Replacing DeForest Buckner jumped to the top of the 49ers’ priority list heading into the 2020 season as soon as they traded him to the Colts for the No. 13 pick in the draft. Whether they draft a player or use an assemblage of defensive linemen already on the roster, they have a massive vacancy in the middle of their defensive front that needs filling.
There’s one prospect in particular with the physical tools to fill that void by himself, and he already caught San Francisco’s eye. Alabama defensive lineman Raekwon Davis told Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk that the 49ers were among the teams he’s held pre-draft meetings with.
Davis is a fascinating prospect who was once considered a future first-round pick. Buckner is his pro comp according to NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein.
Davis burst on the scene as a sophomore with 8.5 sacks and 10 tackles for loss on a very good Crimson Tide defense. That was the peak of his college production though, which is why he’s finding himself projected as a mid-to-late Day 2 pick. His numbers dipped as a junior, then fell again as a senior when he posted just 0.5 sacks and 3.0 tackles for loss.
At 6-6, 311 pounds with his sophomore production on his resumé though, Davis will continue to draw interest from teams. He’s extremely strong and athletic enough to make plays once he reaches the backfield. While the limited production in 2018 and 2019 is concerning – the physical traits are always going to win teams over.
Questions about effort and motor drop Davis’ floor as a prospect, but his ceiling remains that of a first-round pick. If the 49ers find a way to scoop him up in the draft, and he hits that ceiling, they just might have their Buckner replacement.
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