Marlon Davidson makes waves at Under Armour All-America game
Published 5:04 pm Tuesday, January 5, 2016
Marlon Davidson, Greenville High School’s own five-star Auburn commit, made a splash in a rather large pond at the Under Armour All-America Game, held Saturday at the Orlando Citrus Bowl Stadium.
Davidson was only one of dozens of the nation’s most talented athletes, but the defensive end managed to stand out with 5 tackles, a sack and a pass breakup. The stellar defensive performance aided Team Highlight in a 27-0 shutout of Team Armour.
Davidson is the first athlete from Greenville High School to participate in the Under Armour All-America Game, and he said that fact was a contributing factor in his decision to play.
“Nobody from our school has ever played in this game,” Davidson said.
“I wanted to be somebody different and play in a big game on a big stage.”
The game, which was televised on ESPN2, provided an extra incentive in the form of top-notch opposition.
“I just want to see how I fit in with all the best guys, and try to really get an understanding of what college is supposed to be like,” Davidson added.
“And I just want to have fun.”
One of the athletes who caught Davidson’s eye was fellow five-star defensive lineman Benito Jones of Wayne County High School in Mississippi.
“Benito Jones, the Ole Miss commit, is very nice,” Davidson said.
“I like that he’s physical with his hands. He comes out and hits really good, and I just like the way he plays.”
Jones added 5 tackles of his own, including a sack and 4 tackles for a loss.
Rashan Gary, the uncommitted five-star defensive tackle from Paramus Catholic High School in New Jersey and the nation’s top-rated prospect, led the Team Highlight with 6 tackles, including 3 sacks and 3.5 tackles for a loss.
Previously, when asked about the contributing factors that led to his Auburn decision, Davidson said that the family atmosphere and staff were major positives.
In the months to follow, that factor hasn’t changed.
“It’s just coaching,” Davidson said.
“Coach Rodney Garner is a great guy, and that’s who you should want to play with. He talked to me a lot, and with everything going down with Muschamp, he really stayed with me—both him and Coach Malzahn. And I really appreciated that.”