Falcon Report

The Falcons draft DL Marlon Davidson with No. 47 pick

Dante Fowler Jr. has a pass-rushing partner. With the No. 47 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, the Atlanta Falcons selected Marlon Davidson, a defensive

Chris Vinel

The Falcons draft DL Marlon Davidson with No. 47 pick
The Falcons draft DL Marlon Davidson with No. 47 pick /

Dante Fowler Jr. has a pass-rushing partner.

With the No. 47 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, the Atlanta Falcons selected Marlon Davidson, a defensive lineman out of Auburn. They stood pat again, shaking off more trade rumors and following their offseason-long quest to bolster their defense.

Davidson, 21, broke out during his senior season. He upped his sack and tackles for loss totals by large margins from his previous three years, finishing 2019 with 6.5 and 11.5, respectively. Scouts note his combination of strength and speed as top notch. He stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 303 pounds.

In college, he played defensive end next to 2020 first-round pick Derrick Brown but projects more as an interior defensive lineman or hybrid in the NFL.

Davidson was chosen over other edge prospects Zack Baun and A.J. Epenesa, two players who have been rumored Falcons targets throughout the draft process.

He will give Atlanta a strong candidate to start opposite of Fowler or next to defensive tackle Grady Jarrett.

Last season, with a pass rush spearheaded by Jarrett and the talented but inconsistent Vic Beasley, the team finished with only 28 sacks — tied with Detroit and Seattle for 29th-best in the NFL. In February, the Falcons announced they would not bring back Beasley for 2020.

Last night, with their first round pick, they chose former Clemson cornerback A.J. Terrell. They have four selections remaining in this year’s draft, barring a heavily-rumored trade. Their next is in the third round (No. 78 overall).

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Chris Vinel
CHRIS VINEL

I'm currently a Journalism major at Miami (Ohio) University, where I serve as the sports editor of The Miami Student. In 2019, I interned at The Oxford Observer and have been published in multiple outlets, including The Youngstown Vindicator and Chatterbox Sports.

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