New York Giants DT DJ Davidson: The Good, The Great, and The Ugly!

We take a look at Davidson's Week 12 performance against New England and assess his positive qualities and areas where he may not be as effective.

Oct 2, 2023; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants defensive tackle D.J. Davidson (98) blocks a pass by Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) during the second quarter at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports / Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

New York Giants defensive tackle D.J. Davidson came back last season and established himself as a valuable depth piece along the defensive line. He showed he can be a spot starter and provide the defense with valuable snaps at nose guard and defensive tackle. 

At 6-3 and 320 pounds, he is a load, and while he may not be as athletic or explosive as Dexter Lawrence, he can be just as difficult to handle as a run defender. He's big and strong and has a little nasty in him.

Davidson earned the first start of his career in the Week 12 game against New England. He played in 50% of the defensive reps in the game. While he only tallied one solo and one assisted tackle, his positive and negative impact on the defense could definitely be felt. 

His presence allowed the linebackers to roam free in run defense but it also meant that there was not as much pressure applied up the middle in the pass rush. We take a look at the game against the Patriots and assess the things that Davidson did well and areas that don’t seem to fit his skillset. 

The Good: Gap Control 

Davidson does a good job of controlling his gap regardless of run or pass defense. His strong punch allows him to slow down the momentum of a base block or a down block.

The Good of #Giants100 DT DJ Davidson is his gap control. pic.twitter.com/WQ8btmM2ce

— Coach Gene Clemons (@geneclemons) August 5, 2024

His sheer mass allows him to anchor down and not be moved from his spot. He can push the blocker back and collapse the gap. When he is watching the offensive movement, he uses an extended arm to control the blocker. 

He can then disengage from the block and chase the ball carrier down the line, creating no lanes for the back to cut back and work out of the back door. In the Patriots game he was able to be disruptive at times and at the very least he closed lanes down for the running backs. 

The Great: Handling Double Teams

Most defensive linemen do not have the ability to hold up against a double team. They do not even have the power to stop the momentum of two blockers or possess the mass necessary to anchor down against the double. 

The Great of #Giants100 DT DJ Davidson is his ability to handle a double team. pic.twitter.com/xzTTLCOynS

— Coach Gene Clemons (@geneclemons) August 5, 2024

Neither is a problem for Davidson. He clearly has the mass to anchor down, making it hard to move him off his spot. He also uses a strong punch and good leg drive to keep the offensive blockers working harder than they want to. 

During the New England game, they had to stay on him longer than they wanted to to try to secure him. That allowed the linebackers to flow to the ball. Even when the linebackers did not attack the hole that was available to them, it was not because Davidson did not afford them the lane to run through. 

The Ugly: Pass Rushing

Davidson’s sack numbers consistently decreased in his four seasons at Arizona. In his freshman year, he recorded two sacks, and every year after that, that number was reduced by a half-sack.

The Ugly of #Giants100 DT DJ Davidson is in his pass rush. pic.twitter.com/5Ow97EV8i3

— Coach Gene Clemons (@geneclemons) August 5, 2024

By his senior year, he recorded a half-sack. That pointed to a lack of pad rush ability and in the NFL he has not shown the ability to rush the passer. It's not surprising that he has only recorded a half-sack over his two seasons with the Giants. 

He does not possess the explosiveness to get on the shoulder of a blocker and blow past them or even power past them. He does not displace the line and take away any step-up opportunity for the quarterback.

Coach’s Counsel

If Davidson wants to take the next step in his development, he has to become more disruptive. It does not mean he has to become a pass rusher, but he needs to become a penetrator. 

Too many times he seems content to hold blockers on the line of scrimmage, and he really needs to exert the energy to displace those blockers by a yard or two. 

That will make him more dynamic in run defense because backs will have to bounce or cut back much earlier than they would originally want to. If he's not going to bring value as a pass rusher, he must be even more dynamic as a run defender.

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