We’re used to seeing dominant defensive line prospects come flooding out of Tuscaloosa, and Raekwon Davis is the latest in that proud tradition of top Alabama prospects.
One of the top defensive linemen in the 2020 NFL Draft class, Davis recently spoke exclusively with Draft Wire about his impressive career for the Crimson Tide, his relationship with Bama head coach Nick Saban, and what kind of player he’ll be at the next level.
JM: You’ve had a few months now to reflect on your career at Alabama. How do you look back on it?
RD: I had a great time at Alabama. Those were the best years of my life so far. If I could do it all over again, I would in a heartbeat. I had a lot of fun. I learned a lot. I became a man. It was a great experience.
JM: Do you have a favorite moment in a Alabama jersey?
RD: That’s tough. We had so many big moments. I’ll always remember the time spent with my brothers. We would beat up on a team and have such a great time in the locker room together. There were a lot of smiles and jokes going around. We’d play around. You can’t take those moments with your teammates for granted.
JM: What can you tell me about the scheme that you guys ran on defense? What did your coaches ask of you?
RD: We had many different packages. It would be a lot for me to explain over the phone right now. We would need to spend hours together (laughs). We had our “I” package. We did different things across the defensive line. We probably spent half of the time in a three-man front. We had the zero-nose. I spent most of my time at the five-technique spot.
JM: What was it like playing for Nick Saban?
RD: It was good. He had a relationship with everybody on the team. He understands how to build those individual relationships.
JM: What was your experience like at the NFL Scouting Combine?
RD: It was great. I learned a lot from the scouts in attendance. I was getting some new pointers on how to use my body and how to use my leverage. There were so many cool little moments like that. It was a big learning experience for me. I just wanted to get to work and learn as much as I could. The scouts taught me so much.
JM: Taking every aspect of the combine into account, what do you think is the overall impression that you left out there?
RD: I think every team walked away from the combine saying, “That Raekwon Davis kid is a hard worker.”
JM: What was the strangest question you were asked at the combine?
RD: This one team really wanted to take a deep dive on my relationship with Coach Saban. They asked me if he was a mean guy (laughs). That was pretty funny and weird. I obviously said no, he’s not a mean guy.
JM: I know that you’re keeping the teams private at this time, but have you met with many teams over FaceTime? Did you get a chance to get any private visits or workouts in prior to COVID-19 shutting everything down?
RD: I didn’t get a chance to make any in-person visits. The spread of the virus shut everything down before I could get on the road. I’ve met with a lot of teams over both FaceTime and Zoom, though. It’s been a unique and fun process. I’m just taking it all in right now. I’ve probably met with around 13 teams. All of my meetings have gone well.
JM: Do you prefer to rush the passer or play as a run stopper?
RD: I truly can’t pick between the two. In order for me to do my job at a high level, I have to be playing well in both of those areas.
JM: What can you tell me about Tua Tagovailoa, the man, the quarterback and the leader?
RD: That’s a great kid right there. He has so much energy. He loves football. He loves to work. He was always trying to lift up the spirits of the team. He’s just one of those special quarterbacks. He has a chance to change the game at any given moment. That’s how special he is. He has a positive impact on everybody’s mindset.
JM: How did practicing and preparing alongside him make you a better player?
RD: He’s one of the best quarterbacks in this draft. I was very fortunate to have him as a teammate. I got to practice every day against him. He wanted all of us to get better. I’d be trying to get after him on a rep and he would give me pointers. The play would end and he’d come up to me and give me pointers on what I could have done differently to reach the pocket a little bit faster next time. He’d be giving me pointers on which angles to take and how to sack him (laughs). I appreciated him for that. That’s a good dude right there.
JM: Who are some of the best offensive linemen that you’ve ever gone up against?
RD: When I get asked this question, I try to think of one teammate and one opponent. I would definitely say Jedrick Wills, Jr. on my team, and Damien Lewis from LSU as the opponent.
JM: If you were going into battle tomorrow and could only bring one teammate with you, who would you bring and why?
RD: I can’t answer that. Come on. You can’t do me like that (laughs). I’d bring the entire team with me. I wanna bring everybody with me.
JM: When a team drafts Raekwon Davis, what kind of guy are they getting?
RD: They’re getting a guy that’s gonna come in with a humble attitude. I’m ready to work. I expect to be held accountable. I’m a trustworthy guy. I want the best for all of my teammates. I can’t wait to get back to work.
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