Top 5 interior defensive linemen in college football for 2019

#2 Raekwon Davis, Alabama

After being an absolute terror for offensive linemen in the 2017 college football playoff, I expected Davis to emerge as a first-round draft pick his junior year, but instead, it was Quinnen Williams next to him who absolutely dominated college football.

Davis’ numbers plummeted from double-digit tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks to only 5.5 TFLs and 1.5 QB-takedowns. However, the athleticism for a 6’7”, 310-pound interior D-line is still out of this world and I expect this guy to finally put it all together in 2019.

Unlike most Alabama guys up front, Davis is more than a pure stack-and-shed run defender, although he can more than hold his ground in that regard. You see him rip through one arm of blockers to create penetration or pull those guys off himself with those long branches.

The giant has shown that he can flat-out run through big men as a pass-rusher, but he can also torque his upper body and win with club-swim or arm-over swim moves. Based on how much he improves on his snap anticipation and overall consistency, Davis could still become one of the most intriguing names in next year’s NFL draft.

Edited by Raunak J