The Detroit Lions finally put to rest who they’d be taking with the 21st overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. Florida LB Jarrad Davis was their selection, and he’s on his way to the Motor City.
Welcome to the #Squad, Jarrad Davis 👊 pic.twitter.com/gufxcT8I7G
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) April 28, 2017
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At 6’1 and 238 pounds, Davis came highly regarded – so much so that NFL Network’s Mike Maycock listed him as 4th best inside linebacker.
Oct 15, 2016; Gainesville, FL, USA; Florida Gators linebacker Jarrad Davis (40) against the Missouri Tigers during the first quarter at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports“Davis missed a lot of time with an ankle. He’s got the physical traits. He’s a tough kid. He’s today’s NFL inside linebacker,” Maycock said. “He can run. He can stay in the game on third down, which I think is critical in Detroit.”
Davis was one of the pillars of Florida’s defense, recording 60 tackles with two sacks last season, including six for loss. He earned second team All-American and second team All-SEC honors, as well as being one of the five Butkus Award finalists. In 2015, he earned starting status with the Gators, finishing with 98 tackles (11 for loss), 3.5 sacks, and an interception.
An injury forced him to miss the NFL Combine, but he amassed impressive statistics at Florida’s pro-day, including a 38.5 inch vertical leap and 4.56 second 40-yard dash.
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The following his from his official draft profile, courtesy of NFL.com.
STRENGTHS Angular build with long limbs and a shredded physique. Excellent flexibility throughout his trunk. Can twist and turn to slither into gaps. Plus acceleration to chase all over the field. Scouts say coaches are effusive in their praise of his leadership, work ethic and character. Can be rude to company. Erupts from coiled hips with a jarring pop under the pads of oncoming blockers. Runs downhill with choppy steps in balanced, tackle-ready position. Effective in spy role with athleticism to mirror mobile quarterbacks. Has closing burst that could become a weapon as a blitzer. Wrap-up tackler with strong finishing rate. Improved his discipline pursuing to the sideline. Did a better job of leveraging running backs against the boundary. Forceful redirect of tight ends out of their routes. Good peripheral helps him spot crossing routes without having to drop eyes from the quarterback. Has athletic tools to become better in coverage.
WEAKNESSES Downhill routes to the ball can be problematic. Will step too far downhill and get trapped in traffic on counters or bounces to the perimeter. Needs to play with more consistent technique and positioning to properly leverage his gaps against gap plays. Lateral scrapes sometimes lack patience forcing him to overrun run fits and open cutback lanes. Sometimes prioritizes attacking blockers too high. Has to get better at seeing and working past the blocker and toward the runner rather than issuing so many physical challenges that get him behind in pursuit. Could improve with greater stick-and-move hand work to keep himself clean. Struggles to free himself when snatched by blocker. Average instincts create inefficiency with early, post-snap movement.
Welcome to Detroit, Jarrad!
