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Cowboys – Carl Davis Would Fit At 1-Technique

By Ryan Ratty

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Carl Davis would be a great fit at the 1-technique defensive tackle position for the Cowboys.

It’s been awhile since the Dallas Cowboys have had quality defensive line play. However, the Cowboys have made great strides over the past few years to go in that direction. In 2014, the Cowboys were one of the league’s worst in terms of sacking the quarterback. Obviously, getting pressure on the quarterback is a key to success in the NFL and it was ultimately the main reason why the Cowboys failed to go further than the Divisional Round in the playoffs this past season.

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In 2014, however, there were some bright spots for the future. For starters,

Jeremy Mincey

emerged and, under the coaching of Marinelli, had the best season of his career. Towards the end of the season, Cowboys fans saw how good DeMarcus Lawrence was. When he came back from the foot injury he suffered in training camp, Lawrence really started to blossom into a quality player. His two playoff games also showed his potential. In the coming weeks, with a full training camp to develop even further, don’t be surprised if Lawrence gets even better and he turns into a guy who can put up double-digit sack numbers.

Another bright spot from 2014 was Tyrone Crawford. His numbers aren’t eye-popping, but he was relentless from the 3-technique defensive tackle position last year, and with Greg Hardy slated to line up next to him in 2015, the two will have a ton of success. Despite four quality players in Crawford, Lawrence, Mincey, and Hardy, one position the Cowboys lack is the 1-technique defensive tackle position. Luckily enough, this draft has three first-round quality players for that position.

With the 27th pick in this year’s draft, three players that make sense are Texas’ Malcom Brown, Florida State’s Eddie Goldman, and Iowa’s Carl Davis. However, none posses the menacing ability Davis has. At 6-foot-5, 315 pounds, Davis is a bigger defensive tackle, but he also has a ton of speed. He moves well and he has the ability to take on multiple double teams. The 1-technique defensive tackle position is basically a two-down player. When it becomes a passing down, the 1-technique comes off the field. However, Davis is athletic enough to rush the quarterback and whether it’s in the 1-technique role or the 1-technique role, Davis could be a great player for the Cowboys. Here’s what ESPN’s Steve Muench had to say about the Iowa product.

"“He’s a tough matchup for any interior offensive lineman when he’s firing off the ball and playing with purpose,” Muench wrote. “The problem is he doesn’t always play with the same kind of fire, raising concerns about his ability to realize his considerable upside. Davis flashes the ability to shoot his hands inside and control blockers, plus he has the length to press blockers off his frame, but he’s inconsistent in this area and he has a high center of gravity. He’s a better fit at defensive end in a 3-4 defensive scheme, but he’s certainly got the natural ability to push for a starting role on the inside in a base four-man front.”"

To build their defense even further, upgrading the 1-technique defensive tackle position would not be a bad idea at all. Nick Hayden has manned the position over the past two years and he has been horrible. Regardless, Hayden is a good depth player and that’s why the Cowboys brought him back. By drafting Davis, the Cowboys would have a defensive line filled with youth and potential. Drafting a 1-technique in the first is a little risky, but adding a player like Davis makes a ton of sense.

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