As an undersized defensive tackle in the Southeastern Conference, senior Drake Nevis may have had his doubters before the season began.
But point the biggest skeptic out, and Nevis will make him a believer.
The 6-foot-2-inch, 285-pound lineman leads the Southeastern Conference with 3.5 sacks through two games.
His first came against North Carolina, where he only brushed his potential. The following week Nevis battered Vanderbilt junior quarterback Larry Smith for 2.5 sacks, garnering SEC Lineman of the Week honors and frustrating Commodore coach Robbie Caldwell.
“He whipped us,” Caldwell said. “Bottom line. Ain’t no secret.”
Nevis has learned from some of the best, including former LSU defensive linemen and NFL players Glenn Dorsey and Tyson Jackson. In 2007, Dorsey said then-freshman Nevis would be the next great defensive tackle at LSU, which Nevis took to heart.
“He definitely set the bar high for me, so I had to come to work ready to get better every day and just do my job,” Nevis said.
The defensive tackle answered the challenge. Nevis didn’t start a game last season as a junior, but he still led the Tigers with 11 tackles for loss. He also managed a sack in four separate games.
Nevis has been a nightmare for opposing offensive lines since becoming a consistent starter. He is once again leading the team in tackles for loss this year from sacks alone.
“Drake Nevis, along with some of the other guys, is really disruptive,” said LSU coach Les Miles. “It’s really difficult to snap it to the quarterback [with him on the line].”
But Nevis isn’t one to boast. He attributes his success to defensive coordinator John Chavis, defensive line coach Brick Haley and strength and conditioning coach Tommy Moffitt.
“Coach Chavis puts me in the right position, and Coach Moffitt does a good job getting me physically prepared as well as mentally,” Nevis said.
The LSU defense leads the nation with 10 sacks, three more than any other SEC team.
Senior linebacker Kelvin Sheppard said the line is strong from top to bottom, but the schemes and techniques haven’t changed from last year. The main difference is an explosive defensive tackle.
“I think it’s just a matter of the mentality that Drake Nevis has fit for those guys on the defensive line,” Sheppard said. “Everybody has to play every play like it’s your last.”
Sheppard, who watched Dorsey and Jackson play as a redshirt freshman in 2007, said this year’s defensive line is the deepest and most talented he has seen since coming to Baton Rouge.
But he said Nevis’ rare ability at defensive tackle has separated him from the pack.
“Every guy is not a Drake Nevis and going to go sack the quarterback with two people on his back,” Sheppard said.
Working hard is nothing new to Nevis. The Marrero native’s former high school coach Billy North said when Nevis was in seventh grade he would go to John Ehret High School to work out with the varsity team.
“His attitude has certainly prepared him for where he is today,” North said. “His ability to motivate his teammates and lift the team spirits up has always been a great attribute of his.”
As Nevis’ sack total rose, so did his leadership. Sheppard said his job is easier when Nevis is in the game creating havoc on the line, but he also loves who Nevis is off the field.
“After every game he wants to know, ‘Hey Shep, how many tackles did you have? What did you do?’ It’s always about what did I do, not what he did,” Sheppard said.
Nevis said he’ll hand linemen Gatorade and water if they look thirsty on the field, and off the field they are eating and watching film together.
The senior has mentored redshirt freshmen defensive linemen Barkevious Mingo and Sam Montgomery, and Nevis’ ability to draw double teams is opening lanes for the young, speedy pass rushers.
“He’s making our work easier to make us look even better than what we’re looking,” Mingo said. “Thank Drake.”
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Contact Rowan Kavner at [email protected]