Drew Davis - #79 – OL – 6’7 – 276 lbs. – Evergreen, AL – Sparta Academy – No Varsity Letters

Drew spent spring practice as the latest in a lineage of people trying to solidify the right tackle position at Alabama. After playing sparingly in his first 2 seasons, he was Co-Winner of the Bart Starr Most Improved Player Award for the 2008 spring session (shared with Mike McCoy).

After years of inconsistent play at the right tackle position, Bama is desperate for someone, anyone to step forward and lock down that end of the line. Had you told someone in February that Drew would be among the viable candidates, you probably would have been ignored.
He actually signed with Bama as a part of the 2004 recruiting class as a sleeper prospect, with his only other SEC offer coming from Mississippi State. He deferred his enrollment until 2005, and then spent that season as a redshirt. So this is technically his 5th year out of high school, and he’ll turn 23 in October.

2008 Prospectus: Despite being a Junior, he is one of the Tide’s oldest players. Having now spent 4 spring practices and off seasons in collegiate conditioning programs, he should be primed to be in physical condition to contribute.

He split time in the spring with Taylor Pharr, and Bama’s top offensive line recruit of the 2008 #1 ranked signing class, Tyler Love, is projected to also play right tackle. So, for the first time in years there should be real competition for playing time at the position.

He has made tremendous strides in his overall ability over the last 12 months, and at this point will be a contributing lineman. Regardless of whether he earns the starting job at right tackle he has improved to the point where he can serve as a backup for either tackle position.