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Davon Godchaux, DL: A Solid Addition As A Rotational DL But Inconsistent

Hogs Haven takes a look at 2017 Draft prospects that could contribute to the Redskins

By Gabe Ward
LSU v Wisconsin Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

Davon Godchaux, DL
School: LSU | Conference: SEC
College Experience: Junior | Age: 22
Height / Weight: 6-3 / 301 lbs
Projected Draft Status: 4th or 5th Round
NFL Comparison: Stefan Charles

College Statistics

Player Overview

Davon Godchaux underperformed at the combine last month. His performance was described as “sluggish”. After dropping nine pounds for his pro day he turned in better test numbers. It's a little indicative of Godchaux playing career and paints a good picture of his consistency issues. At times he can be an absolute non-factor. If he pushes himself he can be a dominant force. Godchaux is a bit undersized to be a 3-4 DE and projects better as a 4-3 interior lineman. He does have experience in both schemes and can put on weight if necessary. I think weight is the least of Godchaux’s issues. For me, I think his consistency issues stem from him not being able to string his strength, power, burst, and pass rush moves together most of the time. With a good coach and commitment to improving he can be a lot better. At his current draft projection, a lot of teams will be willing to take a chance on him especially because he flashes pass rushing talent.

Strengths

  • Flashes excellent timing off the snap and gets into OLs chests and can convert speed to power well.
  • Effective arm extension and swatting ability to get off blocks.
  • And read and react to what's going on the backfield and get in position to stop or slow down the runner.
  • Good pursuit ability in the backfield and can finish plays.

Weaknesses

  • Hands and feet can get stagnant more times than acceptable.
  • Not effective at getting off double teams.
  • Currently undersized for the position as an interior lineman.
  • Not sure if it's his conditioning or effort but he takes some plays off.

Let’s see his work:

How He Would Fit On The Redskins

Godchaux would add youth and depth to the line but he needs time in the weight room and the film room before he’ll be able to make an impact on Sundays. I wouldn't mind if one of the Redskins 4th round picks were spent on him but I would view the selection with the expectation that he still needs time in the over maybe a whole season or even two. One of the reasons I don’t think he’ll have an epiphany when he gets to the NFL is that his shortcomings are both mental and physical. He needs time in the weight room but he also needs to be aware on every snap and be mindful of when his attack and push gets stagnant. When he puts it all together he is a solid disruptor against both the run and pass. If he could add 10 to 15 pounds and not lose any of his burst and closing speed he could also rotate inside on passing downs and sub packages. I would love to see how far he can come with a coach like Tomsula but I wouldn’t expect much out of the first couple years other than rotational DL contributions with moderate effects.

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