Big Green Notebook: Auburn's Davidson On Cowboys D-Line Coach Tomsula's Wish List
FRISCO, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - The Dallas Cowboys have added veteran former Pro Bowlers Gerald McCoy and Dontari Poe on their defensive line, but new coach Jim Tomsula is looking to add big time rookies who fit the team concept.
"If you want to play individual, tennis is a good sport, golf, swimming, those are great," Tomsula deadpanned. "Wrestling. That's a great sport— for individuals. To me, football is the greatest sport there is for a team."
And inside the Big Green NFL Draft Scouting Notebook, Tomsula's favorite team player may be Auburn's 6-3, 303 pound Marlon Davidson, a four-year starter and team captain, who absolutely loves football.
Davidson was a team captain at Auburn, playing alongside SEC Defensive Player of the Year Derrick Brown, who might be a top 5 pick in this draft after amassing 55 tackles, 12 ½ tackles for loss and 4 sacks last season.
However, Davidson actually had more sacks than Brown (7.5) and matched his tackles for loss. A former 5 star Under Armour All American from Greenville, Alabama, Davidson was the first freshman starter on Auburn's defensive line since 1985.
Auburn defensive line coach Rodney Culver calls Davidson a "smart, savvy player, who is a total team guy. He exemplifies what a champion is, what an Auburn man is by his actions, the way he walks the walk."
He walks the walk, and the affable Davidson also talks the talk, as evidenced by this response when asked what he loves most about football.
"I can literally go out there and hit a man consistently and pound him and the police not come!" Davidson joked with reporters at the NFL Scouting Combine, "That is the most enjoyable moment about football is to go out and really abuse someone and they won't say nothing about it in the press. No headlines, no handcuffs, no mug shot, no nothing!"
In a video conference call with Cowboys coaches and front office personnel, posted on DallasCowboys.com, Dallas Head Coach Mike McCarthy asked Davidson, "Can you tell us about your love of football and how would you define that as far as how you about it?"
"I feel like I'm the best and that just comes with the pride that I carry myself with every day," Davidson responded. "You know, football is the only thing I knew since I was growing up."
Tomsula chimed in, saying, "I gotta tell you, dude, I'm worried about your confidence!"
"You don't have to worry about that," Davidson assured him with a huge smile on his face. "I've got all the confidence in me!"
Davidson could be a late first round draft choice, but if he's still available when the Cowboys 2nd round pick (#51) comes around, The Big Green Notebook is confident Jim Tomsula will be virtually standing on the table, lobbying for his man Marlon on the "Cowboys Draft Room" video conference call.
