New Tiger Analysis: Dematrius Davis

[Zeek 16,617]

Quote

Outstanding dual-threat quarterback who has led North Shore High to an 11-0 record and district and bi-district titles thus far in 2020 … 2,453 yards passing with 30 TD and 529 yards rushing with 14 scores as a senior for Coach Jon Kay …  junior year, led North Shore to a 15-1 record and second straight state championship … District 21-6A MVP as a sophomore as the 16-0 Mustangs won the Texas 6A D-I state title … MaxPreps sophomore of the year … ESPN rates him No. 4 dual-threat recruit nationally … top 12 player at his position nationally by Rivals, 24/7, PrepStar … among top 40 prospects in Texas … also a track and field letterman

Coach Zeek's Analysis:

One of the first things often mentioned about Dematrius Davis is his height or lack thereof. For what it's worth, he's listed as an even 6-foot tall on Auburn's official roster; it's not completely unrealistic to think a kid who left high school early is still growing a little. Regardless of height he played at an incredibly high level in Texas high school football against tough competition. Coming out as the winningest quarterback in the history of the storied state.

That's right Auburn Family... another quarterback from Texas.

Watching his high school film there are some things that stand out immediately that should please Auburn fans:

• Dee (the name he goes by mostly on social media) displays solid accuracy on a wide variety of throws and from different platforms.
• It's noticeable that he does a solid job of stepping up in the pocket.
• He has the unique ability for a freshman of keeping his eyes down field while avoiding defenders in & out of the pocket.
• Truly he's not a run-first quarterback but it's clear that when he does take off he's a threat; with the added bonus he's got the bulk to take some hits.
• There's times in his high school film where you can see him going through progressions.
• He's a champion level player. I've always felt that getting quarterbacks who have won state is important; while it's not everything it shows that kid can play in the biggest games and come out on top. Also, it typically speaks to their leadership and mentality as well.
• Squares his shoulders well even while on the run.
• Doesn't force a lot of 50-50 balls
• Sets his feet and steps into throws even when on the run.
• His ball/pump fakes are really good

Watching his A-Day film there's some deficiencies to be worked on as well:

• It appears that he's either locking onto one target (could be nerves or coaching decision to give him one read).
• His "carriage" or where he holds the ball is a little low. It's not terrible but I think it's part of the reason his delivery isn't as fast as it could be. Stat Tiger shows the perfect example of how that can give a defender time to adjust and react.
• He's got to speed up his clock a little bit but adjusting to college-speed is normal.
• Harsin's offense has more checks and reads from the little bit I've gotten to see. This will take time for any high school quarterback to adjust to especially in-game.

Overall I think he has a high upside but he's going to have to make some strides to ever be a QB1 for Auburn. He has an uphill battle in the sense that he doesn't fit the mold of the kind of quarterback our staff seems interested in using and recruiting. If you look at who the staff has targeted in the 2022/2023 class and the recent 2021 transfer target (Finley from LSU) they're almost all pro-style quarterbacks with prototypical height (6'4" or taller). It's my belief that Harsin and Bobo will continue to transition us to a more pocket-passer trend similar to what Bobo had at Georgia.

I implore fans not to look at Dematrius running abilities and immediately label him inaccurate (a label almost automatically applied to dual-threat quarterbacks). His completion percentages in high school were incredible considering the level of competition and types of throws he routinely attempts. Can't find the exact percentage right now but if I recall correctly it was over 65%.

Though I don't picture Dee unseating Bo this year or next I think that he's a valuable piece to Auburn's future. He's an incredibly talented quarterback, an intelligent young man, and an absolute gamer with an experience and expectation of winning. He should be our true QB2 this year (barring a transfer) and I would love to see him get meaningful reps running the entire offense against some of our easier opponents this year. Would like to see the staff give him the second half against Akron, Alabama State, and Georgia State while actually allowing him to throw and develop. Then use his fourth game against an SEC team that we (hopefully) get a big enough lead against; maybe Arkansas, Mississippi State, or South Carolina. While a redshirt may not be necessary, I never see the point in wasting a year of eligibility if not necessary. Hoping this staff does a much better job of utilizing this 4-game-redshirt rule (one of the few good decisions by the NCAA).

War Eagle and I look forward to making more posts like this about the rest of the 2021 class including transfers!

 

Edited May 13, 2021 by Zeek

[DAG 33,955]

19 minutes ago, Zeek said:

incredible considering the level of competition and types of throws he routinely attempts. Can't find the exact percentage right now but if I recall correctly it was over 65%.

I like this. So over the height discussion . You would think RW, Drew Brees, and now the Arizona QB would diminish that issue. Glad to see some balanced evaluation, although I am sure some will hone in on one bullet point for why he will succeed or fail. Hope he gets a redshirt and can continue to grow where he is deficient at. 

