NFL Draft: Should Falcons Target Richie Grant's College Teammate?

The Falcons have four Day 3 picks and could use one on the former UCF Knights defensive lineman.

Jeremy Brener | Apr 14, 2022

The Atlanta Falcons finished dead last this past season in sacks and need a lot of help on the defensive line.

Grady Jarrett

Kalia Davis

Marlon Davidson Atlanta Falcons — Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

Marlon Davison

One person the Falcons are considering drafting to help shore up the defensive line is UCF defensive lineman Kalia Davis, who visited the team earlier this week.

Davis is expected to be a Day 3 selection, but can provide a lot of upside if put in the right position. He's also familiar with safety Richie Grant, who was his teammate at UCF for a pair of seasons.

We spoke with Inside The Knights contributor Drew Johnson to gain a better understanding of Davis as a prospect and what we can expect from the former UCF Knight.

1. The Falcons hold four Day 3 picks in this draft. Why should the Falcons use one of those on Davis?

Atlanta has been thin at the defensive line position in recent years with only Grady Jarrett making a real impact in the trenches. Davis could develop into a productive prospect and provide flexible lineman play. He is capable of lining up at multiple positions because of his lateral movement and can oppose double teams with explosive athleticism. A smart defensive mind and is disruptive as a pass rusher and run defender. Davis also showed off his strength to NFL scouts on UCF’s Pro Day by recording 30 reps on the bench press.

2. Why is Davis being considered one of the most underrated defensive linemen in the draft?

Despite the lack of recent productivity due to a season-ending ACL injury, Davis still stands out on film. He recorded 17 total tackles, three quarterback hurries and one sack in just five games last season. During his sophomore season, he recorded 27 total tackles and ranked sixth on the team with eight tackles for loss. With impressive quickness for his size, Davis also provided linebacker play at UCF and West Florida Tech High.

3. What will Davis' biggest weakness be on the NFL level?

Davis plays with high energy at the interior defensive lineman position but conditioning may be an issue due to a lack of full-season experience. He has the athletic ability to pivot and bend around bigger offensive linemen, but still lacks the size of a traditional three-technique threat.

4. If everything goes right, what is Davis' ceiling in the NFL?

There are some things coaches just can’t teach. At 6-2, 310-pounds, Davis uses advanced foot quickness and a quick first step to create mismatches in different defensive schemes. Davis has the talent and work ethic to develop into a starter but will likely see time on the practice squad. Due to his recent leg injury, some owners may be wary of taking Davis in the earlier rounds but Atlanta should pay attention if he falls during the draft.

USATSI_13434002 — Reinhold Matay/USA Today Sports

Kalia Davis

USATSI_13433996 — Reinhold Matay/USA Today Sports

Kalia Davis forcing a fumble

Richie Grant

5. Is there an NFL player he reminds you of?

Davis said he has been compared to former UCF defensive tackle standout Trysten Hill. Both are physical at the line of a scrimmage and can force coaches to change their running schemes. The Dallas Cowboys drafted Hill in the second round where he has lined up as a 4-3 defensive tackle. Similar to Hill, Davis will play at multiple positions but will likely excel in the 4-3 scheme because of his talent and upside.

Published Apr 14, 2022

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.