Gotta think a Breeland suspension of any duration that moves Fenton outside will give Davis a pretty good shot at sticking.

But with so many teams using their best receiver in the slot fairly frequently, it's still gonna be hard for him to stick. People like to say things like "if not for his height he'd have gone much earlier..."

But height matters at defensive back. Sometimes you can be right where you need to be and the other guy's just bigger and takes it away. We learned that lesson several times with Brandon Flowers. He'd have perfect coverage and the bigger, stronger WR would just body him out and take the ball away or go up over him.

5'8" is just gonna be tough to overcome. People like Mathieu are the exception that proves that rule.
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So, what makes Mathieu different? Is it how he's being used? I mean, the guy covers TEs. Does Spags know how to use another athlete of smaller stature? I suppose we'll find out.
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Instincts.

Dude has unreal instincts.
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Davis has pretty great instincts as well. Outside of NFL experience, I wonder what separates the two.
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Well and I guess that's ultimately my point - I really don't know.

But I know every 5 years or so there's a new 'pocket DB' that vastly outperforms their pedigree and it's rare that there are more than 1 or 2 guys across all the NFL defensive backs that play that well with a really small stature.

So I understand your question, but until you can truly identify exactly why MATHIEU is so good, you can't answer it. I personally incline towards tenacity and instincts (need both) but only because I watched him on a couple of occasions literally torch THREE reads. I have never seen a safety do what he when he pulled that off. He'd knock someone off his route, pick up a second route and then drift off onto a 3rd and have the QB so spooked he'd just quit outright.

We can sit there and say things like "Davis looks like he has good instincts..." but to do so doesn't give enough credit to just how flipping unreal Mathieu's are. No, Davis's aren't like that. Nobody else in the NFL does that right now. That's what I mean when I say he's the exception that proves the rules.

Guy just don't do what Mathieu does. And if there was a real chance that Davis plays with that kind of vision, he doesn't go undrafted. And he damn sure has a more impactful college career. I mean Mathieu was a damn Heisman finalist, Bednarik winner and the SEC player of the year and Consensus All-American as a TRUE SOPHOMORE.

Javaris Davis....wasn't. Any of that. despite 5 years in the system at Auburn.

Davis has never been anywhere near the player Mathieu was at any level. There's no good faith basis for trying to mention him in the same breath as Mathieu. Is there a chance he makes the team? Sure, why not? If everything breaks precisely correctly for him he may even start for a year or three at some point and provide credible play in the same way Steven Nelson did. Is there a chance he possesses the same traits that have set Mathieu apart from 100 guys with similar measurements/tools as him? No. None at all. There's a clear separation between these guys.
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Mathieu reminds me Deron Cherry, who was great in run support but also had 50 INT's in an era primarily driven by the ground game.

Mathieu dropped or missed a few INT's last season, something he was fully aware and admitted.

I think he'll be even better in 2020 because he'll know when to trust the other defensive players, allowing him to freelance a bit more and become a bit more of a ball hawk.

I'd be shocked and thrilled if Javaris Davis makes the team and has anywhere near the same results as Mathieu.
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I personally think Hill has a better shot than Davis.
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I wouldn't put any money on either of them. Combine the two and you end up with a 1st day pick, but ultimately Hill doesn't have the athleticism to my eyes (also seems to lack some intuitiveness as well) and Davis doesn't have the size (but really nice instincts).

I think both are just TOO deficient in the areas they're deficient. Then again, I'd have said almost exactly the same thing about Fenton (and probably did) that I just said about Hill. And Breeland's athleticism is pretty mediocre as well. And both of them were pretty important and largely productive last season.

So maybe Spags has figured his way around some of the athleticism limitations of some of his DBs. But I'd be shocked if he hand-waived Davis's size.
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And the idea of an in-season promotion ignores Andy's history of favoring continuity over a potential upgrade.

If the dude's starting this year, it will almost have to be on opening day or in the case of a MASSIVE spate of injuries. If he earns the job outright somehow, I'd immediately start thinking of down-ballot ROY votes and pro-bowl consideration because that's the kind of potential Andy will need to see IMMEDIATELY if he's going to pull that trigger.

From a guy that didn't get drafted? I mean - it has happened before - but it don't happen often and with the need to make protection calls to protect that most valuable asset in sports, I really can't see it happening at that position.
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https://athlonsports.com/nfl/25-best...ayers-all-time

Here's a list from April 2020 that ranks the top 25 best UDFA's of all time. Outside of Marion Motley, who dominated the NFL during his rookie season of 1946, none of those players were Pro Bowlers in their rookie seasons.

New Orleans WR Deonte Harris went from undrafted in 2019 to making the Pro Bowl as a rookie kick returner but I think we can all agree that KR is very different from center.
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Watching ESPNU & they’re showing games from last year & Lavert Hill is a baller. If he was just a little bit taller.

Still think he makes the team.
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Expanding the practice squad to up to 16 players is being discussed.

This sounds like it may help us keep some additional talent under contract to develop, which also helps Veatch manage the salary cap if a few make the big jump.

Good time to have heavily invested in quality UDFA’s...
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