Talking Mike Davis

The best part about draft season, apart from the actual draft, is all the great conversations that it spurs.

Recently, I had the opportunity to break down one of this year’s deep crop of running backs, South Carolina’s Mike Davis with Chris Cheung (@SAF4SAFF). The format was simple – we both reviewed his 2014 game against Missouri, then took to Twitter to give our thoughts on what we saw.

Below is an excerpt of some our thoughts on key topics. You can follow this link to see the entire conversation.

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CC: So, in this Mizz vid, what stood out to you?

DG: His ability to get every inch that’s blocked for him. I think his vision is excellent. You see him picking his way consistently.

CC: Yep, don’t see him get knocked back a lot, which is something I usually see with shorter backs, but he has a good weight and height.

 

DG: What do you think of his burst? Do you think he looks any slower this year or is he about the same?

CC: I may have to go back to his ‘13 game, but I do feel that he’s not as fast as he was.

DG: In ‘13 I think he had a better OL, which got him free easier. He had to work harder this season for yards.

CC: Also plagued by a lot more injury. I hope that didn’t rob too much of his speed.

 

CC: Can outrun the defenders, instead of making them guess. I think he consistently shows good things in the open field.

DG: He makes smart decisions. Now whether that’s because he’s not as gifted athletically, that’s another discussion.

 

CC: Sometimes I feel like he’s running faster than his body can handle.

DG: Yeah that goes hand-in-hand with him always going forward but he does get too out front sometimes.

 

CC: But I expect RBs to be able to at least break some arm tackles, but Davis doesn’t break any, not even against DBs

DG: How do you feel about his power in general?

CC: It’s also less of a concern if he has speed, which right now I don’t know if his combine or his pro day are more reflective of his speed.

 

DG: NFL.com comps him to Alfred Morris. How do you feel about that?

CC: I would definitely say I like him better than when Morris was a rookie.

CC: I see him more in the mold of maybe Ray Rice-ish without the power to push people back.

 

DG: What’s your draft predictions, both NFL and dynasty rookie drafts?

CC: Alright, for NFL, I’m thinking a surprise late third or an expected mid fourth.

CC: The teams I like to see him in: Ravens, Atlanta, Denver (worst case scenario, but still best long term result).

CC: Conservatively, I’ll say he goes around pick 35-45 in fantasy, but if he lands in ATL or Ravens, easily 24+

DG: I agree with mid third-mid fourth. I’d like to see him somewhere like Arizona maybe?

CC: That’s another good team to get early playing time.

 

DLF’s own Nick Whalen broke down Davis in September and you can find that here.

As I went through the Missouri game we reviewed above, the thing that really struck me was his vision. Time after time Davis does a really good job picking his way through the line, maximizing the yardage that the offensive line has made for him.

The play that demonstrates this the best is the touchdown in the second quarter.

South Carolina has a 1st and 10 at the Missouri 17 yard line. The Gamecocks line up with two tight ends to the right side, both wide receivers to the right and the quarterback in the shotgun. The handoff goes to Davis and he starts up the middle before cutting back to the right side. He gets a block at the 7-yard line by one of his wide receivers to give him the edge. He then positions his quarterback between him and the last defender that could catch him, cruising into the end zone untouched.

This is a smart run for two reasons. First, Davis never hits top gear. It’s only a 17-yard run and the defense is swept to the opposite side of the field. He never has to all-out sprint to make his getaway. Second, Davis follows his blocks. The two tight ends seal the line at the point of attack. Both wide receivers pick up blocks downfield (I noted above that one of them happened at the 7, ensuring a first down at the very least). But it’s the use of the quarterback that makes this a heady play. Davis doesn’t ask the quarterback to throw a block or even make contact. He simply continues to the outside, forcing the chase defender to try and get around the quarterback to make a last-ditch effort, which he cannot. A lot of running backs would have hit the jets and tried to outrun the defender to the goal line. Davis manipulates his circumstances to get the job done in the smartest way possible.

As for my opinion on Davis, I think he’s a very talented back and a good playmaker. I like his receiving skills and think if you’re playing PPR, you should be strongly considering him in your second tier.

He is a smart runner with good hands and a good enough blocker to see the field as a rookie. Yes, his 40-yard dash time leaves something to be desired, but he is fast enough on tape that it doesn’t concern me. Take him with confidence and enjoy your PPR benefits.

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