For teams like the Redskins, every draft season, there is a checklist that prospects are run through, one by one.
Whether the Redskins actually have a physical checklist is unknown, but throughout draft season, every year, teams subliminally or actively run prospect profiles through these pre-made checklists, to penalize the prospects who lack multiple key traits, and to separate the prospects who possess most or all key traits from the rest of the pack. Traits to diagnose include athleticism, production, versatility, character, and many more.
The search for the complete prospects is a long one, but the acquisition process doesn’t take nearly as long. On Day 3 of the NFL Draft, the complete prospects are usually gone, or close to it, leaving the projects and the incomplete skill sets for teams to sift through, with arbitrary grading methods, weighing traits in different ways.
Occasionally, however, a relatively complete prospect could slip into the latter stages of Day 3. This can happen for various reasons. Injuries, unsatisfactory competition, coaching, and team talent all play a part in skewing the checklist grade. It sometimes makes for a non-linear, confusing process, but an exciting cause and effect precipitates from this. Sometimes, the gems in the rough enter the league, and they take the role they should have had all along.
There was talk, two years ago, that Washington Redskins wide receiver Robert Davis could be a gem in the rough. Drafted by the Redskins in the sixth round of the 2017 NFL Draft, Davis possessed the athleticism and the production that would suggest a higher-rated prospect. But yet, Davis fell, and now, in 2019, he has another chance to break onto the scene in Washington. This is what makes Davis unique, and this is why he could finally surprise.
Robert Davis’ 2018 season with the Redskins
2018 was supposed to be a big year for Robert Davis. He’d used his rookie season to work on the sidelines and hone his talent, and in his second offseason, it was frequently reported that he stood out from the pack.
With his combination of a 6-foot-3 frame and 4.4 speed, Davis possessed both the burst and athleticism to gain separation with his physical traits, and the length to win contested catch battles against smaller defensive backs.
Davis was listed as a potential roster inclusion, and things were looking up for the Georgia State product, as he shined in the first preseason game against the New England Patriots. But the building high hopes ultimately came to a thunderous crash, when Davis tore his LCL and broke his tibia in a devastating non-contact injury suffered during training camp.
Davis would sit out the entire 2018 season, and perhaps in his place, Cam Sims ascended to the active roster. Now, for almost a year, he’s been working to strengthen his leg again, and get back to one-hundred percent. Injuries are unforgiving; it’s a year of football Davis will never get back. But he’s still just 24 years old, and with any luck, he used the time off the field to not only strengthen his leg, but also improve his mental acuity and nuance at the receiver position. Pictures have displayed Davis as being in top-notch physical condition, so letting himself go won’t be a problem. The injured leg, however, might.
What Robert Davis needs to show at Redskins training camp
In case it hasn’t been said yet, Davis is an insane athlete. He was invited to the NFL Combine back in 2017, and despite sizing up at around 6-foot-3, 220 pounds, he ran a 4.44 40-yard dash, logged a 4.28 shuttle time and a 6.82 three-cone time, leapt 41.0 inches in the vertical jump, and tacked on 19 bench reps for good measure.
For a player with average size like Darvin Kidsy, a 41-inch vertical jump is very impressive. For a 6-foot-3, 220-pound specimen like Davis, it’s almost generational. Davis possesses a very uncommon physical profile, one that few Redskins receivers, if any, can come close to matching.
That said, there’s a lot more to receiving besides athletic ability. Route nuance is essential, as is timing with footwork. Receivers must work to avoid telegraphing their movements with subtle upper body habits. The best receivers aren’t always the most athletic, but instead the quickest and most workmanlike with their technique. Being a good athlete helps, but it’s not the end game.
The thing Davis has going for him is this: He’s not a good athlete. He’s an extraordinary athlete. First and foremost, he has to show that he’s one-hundred percent, and that his broken tibia isn’t affecting his movement at all, this late into the recovery process. Once, and if, he proves that, then the next step for Davis is to combine his physical prowess with the nuance of the receiver position. He must keep adding to his skill set, and building off of his natural traits, because his foundation is so well-built, eventually, he can surpass all others.
Of course, these stories rarely end as unequivocal successes. The best athlete in football wouldn’t last long if they never improved upon their craft. Davis has very exciting potential. But he has a lot of ground to gain, and not a lot of time to do it.
Robert Davis’ main competition at Redskins training camp
There are at least ten receivers in the running for six roster spots in 2019, and Robert Davis, at the moment, would likely fall into the No. 7 spot. Behind him, he has competition he needs to stave off, and ahead of him, he has competition he needs to surpass.
Behind Davis, his opponents, and their standing, are more clear. Brian Quick, Jehu Chesson, and Darvin Kidsy are all on the outside looking in, but if Davis doesn’t separate himself, all three could leapfrog him on the depth chart, for different reasons. Kidsy brings similar explosive athleticism and has perhaps more quickness as a route runner. Chesson provides very good utility as a special teams gunner, and Brian Quick brings veteran versatility and experience.
In the rear view mirror, Davis knows what he’s looking at. But ahead of Davis, the picture is less clear. We know who’s there. Terry McLaurin, Kelvin Harmon, Cam Sims, and Trey Quinn are the young guns, while Josh Doctson and Paul Richardson are the veterans. But how does one order that group? Who’s up front, and who’s at No. 6? Based on reports from minicamp and OTAs, Sims could very well be the one at the top, but his experience would place him just ahead of Robert Davis. It all depends on how the Redskins are weighing their players here. And unfortunately, that’s not for us to know.
For Davis, the path forward isn’t as clear-cut as the road behind him, so the only thing for him to do is to carry on at full speed. There’s no one area to target. All he can do is prove to the team that he’s too valuable, with his exceptional athletic potential and youth, to leave behind.
Robert Davis’ outlook for the Redskins 2019 season
For now, the outlook for Robert Davis’ 2019 season is unclear. As of today, he’s on the outside looking in, but that could change drastically in training camp, depending on how he performs in comparison to the rest of the receiving core.
Upon looking at the numbers, it’s clear that Davis is the Redskins most athletic wide receiver. But due to circumstances beyond his control, he’s not as established as one would hope, so it’ll take time and effort for him to break back into the conversation.
With training camp set to only last five weeks, Davis doesn’t have as much time as he would like. But he does have the explosive athletic traits to gain ground quickly on his opponents. With a few bounces his way, and with a clean bill of health, he can take advantage of this opportunity and find a way to be relevant again.
Caution must be exercised, however. Because if Davis doesn’t do enough to stick around with the Redskins this offseason, it could be his last offseason with the team. But these are the circumstances amid which a player like Robert Davis can emerge, and ultimately outlast.