The Steelers completed their 2020 NFL Draft Class by selecting Nebraska defensive tackle Carlos Davis out of Nebraska with their seventh-round pick, the 232nd overall pick in the draft.
Davis finished his Nebraska career with 125 total tackles, 18 tackles for a loss and nine and a half sacks.
"He is a strong kid. He is a talented athlete," said Coach Mike Tomlin. "He is a two-sport player, was on the track and field team."
Davis, who was an All-American in track and field, played his final season as a graduate student and started 11 of 12 games as a defensive end his senior season. He had 32 tackles, ranking second among Nebraska's defensive linemen, only behind his twin brother Kahlil Davis, who was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with the 194th pick overall.
The Steelers did a virtual interview with the twins together leading into the draft and General Manager Kevin Colbert was impressed.
"It was entertaining to say the least," said Colbert. "Very smart young men. They went to the Combine and he ran a 4.79 in a 300 plus body. What we are looking from him is a definite upside. We hope to continue to see how he develops. He crept onto the scene late. We doubled back to make sure we liked what we saw. The more we talked to him, the more we evaluated him, the more we liked what we saw."
The selection of Davis gives the Steelers depth on the line after the departure of Javon Hargrave via free agency.
Carlos Davis
Defensive Tackle
6-2, 320
Blue Springs, Mo.
Blue Springs High School
Honors & Awards
- Honorable-Mention All-Big Ten (2018, Coaches)
- 2016 Nebraska Most Improved Player
- Honorable-Mention BTN All-Freshman Team (2016)
- NCAA Track & Field Second-Team All-American (2019, Discus)
- NCAA Track & Field Honorable-Mention All-American (2018, Discus)
- Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll (Fall 2017; Spring 2018)
- Brook Berringer Citizenship Team (2016, 2017, 2018)
- Tom Osborne Citizenship Team (2016, 2017, 2018)
2019 (Senior): Carlos Davis, who played his senior season as a graduate student, started 11 of 12 games at defensive end as a senior, missing the Wisconsin game due to injury. He totaled 32 tackles, which ranked second among Nebraska's defensive linemen, behind his twin brother Khalil. Carlos also ranked second on the team behind his twin brother with 4.0 sacks. He had four tackles and a fumble recovery in the season opener against South Alabama and a 12-yard sack the next week at Colorado. Against Northern Illinois, Davis tied his career high with six tackles and two TFLs, while setting a career high with 1.5 sacks as Nebraska kept the Huskies out of the end zone. Davis had a TFL for the third consecutive week at Illinois as part of a four-tackle effort. Davis added four tackles each against Ohio State, Northwestern and Minnesota, while forcing the first fumble of his career against the Gophers. He recorded two tackles against Indiana before splitting a sack with his brother at Purdue. Davis missed the Wisconsin game due to injury, but he returned the next week at Maryland and had a four-yard sack. In his final game, Davis recorded one tackle against Iowa.
Davis was an eight-time letterwinner at Nebraska (four each in football and track). He and his twin brother Khalil were the first Huskers in more than 50 years to be eight-time letterwinners and just the ninth and 10th eight-time letterwinners in the history of Nebraska Athletics.
2018 (Junior): Davis played in all 12 games and registered 27 tackles in 2018, including three TFLs and 1.0 sack. He also broke up five passes, the most pass breakups by a Nebraska defensive lineman since Ndamukong Suh had 10 breakups in 2009. For his efforts, Davis was selected as an honorable-mention All-Big Ten choice by the league's coaches.
Davis had two tackles, including a tackle for loss, in the season opener against Colorado, helping the Huskers limit the Buffaloes to 44 rushing yards. The next week against Troy, he had two tackles, including an eight-yard sack. At No. 19 Michigan, Davis recorded a pair of tackles. After appearing off the bench at defensive end in each of the first three games, Davis earned the start at nose guard against Purdue. Davis responded with three tackles, including one tackle for loss. He started again at nose guard at No. 16 Wisconsin and made a season-high four tackles. Davis had one tackle against Minnesota, Bethune-Cookman and Ohio State. He made three tackles in the Huskers' win over Illinois. Davis then had a season-high five tackles in Nebraska's win over Michigan State. He also broke up a pass against the Spartans. Davis wrapped up his junior season with a season-high three solo tackles as part of a four-tackle effort at Iowa.
In the spring, Davis completed his career as a four-year letterwinner for the Nebraska track and field program. He finished third in the discus at the 2019 Big Ten Outdoor Championships and qualified for the NCAA West Regional for the fourth straight year. Davis placed fourth with a career-best throw of 191-11 at the regional - the ninth-best mark in school history - to qualify for his second straight NCAA Championship. Davis placed 16th at the national meet to earn All-America honors for the second straight year.
