UNLV WR Devante Davis NFL Draft Scouting Notebook

In 2013, UNLV wide receiver Devante Davis blew up the Mountain West Conference with 87 catches for 1,290 yards and 14 touchdowns, earning All-MWC honors and NFL Draft hype along the way. In 2014, he only played in eight games, and has seen a significant slide in his draft stock as a result.

The 6-3, 220 pound receiver may be working his way back from injury, but make no mistake about it, this is a solid prospect who has some upside as a later round pick that can not only make an NFL roster, but develop into a really nice possession player at the next level with solid body control, vision to exploit coverage, and strong hands to go along with great size.

As is the case with almost any player coming out of college, Davis struggles with typical things that can be coached up in the NFL or improved upon as he continues to grow as a football player. It’s also the reason that so many scouts in the ‘what can you do for me now?’ mindset will pass on a guy like this because he’s not the prototype athletically. That being said, I think there’s something to be said about a receiver that knows how to exploit coverage, who  gets open on a consistent basis, and who has the strong hands of a guy like Davis. Those type of guys stick on an NFL roster and make big plays in big situations.

Technically speaking, Davis is a really sound player. You can see in that game breakdown that he recognizes soft spots in zone coverage, and he doesn’t really have a problem releasing off the line of scrimmage when the Wildcats try to press him. He and his quarterback were not always on the same page in that game, resulting in some miscommunication on option routes but for the most part, I liked what I saw in terms of Davis exploiting different types of coverages, using his hands to snag the ball in tough, contested situations, and utilizing his big frame really well.

There’s nothing that stands out as spectacular about his game, but you can tell this is a really solid player who will likely be hurt in terms of his stock by the wrist injury that limited him in 2014. Some team will likely take a chance on him in the sixth or seventh round and get a solid fourth round value.