Evaluating the Value: Colts Select Shawn Davis in Round 5, Pick 165 Overall
Needing to add some depth to the safety position, the Colts made an interesting selection on Day 3 of the 2021 NFL Draft, grabbing Florida safety Shawn Davis in the fifth round.
Davis, who played three seasons for the Florida Gators, brings experience, special teams abilities, and versatility at safety for the Colts.
Just don't confuse him with Sean Davis. It could be a tough year for media members when it comes to referencing the right Davis!
For each pick the rest of the draft for the Colts, I'll take a look at where the player was listed on the following three draft boards (in terms of overall ranking): Pro Football Focus, The Draft Network, and The Athletic's Dane Brugler.
By comparing all three rankings, I will try and determine if the Colts' selection was a steal, ideal value, or a reach for the Colts.
Make sense? Let's get into it.
Shawn Davis pre-draft big board rankings
The Draft Network — No. 285 overall player, No. 25 S
Pro Football Focus — No. 159 overall player, No. 11 S
The Athletic's Dane Brugler — N/A overall ranking, No. 12 S
If you lean more towards where Pro Football Focus and Dane Brugler come in, the Colts did a nice job here with value. If you lean more towards The Draft Network's stance, the Colts reached in a big way.
I tend to lean more towards the middle of the two.
Davis is a physical player that packs a punch at the point of contact and is an athletic safety with good ball skills. While he does have some range, he's rather inconsistent, which projects him to be more of a developmental piece.
If he can clean up some tackling issues and really buy into a special teams role early on, the Colts may have found their future George Odum replacement.
Have thoughts on the Shawn Davis selection? Drop your thoughts below in the comment section!
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