Steelers Draft Grades: Carlos Davis Selected With Pick 232

The Pittsburgh Steelers' draft concludes with team selecting Nebraska's Carlos Davis.

With the departure of Javon Hargrave, the Steelers currently have an opening for their 3-4 nose tackle spot. Some believe Isaiah Buggs may be up to the task, while others insist Tyson Alualu and Chris Wormley are capable. Heading into the 2020 NFL Draft, guys like Neville Gallimore and Ross Blacklock were mocked to Pittsburgh based on fit, yet the Steelers opted to wait until the last round of the draft to address the position.

Here's what NFL.com had to say about Davis:

"Davis has NFL heft on the scales, but he's short-armed and plays too straight-legged, rendering his size much less effective than it should be. He has some pop at the point of attack when he's first with his hands, but he's just not as quick off the snap as he needs to be. He has his share of wins against opponents when he's playing in a phone booth, but his batting average of effectiveness plummets when he's forced to play on the move. He's not a plus run defender and offers no value as a rusher, so finding a fit will be tough."

Instant Reaction

This pick tells me the organization is not concerned about Hargraves' loss like we originally thought. Davis tested extremely well heading into the draft, as he played both defensive end and a little nose tackle at Nebraska. NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah commented that he's a great athlete, but just needs to get his pad-level down, and upon watching him, I would agree.

Davis' size and athleticism is there to be a contributing part of the Steelers plans moving forward. However, the technical side of the game will be needed by Davis in order to be caught up to speed. Davis' only chance for snaps on the defensive side of the ball will be at nose tackle. Special teams, like every other Mike Tomlin-drafted rookie, will be key in his development and opening the door for his playing time.

Physical tools are there, let's see if Davis is able to take it upon himself to put everything together.

Grade: C-