Just a few weeks ago, the talk about Raekwon Davis centered on being hit by a stray bullet. Would he play in the opener against Florida State after being a first teamer in August?
Well, he did and recorded a big sack coming off the bench a week after the incident near Alabama's campus.
The 6-foot-7, 306-pound sophomore has been a source of intrigue all offseason as he steps into a more prominent role in a rebuilding Alabama defensive line. Through two games, his nine tackles rank third on the team.
"I think Raekwon is a guy that, it's really important to him to be a good player," Nick Saban said. "He works really hard, he gives great effort."
The learning curve remains, however. Davis had seen limited action as a true freshman, playing in seven games and getting four tackles.
"Like all young players, I think that they don't realize all the time the importance of paying attention to detail, understanding the situation, not just going 100 miles an hour but playing a draw set or playing a screen set a little bit different," Saban said. "I think those are the things that good players learn how to do and play fast and play hard and be aggressive but they still recognize things quickly. I think that's the key to developing young players."
The athleticism Davis shows at his advanced size is something to watch. Even his defensive line neighbor Da'Ron Payne said it's "amazing" to see that 6-7 frame move upfield with speed.
"Whenever I try to make a tackle, he's right there with me," said Payne, who noted Davis was the largest defensive lineman with whom he's played. "It's fun knowing that someone next to me is trying to compete."
Davis made eight stops in Week 2 against Fresno State when his playing time increased from Week 1. It started on the second play, teaming up with Da'Shawn Hand for his first tackle of the day. Davis also recorded a quarterback hurry in the second quarter.
Michael Casagrande is an Alabama beat writer for the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @ByCasagrande.