AUBURN, Ala. – When former Georgia quarterback Jake Fromm was being introduced at last month's Academy Sports + Outdoors Celebrity Fishing Tournament in Gadsden, Alabama, Marlon Davidson raised his hand. Like Fromm, Davidson was competing in the tournament.
"Hey, I sacked Jake Fromm," Davidson told the crowd. It was his way of having fun but also a way to remind everybody of his talents, too.
Davidson is about as competitive as they come, and it was no surprise the former Auburn defensive lineman won the fishing tournament, beating the likes of Fromm and the others who participated. It doesn't matter if it's fishing, playing pool with his teammates or getting to the quarterback, he always wants to be the best.
"I have a lot of dog in me. I really do," Davidson said prior to his workout at the NFL Combine. "I'm not one of the type of guys who's going to sit there and get beat all game. The offense is winning one or two no matter what, but I'm going to come out and whoop their tail, and then I'm going to come back and whoop it again, then I come back and I'm going to do it again. It's going to keep coming with repetition.
"At that point, they're like, 'Man, I got to go against Marlon Davidson every play.'"
That relentless effort has vaulted Davidson into the conversation of going on Day 2 of the NFL draft, in the second or third round. At this time last year, he could've left Auburn early and likely been drafted in the later rounds, but he wanted to come back for his senior year and prove to people just how dominant he can be.
As a senior this past fall, Davidson recorded career-highs in tackles (48), tackles for loss (12.5), sacks (7.5) and fumbles forced (2) on his way to becoming a First Team All-SEC selection.
"Coming into my senior year, I was trying to show people that I'm real," he said. "A lot of people thought I wasn't that good or that I was just like a third or fourth-round guy, but when you turn the tape on this year, you see No. 3 and you're going to see No. 3 all game because I'm coming regardless.
Davidson is currently at home in Greenville, Alabama, anxiously awaiting to find out where he's going to go next. In less than two weeks, he's going to get a phone call from an NFL team and realize a dream he's had since he was a kid growing up in Greenville.
"It's really scary," Davidson said. "You don't know where you're going to go. You don't know where you're going to be at. It's not like you're choosing a school all over again. The organization is choosing you. But it's a dream come true, it's a rush, and I love it."
NFL Combine
40-yard dash: 5.04 seconds
Bench press: 21 reps
"Big man MOVING!" @marlondavidson7 flashin' them wheels! 🏃♂💨
— Auburn Football (@AuburnFootball) March 1, 2020
📺 @nflnetwork #WarEagle pic.twitter.com/IfzQlu1mBc
Draft analysis
"Davidson made the right decision by bulking up to over 300 pounds to sell himself to NFL teams as an interior defensive lineman. He used his hands well on the edge, and assuming his pass-rushing plans continue on the inside, he has what it takes to be a valuable inside pass rusher early in his NFL career. Moving positions could lead to a steeper learning curve for Davidson, and it may take time for him to become a sturdy run defender. But instead of being a lower-level athlete for the edge spot, he's a high-level athlete kicked in to defensive tackle." – Chris Trapasso, CBS Sports
Signature moment
Fans might point to Davidson's strip, sack and fumble recovery against Arkansas this past season or when he beat Georgia's Andrew Thomas to sack Fromm. Both were game-changing plays that turned heads among NFL personnel. But if you ask Davidson, his signature moment came in 2017 at LSU when he chased down wide receiver Russell Gage to prevent a touchdown. It only showed up as a tackle in the box score, but Davidson, who prides himself on effort, never gave up the play and ran 65 yards to make the stop.