Edited May 13, 2021 by DAG

[Zeek 16,617]

1 minute ago, DAG said:

I like this. So over the height discussion . You would think RW, Drew Brees, and now the Arizona QB would diminish that issue. Glad to see some balanced evaluation, although I am sure some will hone in on one bullet point for why he will succeed or fail. Hope he gets a redshirt and can continue to grow where he is deficient at. 

Yup! Kyler Murray is the AZ-QB.

Baker Mayfield is also "only" 6'1"

There are some differences in how they have to play and see the field but they're negligible and the blue print is there. As a short guy who has to be the scout team quarterback for my school at times I've very much learned the difficulties of having an OL much taller than yourself but it's manageable.

[gravejd 3,269]

Excellent write up Zeek! This guy is such an amazing athlete and had so much success at QB in HS that it is hard to see him not being able to make an impact here at AU. But there have been plenty of great HS QBs that could not make it at the college level. I don't have any predictions to throw out there on how he will do down the road. I agree that he is not beating out Bo but it is certainly in the realm of possibility that an injury could happen or if Bo struggles then Dee could get thrown into the mix. And if nothing else i really hope this coaching staff actually lets the backup QB play and run the full offense. I do think QB height is one of the most over rated measurements in football. And if he does not make it as a starting QB at AU it will not be because he is 6'

[DAG 33,955]

47 minutes ago, Zeek said:

Yup! Kyler Murray is the AZ-QB.

Baker Mayfield is also "only" 6'1"

There are some differences in how they have to play and see the field but they're negligible and the blue print is there. As a short guy who has to be the scout team quarterback for my school at times I've very much learned the difficulties of having an OL much taller than yourself but it's manageable.

Understandable. It is just sad how the analytics over think this stuff. RW legit slid down the draft because his height. Blaine Gabbert had an "IDEAL FRAME", which helped his draft stock lol.  Ironically, the analytic group salivated over RW hand size, which IMO is another flawed category. 

 

Reference:

https://www.espn.com/nfl/draft2020/story/_/id/28770715/why-nfl-combine-built-myth-qb-hand-size-measurement-mean-anything

https://thespun.com/nfl/nfc-west/seattle-seahawks/russell-wilson-never-forgot-said-at-nfl-combine

Edited May 13, 2021 by DAG

[Win4AU 4,052]

It’ll be interesting to see the 2023 Qb battle after Bo leaves.  It’ll be fun to watch Dee in cleanup duty in the 4 games he’ll probably get to play in this year.

[metafour 4,958]

1 hour ago, DAG said:

I like this. So over the height discussion . You would think RW, Drew Brees, and now the Arizona QB would diminish that issue. Glad to see some balanced evaluation, although I am sure some will hone in on one bullet point for why he will succeed or fail. Hope he gets a redshirt and can continue to grow where he is deficient at. 

One thing worth pointing out: Dee Davis' hands look TINY. Like really really small. I'm intrigued to see what the measurement would check in at, but visually they look like they're in the ~8-inch range. This absolutely separates him from the "short" QB's in the NFL as both Brees and Wilson have abnormally huge hands (both over 10-inches) and Kyler Murray is in the solid range at ~9.5". It's something worth noting because the list of successful QB's in the NFL with small hands is incredibly short.

[Barnacle 9,064]

3 minutes ago, metafour said:

One thing worth pointing out: Dee Davis' hands look TINY. Like really really small. I'm intrigued to see what the measurement would check in at, but visually they look like they're in the ~8-inch range. This absolutely separates him from the "short" QB's in the NFL as both Brees and Wilson have abnormally huge hands (both over 10-inches) and Kyler Murray is in the solid range at ~9.5". It's something worth noting because the list of successful QB's in the NFL with small hands is incredibly short.

That's interesting. Makes a huge difference in wet conditions. 

[metafour 4,958]

Just now, Barnacle said:

That's interesting. Makes a huge difference in wet conditions. 

It may or may not. It's an overrated "metric" as DAG's article point out, but with the case of Davis you're talking about short stature in combination with what appear to be really really small hands. It's a compounding effect of things working against him. Like I said I'm interested to see what his hands would measure at, because they look noticeably small. 

[DAG 33,955]

13 minutes ago, metafour said:

One thing worth pointing out: Dee Davis' hands look TINY. Like really really small. I'm intrigued to see what the measurement would check in at, but visually they look like they're in the ~8-inch range. This absolutely separates him from the "short" QB's in the NFL as both Brees and Wilson have abnormally huge hands (both over 10-inches) and Kyler Murray is in the solid range at ~9.5". It's something worth noting because the list of successful QB's in the NFL with small hands is incredibly short.

Thanks for the response. I definitely don’t want to come off as nonchalant about these metrics. Glad you were able to point that out. I agree I would be interested to see the measurement of his hands, only that I hope these metrics don’t over write the things individuals do on the field. I absolutely believe analytics have a point in sports , as you reference to success rates by QBs. 