2017 (Sophomore): Davis helped anchor the Huskers' defensive line by starting all 12 games at defensive end. He excelled as a sophomore, recording 42 tackles, more than double the total from his redshirt freshman season. In addition to his career-high 42 tackles, Davis also posted a career-high 2.5 sacks, totaled four tackles for loss and had a team-high six quarterback hurries.
Davis totaled multiple tackles in all 12 games. He combined for 12 tackles in Nebraska's three non-conference games, including back-to-back games with five tackles against Oregon and Northern Illinois. He also added a half sack against the Huskies. Davis then had at least three tackles in seven of the Huskers' nine Big Ten Conference games. He had three tackles, two TFLs and 1.0 sack at Illinois, marking his first career game with multiple tackles for loss. Davis added his third five-tackle game of the season at Purdue and recorded his final sack of the season at No. 13 Penn State. In the final game against Iowa, Davis tied his career high with six tackles.
In the spring, Davis qualified for the 2018 NCAA Outdoor Championships in the discus for the first time in his career, earning honorable-mention All-America honors by finishing 23rd. He also finished third at the NCAA West Preliminary Round and seventh at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships.
2016 (Redshirt Freshman): Davis played in all 13 games and made four starts at defensive tackle early in the season when Mick Stoltenberg was slowed by an injury. Davis finished the season with 24 tackles, including 11 solo stops, while registering five tackles for loss and two sacks for 24 yards. He also had three quarterback hurries.
Davis had five tackles in his first career start against Wyoming. He recorded his first career sack against Purdue, covering 17 yards, and added a seven-yard sack a week later at Wisconsin. He had two tackles each against Ohio State and Minnesota, and had a tackle for loss against the Gophers. He had a season-high six tackles at Iowa, including four solo stops, and closed the year with two tackles and a tackle for loss against Tennessee.
Davis threw the discus in six track meets during the spring and finished 10th at the Big Ten Championships and qualified for the NCAA West Preliminary Round.
2015 (Redshirt): Davis redshirted and worked on the scout team, where he earned praise for his outstanding practice work. In the spring, Davis finished seventh in the discust at the 2016 Big Ten Outdoor Championships with a toss of 177-10 and also qualified for the NCAA West Regional.
Before Nebraska (Blue Springs HS): Davis finished his senior season with 64 tackles, including an impressive 33 tackles for loss. He had 18 sacks and 21 quarterback pressures and also saw time on the offensive line for Coach Kelly Donohoe's team. Davis' play helped the Wildcats to an 8-4 record and a trip to the third round of the Class 6 state playoffs.
Davis was recognized as the Missouri Coaches Association Class 6 Defensive Player of the Year in 2014. He also earned the prestigious Buck Buchanan Award at the Simone ceremony. Davis was a Class 6 all-state pick for the second straight year and earned All-Metro honors from the Kansas City Star.
As a junior, Davis played a key role in helping Blue Springs to a perfect 14-0 record and a Class 6 state title. Davis had 63 tackles, including 16 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks in 2013. He also had two pass deflections, a forced fumble and a blocked punt. At 6-2 and 265 pounds, Davis also had four rushing attempts and a five-yard touchdown reception. Davis was a first-team Class 6 all-state pick as a junior and earned second-team All-Metro honors.
Davis first saw varsity action as a sophomore for a 13-1 state championship team, making 16 tackles and one sack. An impressive athlete, Davis ran a 4.67 40-yard dash and had a 32-inch vertical jump at the U.S. Army National Combine.
Davis was ranked among the top five players in Missouri and the top 25 defensive tackles in the country by Rivals.com, 247 Sports and Scout. He was rated as the No. 201 overall prospect in the country by Scout. Davis chose Nebraska after also considering Missouri, and he had numerous offers including Oregon, TCU, Arkansas and Kansas State.
Davis was also a discus standout. As a senior, Davis helped lead Blue Springs to a Class 5 Missouri State Championship title, capturing first-place finishes in shot put and discus in the process. He had a throw of 214-4 in the discus as a senior, the best prep mark in the nation in 2015.
Personal: Carlos is the son of Carl and Tracy Davis. He was born on Aug. 22, 1996, and is the older of the Davis twins by five minutes. A child, youth and family studies major, Davis has volunteered his time with the Nebraska Football Road Race, a Mother/Son Event, Husker Heroes, the FCA and local school and hospital visits.
