6 Steelers that will turn heads during training camp in 2021

Steelers Carlos Davis

Carlos Davis had a relatively quiet camp last year, and most wrote him off as a result. Shockingly though, he beat out long-time backup Daniel McCullers for the backup nose tackle spot, and he even saw some playing time as the season progressed. By year’s end, it seemed like he had even jumped Isaiah Buggs as the first nose tackle option off the bench.

Heading into 2021, his focus will now be on proving that he can start as a nose tackle and be effective when played on 35-45 percent of the defensive snaps. No, he won’t be out veteran Tyson Alualu for the starting role this season, but with Alualu another year older, 2021 could be his final stint in the league. This would set up Davis to be the starting nose tackle next year if the position isn’t addressed.

This camp will be vital for Davis to show that he has taken another step forward in his play. His ability as a pass rusher isn’t extremely important, but he needs to make some strides as a run-stopper. He looked good in very limited action on defense last year, so the hope is that he can make another jump this year. With a full year under his belt, expect Davis to impress once camp begins this year.