New England Patriots: 2020 NFL Draft late-round sleeper targets

An undersized but hungry linebacker out of an up and coming Appalachian State program. At only 224 pounds, Davis is not going to directly translate to a pure weakside linebacker, but he can contribute from day one filling into sub-packages where Davis can dynamically contribute between mismatch coverage and run support.

At the next level, Davis may be more suitable playing as a “money backer,” a box safety/slot corner hybrid. Davis clearly displayed the strength to hold his own on the edge against the run posting 21 reps of 225 pounds at the NFL combine. Davis did not run the forty at the combine but was projected to run in the 4.5’s.

Davis could fit directly into New England’s linebacking corps as a weakside linebacker who can slide into pass coverage as well. Jamie Collins blossomed into a star during his first stint at Foxborough because of his athletic coverage ability combined with Belichick’s highly valued run defense and pass-rushing. Davis is a late-round waiver who should be able to fit into New England’s defensive scheme once the shoe fits.

Davis had been playing throughout the 2019 season with a stress fracture in his foot, requiring surgery this offseason that should not affect his eligibility for training camps.