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Dolphins Select DT Raekwon Davis: Instant Reaction

Dolphins beefed up their defensive line with their second pick of the second round by selecting Raekwon Davis from the University of Alabama

Alain Poupart

Brett Davis-USA Today Sports

After addressing the offensive line with two of their first four picks of the 2020 NFL draft, the Miami Dolphins turned to the defensive line with the 56th overall selection.

The Dolphins drafted a second player from the University of Alabama, this time defensive tackle Raekwon Davis. He joins, of course, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who was the fifth overall pick.

Davis is a run-stuffing specialist who fills a pretty important need for the Dolphins.

The man run-stuffer on the 2019 roster was veteran John Jenkins, who remains unsigned as an unrestricted free agent.

The other interior defensive linemen on the Dolphins roster are third-year Davon Godchaux and 2019 first-round pick Christian Wilkins, though late-season acquisition Zach Sieler also could be used in that role.

Wilkins and Godchaux are more complete players than Davis at this stage, but Davis might be more of a pure run-stuffer.

It also needs to be pointed out that Godchaux will be in the final year of his contract in 2020 and will become an unrestricted free agent next spring if he doesn't get signed to a contract extension.

Davis emerged as a big-time prospect as a sophomore at Alabama when he had 8.5 sacks and 10 tackles for loss. His pass-rushing numbers dropped considerably over the past two years, though, as he had 1.5 sacks in 2018 and only half a sack last season.

But this is now why the Dolphins got him. They got him to help the run defense. 

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Alain Poupart
ALAIN POUPART

Alain Poupart is the publisher/editor of All Dolphins and co-host of the All Dolphins Podcast. Alain has covered the Miami Dolphins on a full-time basis since 1989 for various publications and media outlets, including Dolphin Digest, The Associated Press, the Dolphins team website, and the Fan Nation Network (part of Sports Illustrated). In addition to being a credentialed member of the Miami Dolphins press corps, Alain has covered three Super Bowls (for NFL.com, Football News and the Montreal Gazette), the annual NFL draft, the Senior Bowl, and the NFL Scouting Combine. During his almost 40 years in journalism, which began at the now-defunct Miami News, Alain has covered practically every sport at one time or another, from tennis to golf, baseball, basketball and everything in between. The career also included time as a copy editor, including work on several books such as "Still Perfect," an inside look at the Miami Dolphins' 1972 perfect season. A native of Montreal, Canada, whose first language is French, Alain grew up a huge hockey fan but soon developed a love for all sports, including NFL football. He has lived in South Florida since the 1980s.

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