The Atlanta Falcons got A.J. Terrell in the first round on Thursday to address the cornerback position and then turned around and drafted Auburn defensive tackle Marlon Davidson in the second to bolster their rotation behind Grady Jarrett.
The team needed a defensive tackle who could play a decent amount of snaps in nickel and base packages that would complement the pass rush Jarrett provides.
Davidson could also fit as either a 1-technique nose in some sets or a 3-technique under tackle in others. The Auburn standout has heavy hands and is very similar to former Falcons defensive lineman Corey Peters. Atlanta could have surely used Peters the past few years to provide rotational depth.
The Falcons can rotate Davidson in a group with Jarrett, Tyeler Davison, and Deadrin Senat. He could be a perfect long-term solution next to Jarrett in nickel sets, too. Davidson may also surprise some people by playing defensive end in different situations.
If he can play with speed like he did in college, he could also compete for a role at strong-side defensive end. The Falcons’ talent on the defensive line needs to keep improving and it looks like the team may finally have the group they’ve always wanted. It’s almost time to look at the offense, but a strong-side linebacker is still a need.
Why DT Marlon Davidson instead of DL A.J. Epenesa or EDGE Zach Baun?
The Falcons preferred having a guy who can play anywhere from the 1-technique to the 7-technique. A guy that can play in the 3-4 at end or 4-3 at tackle is extremely useful considering how the Falcons play their linemen. A.J. Epenesa just isn’t as good as some consider him to be, and Zach Baun would be more of that true strong-side linebacker for the Falcons.
