2020 Raiders Draft Prospect Profile
Name: Gabriel Davis
School: University of Central Florida
Position: Wide Receiver
Height: 6’2”
Weight: 215 pounds
Stats
Hands
Possessing an extended reach and catch radius, Davis brings that to focus. The long arms provide Davis the opportunity to ward off corners and keep the play alive. On deep route, Davis will take the contact to make a catch. His frame and strength allow for catches that some wouldn’t handle.
Speed
Davis plays faster that what you’d expect his timed speed would be. For instance, he climbs the route with elongated strides. Covering ground in that manner makes it difficult for some corners to stay connected. As a result, with the ball in flight, Davis’ length allows for that separation.
Route Running
Over the years, Davis evolved the trait. From just a presumed fast wideout that ran by, he developed technique. For his frame, Davis drops his hips on the snap. Granted, he is not the hyper-nimble route wizard that some in this class are. Yet, the footwork shown by Davis continued to improve, digging his toes and carving the patterns. At the next level, he will need to add the subtle routes that could take advantage of his size, like the dig. If Davis runs that route, he possesses the strength to throw off a weak-tackling corner.
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Raiders Fit
Right now, the Raiders employ only one receiver that should return in 2020. Hunter Renfrow’s route running finds the soft spot in zones, creating separation. In all honesty, no other wideout on the team does. Granted, all of them, except Renfrow, are blessed with height and speed. Yet, no one gains the consistent separation to work within a functional offense. At this point, a rookie slot wideout is the team’s best wideout, by a mile. The depth chart boasts youth but redundant backs. Zay Jones, Tyrell Williams, Keelan Doss, et al, bring various shades of the same approach to the table. On top of that, the drops continue to plague the Raiders. Williams can lay claim to five, most with the game hanging in the balance.
Why Davis?
The Raiders can wait until late Day Two or early Day Three for Davis. Equally important, they do not need him to step in and immediately surface as the number one. With seventy million plus in cap space, the ability to add a veteran lead wideout remains a possibility. Not to mention, Davis can learn as an understudy to a proven number one. On the field, David will give the offense a spark on the outside. While he will make his money vertically, Davis’ toughness shines through down the field.
