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A spirit that is not afraid

Fortune Teller: Marlon Davidson set up for career season

Every Monday and Thursday, Plainsman sports staffers Zach Tantillo and Nathan King will analyze an Auburn football player who has a chance to make a sizable impact on the team next season.

Today’s Fortune Teller focuses on defensive end Marlon Davidson, a soon to be three-year starter who is poised to have a career year in 2018 after battling injuries the year prior.


Auburn defensive end Marlon Davidson’s sophomore campaign did not go as planned after a promising freshman year performance.

Nagging injuries (elbow, knee) kept Davidson from getting any true momentum last season – even missing a game against Mercer and a half in the SEC title game – but the defensive end still put up solid numbers. 

Even with injuries holding him back, Davidson placed 12th on the team for total tackles (42), fifth for tackles for loss (6) and tied for third for sacks (3). Davidson also put up one of the lowest success rates on the team last season with a 31 percent success rate, according to Football Study Hall. Success rate is defined as the offense's success rate on plays in which the defender made a tackle. The lower the number, the better for the defender.

A lot of defensive linemen would kill to put up those numbers, but to Davidson it was “frustrating.”

“I was really frustrated throughout the year,” Davidson said in January. “But everything’s about to change. I mean, I come out here and fight for the team, and I always will.”

A full offseason of recovery and Davidson is back and better than ever after an impressive showing on A-Day with two tackles, one sack and one quarterback hurry. The stats are not overwhelming, but Davidson looked explosive coming off of the line and seemed at full health for the first time in a long time.

“I think I’ve felt like freshman year coming in,” Davidson said. “My body feels good. I’m doing everything back now, no more injuries. It’s a blessing.”

Davidson (3) muscles is his way through the offensive line to be able to get a hand on the football and prevent Mississippi State quarterback Nick Fitzgerald from completing a pass to get out his own end zone.


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That being said, it cannot come at a better time for Davidson to start feeling healthy again with Jeff Holland now in the NFL and a 9.5 sack vacancy to be filled among the Tiger defense. At 6-foot-3, 278 pounds, Davidson has the prototypical build for a college defensive end, but it is his explosiveness, athleticism, experience and strength that sets him apart from the pack and gives him the best chance to fill the void out on the edge for Auburn. 

Not to mention that Davidson can line up inside as well outside in certain defensive packages to add a degree of versatility to the mix.

Davidson (3) lines up next to Derrick Brown (5) at defensive tackle where they use a stunt technique to get Davidson free. He displays his speed to get around the linemen and to the speedy Georgia Southern quarterback for a sack.


PREDICTION

Hype around Davidson has fizzled going into this season after the less-than-exciting sophomore season, but the Greenville, Alabama, native is still receiving national attention going to the 2018 season. Davidson was picked as a third-team preseason All-SEC and placed on the Bronko Nagurski Trophy watch list, presented to the nation’s best defender.

Already a top-tier run defender, Davidson has been working in the offseason not only to get healthy but has put an emphasis on upping his pass rush abilities and more focus on the fundamentals.

“Just being more physical, being low, playing with better pad level,” Davidson said. “That’s a big key for me this year. Hand placement. You can’t get enough of that — your basic fundamentals — to take your game to the next level, and that’s what I’m trying to do.”

Davidson has heavy expectations for himself and the defensive front as a whole. He thinks with his contributions to the team next year will solidify Auburn’s defensive line one of the best in the country.

“We’re going to be top 10 this year,” Davidson said. “We’re going to be top 5, maybe even top 1. That’s how we feel. That’s how we’re going to carry it.”

Auburn has plenty of options that can step up to replace Holland’s stats from last season and Davidson stands as one of the best bets to do so. Look out for Davidson to have a career season and standout among a star-studded front four. 


Catch up on previous installments of the Fortune Teller series:


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