Rams 90-Man Roster Player Preview: Tyler Davis Ready for Bigger Defensive Role

Over the past few seasons, the Los Angeles Rams have put a lot of focus on building the depth of the defensive line. One player who has been a big part of that is Tyler Davis. Drafted in the sixth round in 2024, Davis took a big step forward in year two, emerging as a rotational player on early downs behind Poona Ford.

Davis will continue to be a big part of the Rams’ defensive line heading into 2026 and he is next in our player preview series.

2025 Season in Review

Davis took a large step forward in his development during the 2025 season, becoming a key player in the defensive line rotation. He showed more as a pass rusher, but really improved as a run defender. Davis’ 8.4 percent stop rate ranked inside the top-25 among defensive linemen and his 68.6 run defense grade ranked 15th via PFF. He’s not the flashiest player, but he’s always doing the dirty work in the middle of the defensive line.

Roster Battle

There’s little doubt that Davis will make the roster after the season that he just had. However, the defensive line has some depth and is very competitive. Davis will continue to compete with players such as Ty Hamilton and newly drafted nose tackle Tim Keenan III. Hamilton and Keenan will provide good competition, but Davis should lead the defensive line depth in 2026.

Three Plays on Tape

Play 1: Improving as a Pass Rusher

Heard throughout the offseason that Rams DL Tyler Davis was standing out.

Davis beats the center inside and gets his first career sack. pic.twitter.com/Z2zM4xCcze
— Blaine Grisak 💭 (@BGMediaOnSI) September 9, 2025

Coming to the Rams from Clemson, Davis was always going to be more of a run-stopper in the middle of a defensive line. He had impressive strength at the point of attack, but also had a solid bull rush to collapse the pocket. Davis started to show up more last season as a pass rusher. He’ll never be someone that has five or more sacks in a season. However, as a hustle player with strength, he can affect the quarterback.

Play 2: The Most Underrated Player on the Defensive Line

Is Tyler Davis the most underrated player on the Rams DL?

He very quietly ranked 7th against the run via PFF. Really good penetration here and Barkley goes nowhere. pic.twitter.com/yaEMW73sAW
— Blaine Grisak 💭 (@BGMediaOnSI) September 23, 2025

Playing behind Poona Ford last season paid dividends for Davis’ development. He wasn’t the star player on the defensive line, but made some key plays in big moments. This is part of why he’s such a great depth player to have. Davis is someone that the Rams can rely on in almost any situation.

Play 3: Doing the Dirty Work

big mistake IMO doing this, there.

-Tyler Davis blew this up underneath, Verse over the top pic.twitter.com/qsx6WZlDjE
— Jim Youngblood 53 (@53_jim70721) November 16, 2025

A lot of what Davis does for the Rams defense doesn’t show up on the stat sheet. He’s consistently doing the dirty work. The Rams’ defense was good in short-yardage last season and Davis played a large role in that. This was evident in the NFC Divisional Round against the Chicago Bears and earlier in the season as the Rams stopped a ‘tush push’ against the Seattle Seahawks.

Biggest Question: Can Tyler Davis Continue Building on His 2025 Season?

Following a strong 2025, the question is whether Davis can continue building on that success. Davis became a key rotational player. With a strong season, Davis could make the Rams feel comfortable moving on from Poona Ford next offseason. Davis needs to build consistency as a run defender and continue improving his pass rush toolbox.

2026 Outlook/Role

As we head into 2026, Davis might be the most important depth piece on the Rams’ defensive line. He provides quality depth behind Poona Ford and that’s likely what his role will continue to be this season. If he can become more of a threat on passing downs, Davis’ snap percentage could increase.

Chances of Making the Final Roster

Davis will almost certainly be on the final roster. Again, he’s an important depth piece and had a strong 2025 season. He currently sits ahead of Hamilton and Keenan on the defensive line depth chart. At this point, Davis is as close to a lock as it gets.

Chances: 10/10

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