Falcons Camp: Marlon Davidson is a 'Fireball' on D-Line

What can the second-year pro Davidson produce in 2021? Maybe 'fireball' stuff for Atlanta

Jeremy Brener | Aug 2, 2021

When the Atlanta Falcons made Marlon Davidson the 47th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, the team had high hopes of pairing him next to All-Pro Grady Jarrett on the defensive line to form one of the most formidable defensive line duos in the league.

"He's a fireball on that defensive line, bringing the energy," fellow Falcons defensive lineman Grady Jarrett said to Falcons team reporter Scott Bair. "I love playing with him. I can't wait to see him get that full season under him. He had a rough run with injuries and other things. I'm excited for him. I'm expecting a big year from Marlon."

Last year was a rough year for Davidson. As with all 2020 rookies, Davidson faced an abbreviated offseason with limited offseason programming and practice reps. On top of that, Davidson was making the transition from defensive end to defensive tackle.

"You have to think about this: I played defensive end my last year in college," Davidson said. "I had to learn something totally different when I came here. I had to change myself. I had to change everything about me to be the person for the scheme and for my team.

To make matters even worse, Davidson's health in 2020 was not up to par. He battled COVID and knee injuries all of last season.

Now, with the past behind him, he's ready to move forward and make a 180-degree turn in 2021.

He's had a strong start in camp and there's a sense of optimism surrounding the second-year pro and his ceiling for the upcoming season.

"I'm coming this year, man. I gotta get one back from last year. I have to prove it to myself, to all these Atlanta fans. I have to prove it to my family that I'm still that guy," Davidson said.

CONTINUE READING: Falcons Camp: Matt Ryan On Life Without Traded Julio

Published Aug 2, 2021

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.