Steelers Draft: Grading Second Round Pick Sean Davis

The Steelers have selected defensive back Sean Davis in the 2nd round of the NFL draft.

The Steelers had Lynn Swann deliver the pick for the team and he declared that the Steelers had selected Sean Davis, defensive back out of Maryland, with the 58th pick. Sean Davis is big and he’s athletic. He’s also raw. The Steelers have officially doubled down on their commitment to improving the secondary.

Now, Davis stands 6’1″ and weighs 201 lbs. He comes out of Maryland as previously mentioned. His freshman year he didn’t play much but played safety his sophomore year where he racked up 103 tackles and 2 interceptions. He topped 103 with 115 tackles his junior year where he led the Big Ten in solo tackles with 80.

Last year, his senior year, he was shifted to cornerback. At times it was a rocky transition. But that’s reasonable. He finished that year with solid numbers, getting 88 tackles. He also showed some ball skills pulling in 3 interceptions while forcing 5 fumbles, second most in NCAA football.

But that was then and this is now. He’s a not a Terrapin, but he’s now another word that many non-fans aren’t sure exactly what it means, a Steeler. Let’s go over what Sean Davis is bringing to the table.

Strengths

As previously mentioned Sean Davis is big and athletic. The Steelers have traditionally used bigger corners but had been signing and drafting smaller guys the past couple of years. Davis is more consistent with not just the Steelers past but future in that regard. If Tomlin plans to continue shifting the defense to a Cover 2 he’s going to need defensive backs that are long and strong. Not a Sir Mix-A-Lot reference.

Davis is both of those things. Though he does have length he is by no means lanky. He’s got a solid build and it plays a part in those college tackling stats. He is often around the ball. He closes on ball carriers with confidence and attacks the line of scrimmage fearlessly. Davis is capable of making hard hits and often does.

In coverage he fights for jump balls and is more than capable of jarring the ball loose with a well timed hit. His size gives him the ability to cover tall corners and he also has speed enough to catch faster receivers and avoid getting burnt. His size and strength also make him capable of matching up with a tight end. Solid hands too.

Finally, even though on many draft profiles and mock drafts he’s listed as a cornerback there’s a reason the phrase defensive back is often used as well, because he can play safety. He is kind of a tweener physically which can be a blessing or a curse. But Davis has versatility. The Steelers like versatility. The Steelers need versatility.

Weaknesses

In terms of tackling and run support there’s little to criticize. His rawness is not just in coverage however. Despite his power, speed, and fearlessness in run support he still misses more tackles than you want. This goes back to his rawness. He’ll be a project in a few respects but all rookies are to some degree.

His big area of improvement is coverage. Though he does knock balls loose and he has good physical skills he is lacking in some technique in coverage and maybe even certain physical traits could limit him. He tackled receivers and intercepted balls but he also gave up a lot of yards and touchdowns. On top of that, Davis got a number of penalties.

The problems Davis has in coverage are based on a few things. He has issues with staying low and balance which makes him susceptible to getting beat by players who are quick or run good routes, like an Antonio Brown. He’ll also make a mental mistake and lose a receiver or peak at the quarterback. These issues were much more of an issue when he was playing corner. Safety may be the better position for him.