[Barnacle 9,064]

46 minutes ago, metafour said:

It may or may not. It's an overrated "metric" as DAG's article point out, but with the case of Davis you're talking about short stature in combination with what appear to be really really small hands. It's a compounding effect of things working against him. Like I said I'm interested to see what his hands would measure at, because they look noticeably small. 

It just depends on how small they actually are. Doesn't mean the kid can't spin a football, he clearly can, but as someone who played the position with relatively small hands (I think mine measure just under 9"), it's problematic in wet conditions. But even 9" hands are still considered small by NFL standards, see Joe Burrow. 

[CodeRocket 410]

He didn't play much in the A-day game but the few plays he did have he looked great. The check down throw he made to (#44) was made under very heavy pressure and the go ball to (#16) was perfect.

I can't predict what he will become, but I don't recall seeing a more impressive freshman quarterback at AU. He reminds me of Condredge Holloway at Tennessee (72-74)  in just the way he carries and conducts himself on the field.

[Zeek 16,617]

For anyone who is good at determining measurements from pictures here are some looks where you can see his hands.

[Gowebb11 9,310]

The season can’t get here quick enough!😅

[oracle79 3,569]

They look big enough on his grip of the football. They look small at the end of his massive arms and chest. 

[Zeek 16,617]

2 minutes ago, oracle79 said:

They look big enough on his grip of the football. They look small at the end of his massive arms and chest. 

His pump fakes are deadly. He definitely grips it well if nothing else.

Asked him on Twitter what his high school stats were and he referred me to a reporter that gave me this:

10,535 passing yards, 118 Touchdowns

3,047 rushing yards, 53 Touchdowns

51-3 overall as a starting quarterback which is the most wins in Texas football history (previously stated) and tied for ninth all-time (nationwide)

Roughly 70% completion rate

[bigbird 60,371]

1 minute ago, Zeek said:

His pump fakes are deadly. He definitely grips it well if nothing else.

Asked him on Twitter what his high school stats were and he referred me to a reporter that gave me this:

10,535 passing yards, 118 Touchdowns

3,047 rushing yards, 53 Touchdowns

51-3 overall as a starting quarterback which is the most wins in Texas football history (previously stated) and tied for ninth all-time (nationwide)

Roughly 70% completion rate

He was okay...

[Barnacle 9,064]

2 minutes ago, Zeek said:

His pump fakes are deadly. He definitely grips it well if nothing else.

Asked him on Twitter what his high school stats were and he referred me to a reporter that gave me this:

10,535 passing yards, 118 Touchdowns

3,047 rushing yards, 53 Touchdowns

51-3 overall as a starting quarterback which is the most wins in Texas football history (previously stated) and tied for ninth all-time (nationwide)

Roughly 70% completion rate

Dude is bad. No doubt about that. 

[Zeek 16,617]

8 minutes ago, bigbird said:

He was okay...

Still don't think a good portion of our fanbase realize what we got in this kid! If he were 6'4" he's probably a 5* #1 prospect with those numbers.

[bigbird 60,371]

Just now, Zeek said:

Still don't think a good portion of our fanbase realize what we got in this kid! If he were 6'4" he's probably a 5* #1 prospect with those numbers.

Agreed 

[fredst 9,064]

Meh. Another soft Texan.....

[Zeek 16,617]

23 minutes ago, fredst said:

Meh. Another soft Texan.....

Did you know Stidham was from Texas?

[fredst 9,064]

3 minutes ago, Zeek said:

26 minutes ago, fredst said:

Meh. Another soft Texan.....

Did you know Stidham was from Texas?

My tongue was planted firmly in cheek...

[bigbird 60,371]

6 minutes ago, Zeek said:

Did you know Stidham was from Texas?

Yeah, but all he did was get drafted by Belichek

[metafour 4,958]

37 minutes ago, Zeek said:

Still don't think a good portion of our fanbase realize what we got in this kid! If he were 6'4" he's probably a 5* #1 prospect with those numbers.

They don't hand out ratings based off of stats. Kyler Murray was the exact same size as him and he was rated a unanimous 5-star. Dematrius Davis was ranked where he was ranked because he went to the Elite 11 and didn't stand out unfortunately. You can argue about the importance/validity of those camps, but the idea is to get a comparison of all the players under the same conditions - because they all play wildly different levels of football with different surrounding talent. I really wish people would stop bringing up his HS stats - he played on a loaded HS team that had a WR that was ranked even higher than he was, and I'm pretty sure another WR on the team either had an offer or signed with Colorado. There aren't very many QB's that have the privilege of playing with surrounding talent like that, so I'd certainly HOPE that a top QB recruit would be able to put up video game numbers under that situation on an obviously well coached team with an explosive offensive system.  Of course I'm not suggesting that he was a product of the team around him, but these mentions of his HS stats as if they mean something incredibly important or that they reflect what he'll turn into need to be analyzed more carefully.