Carter's Classroom draft profile: Jarrad Davis, inside linebacker

The inside linebacker pool of talent in this draft class is not deep enough for the Steelers to wait until the middle rounds to address the position should they seek a prospect that could legitimately challenge Vince Williams as the starter next to Ryan Shazier. 

Shazier fits the "mack" style of inside linebacker that is the playmaker of the two, whereas the departure of Lawrence Timmons left a vacancy for the "buck" inside linebacker. Both are crucial to the Steelers' defense in stopping the run and creating a good variance of pass rush and middle zone coverage.

Fitting that label are a few prospects in this draft, two of which we have covered in Alabama's Reuben Foster and Temple's Hasson Reddick.

Both are expected to be earlier first round selections, leaving only one last candidate who is considered as a viable option for the Steelers at the 30th pick should he still be there. That player is Florida's Jarrad Davis.



Davis was the field general of Florida's defense. He played fast, aggressive and was able to communicate hot reads and adjustments at the line while also maintaining his full responsibilities on any given play.

He's got the build of a typical inside linebacker at 6' 1" 238 lbs. and used that size to impose his will both on ball carriers and on linemen who came to block him at the point of attack.

Though Davis was unable to participate in the combine, he is projected by Walterfootball.com to run a 4.74 in the 40 yard dash and boasts good speed on the field. He moves all about the line of scrimmage and flows smoothly to wherever he's needed, while bringing good contact to any player that gets in his way.

DOWNHILL LINEBACKER

Davis would be a prime candidate for a "buck" style of linebacker because he excels against the run. He is quick to recognize gap adjustments and read his keys when offensive linemen take their initial steps at the snap of the ball.

Watch how he recognizes the flow of the line here and uses a simple sidestep to make the right guard miss him so he can have a free shot at the running back:



Davis leads the charge on the tackle for loss by throwing himself into the mix but keeping his head up to recognize where he can still make a play. When you watch his tape, you see plenty of examples of him getting the best of interior offensive linemen in key spots, a skill that is vital to stopping the run at any level of football.

Even when he doesn't make the play on the tackle, Davis knows how to fulfill a role to its fullest extent and make a play away from the ball.

Here you can see him read the pulling left guard coming down the line of scrimmage to set up this power run. Davis recognizes the play and blows it up before the running back can ever get in gear:



Notice how well he takes on the guard by accelerating in and using his inside shoulder to deal the brunt force of his hit, but turning back to the play side with his back shoulder so that he can be ready for any cutback.

Davis doesn't just look to occupy blockers, he looks to dominate them in the spot he chooses. If he recognizes a pulling guard or sees the progression of a play, Davis will fire off to beat them to whatever spot they are trying to get to in order to keep them from getting in position to complete their assignment.

That's the effort of a smart player and a good team leader.

NOT AS GOOD IN SPACE

While Davis was more of the "mack" style of linebacker for Florida, as his teammate Alex Anzalone was the slower "buck" of the two and is also in this draft class, he seemed most out of place whenever he went up against a faster player in space.

Watch how Davis does a good job getting out to the flat but overcommits in his attempt to tackle:



Davis will fly out to different parts of the field willingly and aggressively, but he could work on breaking down in space to minimize his opponents' ability to shake him out of position.

COVERAGE SKILLS

Davis might be the second best cover linebacker in this draft class behind Foster. He has good hips that let him turn and run with receivers and tight ends down the field and adjust to their routes while also showing decent balls skills.

Watch here as he runs the deep post pattern with Vanderbilt's tight end and attacks the ball at its highest point for a good swat:



That's a good pass into a tight window that's defended even better. This shows the versatility that Davis brings to the inside linebacker position in that he can stop the run and be effective in pass coverage against players coming over the middle.

PASS RUSH 

The other side of contributions against the passing game is being able to rush the passer, which David also does well. His long arms allow him to get good extension against linemen in hand battles while also exploding through the line.

Davis' forte is playing inside the box, whether he's stopping the run or attacking gaps in the pass rush. He's a formidable opponent to centers and guards, as the center from North Texas found out here:



The tape on Davis also shows that he has very good lateral movement to keep up with mobile quarterbacks and get after them when they try to move once the pocket starts to collapse.

While Davis can bring the big hits, most of the plays I saw him make showed good form tackling of him looking to hit, wrap and bring down his opponent.

STEELERS' STOCK

The Steelers need a top of the line inside linebacker almost as much as they need a premier edge rusher. That may make Davis a good fit for them in the first round if he's still there.

Having two prospects ahead of him adds to the chances he'll fall to the later part of the first round. Adding the fact that teams considering inside linebacker may skip on the position in the first round because the top prospect, Foster, failed a drug test at the combine and you may have the perfect situation for the Steelers to get a real steal of Davis at 30.

Typically he would be a player I would expect to go in the top 20 of a draft class but he sits behind two considerably faster players that look like the best of the group in Foster and Reddick. Teams also may be wary of Davis because of knee injuries he suffered at Florida.

One way or the other, the Steelers will most likely have the opportunity to make a move on a decent linebacker prospect in the first round. If teams are excited about inside linebackers you will see Foster, Reddick and Davis all off the board by the time the Steelers are called.

But with the other top prospects out there, the 29 teams ahead of the Steelers have lots to choose from that could leave Kevin Colbert with a very good player that he won't feel guilty spending a first round pick on.

Among the top 32 players ranked at ESPN.com, there are: three inside linebackers, five edge rushers, two premier interior defensive linemen, eight defensive backs, three running backs, two quarterbacks, three offensive linemen, three wide receivers and three tight ends.

With the amount of talent at defensive back and playmakers on offense, teams will have to decide on passing legitimate scoring threats for the top talent at linebacker. While the likes of Myles Garrett, Foster and Reddick will most likely be gone, the stock of those such as Derek Barnett, Davis, Charles Harris and others could slip down the ranks.

Davis is more than worthy of a pick there, but if he's gone, that's one more team that passed on a top edge rusher that help the Steelers get a step closer to solidifying their pass rush.