LB Coach Joe Barry: He's giving love to Kevin Davis

Quote
RamBill
Wired with Rams LB Coach Joe Barry –Video

Get to know the Rams new Assistant Head Coach and Linebackers Coach Joe Barry in this mic’d up OTA edition of Wired. (2:26)

Watch Coach Barry Wired

:56 second mark... coach Barry: "Kevin Davis, all he does is make plays out there man. That dudes a baller."

hmmm it's only pajama practice and maybe Barry says stuff like that to all his LB's having a good practice.. or Barry has one of his early sleeper LB favorites.


LB KEVIN DAVIS COLORADO ST. MOUNTAIN WEST

OVERVIEW
A Parade High School All-American as a senior, Davis signed up to play in his home state. The past two seasons, he's been one of the best linebackers west of the Mississippi. The 2016 second-team All-Mountain West pick led the Rams with 110 tackles, 10.5 for loss, three sacks and four forced fumbles (tied for 10th nationally). Great things were expected from Davis this year because of his first year as a starter in 2015, where he earned honorable mention all-conference recognition as CSU's top tackle (101, 14 for loss).

It took Davis a couple of years to reach his potential, however, due to injuries. He was injured on the opening kickoff against Hawaii his freshman year, keeping him as a reserve in eight games (23 tackles). Davis was granted a medical redshirt the next season after four games (one tackle) on special teams. He missed two more games with an ailment in 2014, but wound up starting one game and making 22 tackles (2.5 for loss, sack) in 11 games that season.


STRENGTHS Makes plays near the line of scrimmage. Landed 24.5 tackles for loss over last two seasons. Athletic and smooth in his movements. Steps downhill with good balance and gathers himself in a tackle-ready position. Can flow and mirror a running back's change of direction. Able to extend his frame laterally and make the diving stop against shifty running backs. Can chase in space. Has consecutive 100-plus tackle seasons as a starter. Good hip fluidity in his drops and has some man-cover potential. Disguises blitzes and has speed to burst by unsuspecting offensive linemen.

WEAKNESSES Offers zero power as a tackler. Allows runners to deliver as much or more of a blow at the point of contact. Needs better bend and hip explosion into tackles. Too passive as a take-on linebacker. Will turn his head and lead with right shoulder no matter his location in the gap. Turns head into contact and loses sight of runner. Needs to get much better with his hands at the point of attack and as a blitzer. Loses too often to first block and struggles to play off of them quickly. Instincts are below average and plays through a straw with his vision.

DRAFT PROJECTION UDFA

BOTTOM LINE Productive, two-year starter with solid athleticism to finish as a tackler, but a lack of functional strength and interior grit. Davis needs to get better at creating his own opportunities with aggression and urgency if he is to make an NFL roster. He will likely have to move outside as he lacks the anchor and physicality for the interior.
-Lance Zierlein
[www.nfl.com]