pedigree in the second round was certainly a major high point.
