Sean McVay reveals all-time endorsement Tyler Davis received from Dabo Swinney

We’ve got plenty of NFL preseason action on Sunday evening, and fans have gotten a glimpse of a number of talented rookies across the league. In the Rams-Cowboys game on Sunday, one player who turned some heads was former Clemson star defensive lineman Tyler Davis.

Here’s one of the tackles he made.

Sean McVay is loving what he sees from rookie DL Tyler Davis so far!@SoFi Coach Cam. 🎥 pic.twitter.com/KaZIplgWrf

— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) August 11, 2024

Davis racked up six tackles, one tackle for loss, and a quarterback hit. His relentless motor showed up all over the place on Sunday for the Rams and he’s looking like a true game-wrecker for their defensive line.

During the NFL Network broadcast, Davis drew plenty of praise from Los Angeles head coach Sean McVay. And he shared a story about how Dabo Swinney held his former defensive lineman in very high regard.

“He’s active. He just shows up. That’s what you saw on the film at Clemson. You know what was cool I got a text from Dabo Swinney after we drafted him. He said, ‘There’s a lot of great players out of Clemson. He said if I had an all-time team in terms of who I would want of all these great players we’ve had. He would be on that team.’ And that says a lot coming from Coach Swinney,” McVay explained.

The Rams drafted him in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft with the No. 196 overall selection.

More on Tyler Davis and his college and high school career

Davis was part of Swinney’s 2019 recruiting class, choosing the Tigers over a handful of programs within his native state of Florida, including the two of Clemson’s biggest rivals in the ACC, Florida State, and Miami. Coming out of Wekiva High School in Apopka, FL, he was a high-end four-star recruit with a rating of just under 93. Davis was ranked as the No. 151 overall prospect in the country in the 2019 class and was No. 20 in the defensive lineman category.

Once he made it to Clemson, Davis made an immediate impact, starting in 13 and playing in 15 games as a true freshman. He would continue to be a fixture within the Tigers defensive line for the next four seasons after deciding to forgo the NFL 2023 Draft, returning to Clemson for one last national championship push. Unfortunately, that dream was never achieved as the Tigers failed to qualify for the College Football Playoff last season.

Davis leaves Clemson with 56 games underneath his belt with 52 starts, recording 144 tackles, 64 solo, 29.5 tackles for loss, and 16 sacks.

What NFL Draft analysts are saying about him

NFL.com gives Tyler Davis a prospect grade of 6.15, putting him in the middle of the group classified as a ‘Good Backup With The Potential To Develop Into Starter.’ NFL.com analyst Lance Zierlein provided an analysis of the former Clemson defensive lineman’s ability and how it transitions to the next level.

“A fireplug nose tackle with a compact frame, Davis plays much stronger than his measurables might indicate. He lacks the pure mass teams covet along the interior but uses terrific strength and leverage to bow his neck and take on all comers. He’s usually first off the snap and first in with his hands, but the size and length of an NFL interior blocker could be challenging for him as he makes the step up in class. The physical limitations will make him less attractive earlier in the draft, but his motor and consistency in pressuring blockers should push him into snaps as a 4-3 nose.”

NFL.com also lists Davis’s strengths as follows: Times up snap and slams into blocker with quick, powerful punch; Mirrors lineman’s lateral movements and fills in the play-side gap; Proportional strength for impressive double-team battles; Leg drive creates relentless pressure on blockers; Natural leverage to penetrate gaps and drive through redirection as rusher; Foot quickness gives him a chance to find entry points into the pocket.

In terms of weaknesses, Davis’s are listed as such: Below-average mass for an NFL nose tackle; Short arms make it tougher to control and shed opponents quickly; Loses pad level when engaging with lateral blocks; Below-average hand fighting to slip past pass protection; Needs to develop more rush counters and put them in his bag.

On3’s Justin Rudolph also contributed to this article.