Cameron Wake cannot continue to dominate opposing offenses forever. That’s why it makes perfect sense for the Dolphins to spend a first round pick on an edge rusher. In this scenario, Raekwon Davis is the best guy left on the board.
He isn’t the most polished player in the draft, but his talent wins out at this spot. Davis is a perfect player to draft and let learn behind guys like Wake and Robert Quinn for a season. That’s not to say he can’t make an impact as a rookie, but the Dolphins would be wise to bring him along slowly.
The real attraction to Davis is that he can be a three-down lineman. He’s got the ability to develop into an excellent pass rusher, but he already has the ability to stop the run. That isn’t the most glamorous part of being a defensive end in today’s game, but it’s still important.
Davis is another prospect who is going to enter the draft with pretty volatile stock. If he goes on a tear for the Crimson Tide down the stretch he could easily crash the top five. If he fades on tape compared to other Alabama defenders he could be had at the end of round one. The smart bet, for now, is to peg him somewhere in between those two outcomes.