Money will be made this fall and Raekwon Davis wants in on the conversation.
The junior defensive end projects first round value for next year’s National Football League Draft, especially after turning in some impressive numbers last season.
Hailing from Meridian, Miss., the four-star in Alabama football’s 2016 class recorded 69 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks, two quarterback hurries and one interception. He finished third on the team in total tackles, while his output in sacks was a team-high. The 6-foot-7, 316-pounder displayed freakish athleticism and ball skills versus Georgia in the College Football Playoff title game – securing his first career interception off quarterback Jake Fromm in the second half.
His five tackles with one sack to pair with the pick assisted the Crimson Tide in earning a 26-23 victory for its fifth national championship under Nick Saban. On Tuesday, the Football Writers Association of America released its 2018 preseason watch list for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy.
Davis represents the University of Alabama as one of 97 players selected as a candidate.
Named after Bronko Nagurski, who played at the University of Minnesota and for the Chicago Bears, the Nagurski Trophy is presented to college football’s best defensive player.
Former Tide star Jonathan Allen won the honor in 2016, following a season where he recorded 10.5 sacks, 16 tackles for loss, 15 quarterback hurries and three fumble recoveries. He would be selected in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins.
Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
