Daviyon Nixon has as much upside as any IDL in this class and is a home run pick for the Panthers, especially given their need for another defensive tackle to pair next to Derrick Brown for the future.
Nixon has all the physical tools required to be an every down three tech in the NFL. He offers tremendous explosiveness out of his stance, strong and powerful hands, strong gap-shooting ability, and plays with excellent leverage. He does have a small array of pass rush moves, but mostly wins with his freaky athleticism, high motor, and strong lower half. In the run game, he displays quality stack and shed ability and a strong anchor that does not get moved off the ball often. Nixon piled up 45 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, and 5.5 sacks his senior year in a power five conference so it’s safe to say his production and potential is there.
The concern with Nixon is he has played four years in the college ranks but has virtually no technical refinement to show for it. All his stats are pretty much based on his athleticism and football IQ. There’s room to grow and that’s great, but also concerning because he should be showcasing a stronger variety of moves with his experience and coaching he’s received.
No matter how you look at it, many scouts and analysts had Nixon as a top 75 player on their boards, but the Panthers ended up getting him at 159. This is one of the best value picks of the entire draft. Nixon should provide immediate depth behind Brown and Daquan Jones as a rotational early-down gap shooter that helps them plug up the run game.
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