LB Akeem Davis-Gaithers
Speaking of Michigan, their rich history of legendary players & teams has made them one of the blue-blood schools of the NCAA. The Desmond Howard “Heisman” pose, Charles Woodson being the only defensive player ever to win the Heisman, & then being upset by the Appalachian State Mountaineers in 2007.
Ok, this might not sit well with Wolverine fans, but it’s been labeled as the greatest upset of college football history, even though App State were back-to-back FCS champions heading into the season. Fast forward 12 years later, they are in the FBS winning the 2019 New Orleans Bowl against UAB to cap off a 12-1 season led by OLB Akeem Davis-Gaithers on defense.
He may not be as big as Uche, weighing 224 but also standing at 6’1, however, he plays strong & as effective as they come around the LOS. Finishing 2019 with a combined 101 tackles, Davis-Gaithers also had 5 sacks, 14.5 TFL, 1 INT, & 8 pass deflections.
Not as nearly refined as the pass-rusher Uche is, Davis-Gaither was a force at App State against the run that would rely more on his pure athleticism & strength mainly as a stand-up rusher. His ability to shed blocks quickly & pursuit caused havoc, even against the better teams.
Akeem Davis-Gaither (24) is lean at just 219 lbs., but how does he deal with linemen in the run game and as a pass rusher? His quick hands and athleticism make him a hard target.
— Goodberry (@JoeGoodberry) February 18, 2020
When you think of athletic linebackers, think of Akeem. pic.twitter.com/8K0BjBvDPE
And as said before, he’s not as big as Uche or even the average OLB in the NFL (240 lb), but he fits the mold of what the future is going to look like with its shift towards the nickel defense. He plays stronger & it allows him to be more mobile as a coverage defender, given that he took reps as a slot defender as well.
A reliable tackler, and considerably in the open field, his primary role was similar to that of Pittsburgh’s & did more. The conference MVP for the conference best, the combine could pay dividends for ADG’s stock.
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