The 5 O'Clock Club: Is there a role for Robert Davis on the 2018 Redskins team?

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In 2017, the Redskins put all of their draft picks on the 53-man roster except for Robert Davis, a big-bodied wide receiver out of Georgia State who was taken in the 6th round of last year’s draft. Davis went to the practice squad at the end of preseason.

Davis spent the first 13 weeks of the season on the Redskins practice squad, but was elevated in Week 14. He was inactive for every game except for the Broncos game, where he played three snaps on Special Teams, suffering a concussion on the third play that effectively put an end to his rookie season.

Davis seems to fit the mold of what the Redskins are looking for in their receiving corps. With a year of training, and a full off-season of work still ahead of him, can Robert Davis find his way onto the Redskins 53-man roster in 2018?

The receiving group looks something like this at the moment:

• Josh Doctson
• Jamison Crowder
• Maurice Harris
• Robert Davis

Ryan Grant, Brian Quick and Terrelle Pryor are all unrestricted free agents, though Jay Gruden, in his season-ending press conference, spoke glowingly of Ryan Grant and indicated that he would be a priority re-signing for the franchise.

As it stands currently, Davis looks like the number 4 receiver on the roster. Is there any chance he can stay there?

Here are a couple of looks at Davis from last year’s off-season scouting

Our Lads:

Four-year starter from Warner Robins, GA. Finished his career as the all-time leading receiver in receptions (222) and receiving yards (3391). Big frame. Long arms and good size hands. Outside receiver who has ideal long speed.

Has all of the triangle numbers for a wide receiver in the NFL. Tracks the ball downfield over the shoulder. Has the ability to pluck the ball out of the air in 50/50 scenarios. Will make downfield catches when receiving in a crowd.

Plays with relatively good balance. Is dangerous after the catch because of plus speed, strength, and competitive nature.

Hands catcher. Superior athletic leaping ability boasting a 41" vertical. Ranked second of the 60 receivers athletically at the Combine.

All levels of route running need refinement. Relies on athletic ability. Doesn’t get chest down over his feet when making a break. Route strength isn’t as strong as you would like it given his physical ability.

Will need to learn to use his hands to fight off cornerbacks. Big physical press corners could give him struggles.

A physically gifted athlete who checks every box in terms of what scouts look for in a receiver. He is very raw in his skills and will need time to develop. His long term potential is a possible starting receiver.

NFL.com

The relative of longtime Carolina Panther Thomas Davis finished his career as the Panthers' all-time leading receiver (beating Kansas City Chiefs Albert Wilson's records). He was the team's second-leading receiver as a true freshman (44-711, four touchdowns) and then garnered honorable mention All-Sun Belt honors in 2014 with 50 catches for 732 yards and two scores. The next two seasons, Davis was a first-team all-conference pick, averaging 16.1 yards per catch in 2015 (61-980, six TD) and leading the Sun Belt in receiving yards per game (77.8, 67-968) and averaging 43.8 yards on his five touchdowns in 2016.

On the surface, Davis is a big receiver who lacks deep speed and has a hard time creating clean passing windows for quarterbacks. However, he's a decent athlete who could benefit greatly from extended route work and learning the nuances of the position. Davis is a project with some moldable traits who may have enough talent to find his way into the league once his skills and fundamentals are honed. Davis could be a practice squad stash with the ability to grow into an NFL backup.

The measurables for Robert Davis

Height: 6’3”

Weight: 219 lbs

Arm length: 33 inches

Hands: 9 5/8 inches

Combine Results

40-yard dash: 4.44 sec

Bench Press: 19 reps

Vertical jump: 41.0 inches

Broad jump: 136.0 inches

3-cone drill: 6.82 sec

20-yard shuttle: 4.28 sec

60-yard shuttle: 11.48 sec