AUBURN, Ala. — Midway through the first quarter at Mississippi State in 2016, Auburn’s defense faced a third-and-10. Bulldogs quarterback Nick Fitzgerald tossed a screen pass to running back Ashton Shumpert, who had all the blocking he needed to pick up the first down.
But as he neared the line to gain, Shumpert was cut down from behind. The tackler that forced a three-and-out was, surprisingly, a defensive end — who was deep in the backfield when Shumpert caught the ball. He’d gone from an all-out rush on Fitzgerald to making the drive-ending tackle 16 yards up the field in a matter of seconds.
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It was Marlon Davidson, who was making just his sixth career start.
Four memorable years later, that play still perfectly defines Davidson as a competitor. While he was never the biggest, fastest or strongest of his peers on Auburn’s star-studded defensive line, he had a relentless motor that made him one of the most dangerous players on the field.
Davidson, selected in the NFL Draft’s second round Friday by the Atlanta Falcons with the 47th overall pick, started in all four of his seasons on the Plains. He began his career as the first true freshman to start on Auburn’s defensive line in 30 years and finished it with 51 starts, the second most of any player in program history.
Davidson’s work ethic got him on the field early and often. The younger brother of former Auburn defensive lineman Ken Carter, Davidson drew the attention of first-year defensive coordinator Kevin Steele and veteran defensive line coach Rodney Garner with his versatility. Standing 6-foot-3 and more than 280 pounds as a true freshman, Davidson had the ability to rush the passer or stonewall the run from the inside or the outside.
For the first three seasons at Auburn, Davidson was a consistent starter and key player but never the top name up front for the Tigers in terms of statistical production.
Then, after what Davidson called a frustrating junior season in 2018 in which he had a career-low 4.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks, he decided he would return with top prospect and roommate Derrick Brown for one more year.
Davidson transformed his figure, cutting body fat and putting on lean muscle. A quicker and more explosive Davidson then put together a phenomenal final season, recording 12.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks while winning SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week four times.
“Coming back for my senior year, I was trying to show people that I’m real,” Davidson said last month. “A lot of people thought I wasn’t that good, or thought I was just a third- or fourth-round guy. But you turn the tape on this year and you see No. 3, and you’re going to see No. 3 all the game, because I’m coming, regardless. I might not make the play at the time or I might not be anywhere around it, but I’m making an impact on the game somewhere.”
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While he was primarily a defensive end in college, Davidson, now 300 pounds, had enough experience on the inside in Auburn’s four-man fronts that his expected move to defensive tackle in the NFL should be a smooth transition. Coaches and teammates say Davidson’s drive will take him far at the next level.
“He’s a guy that’s very, very, very passionate about football,” Garner said last fall. “He’s very competitive. He’s very confident. He believes in Marlon. It’s sort of infectious.”
A lot of that inner fire comes from his late mother, Cynthia Carter, who died unexpectedly before Davidson’s senior year of high school. Davidson made a promise to Carter as a middle schooler that he would play in the NFL.
Now he’s on his way to fulfilling that promise after what was a crucial senior season for his stock, and Davidson is ready to bring that famous motor, adaptability and attitude to his new team after four years as a consistent starter in the toughest division of college football.
“You’re going to get a hard worker,” Davidson said. “You’re going to get a leader. Somebody who’s a team-first guy. I’m always about the team before myself. Like whatever position you need me to play, I’ll play.”
(Photo: Brian Spurlock / USA Today)