The wait is finally over! With the 21st pick in the 1st Round of the 2017 NFL Draft, the Detroit Lions have selected LB Jarrad Davis, out of Florida.
The Detroit #Lions select #Florida LB Jarrad Davis with the 21st pick. #OnePride #NFLdraft pic.twitter.com/i8vrwCUFRt
— Logan Lamorandier (@LLamorandier) April 28, 2017
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After adding two offensive linemen via free agency, it was no surprise that Lions GM Bob Quinn decided to address the defensive side of the ball with their first round pick and linebacker was certainly a position of need.
Davis created quite the buzz earlier this week by running a 4.56 40-yard dash and jumping a 38.5-inch vertical at his pro day. This athleticism shows up frequently on film, as he is an explosive player in all phases. His biggest issue is tackling, as he tends to play out of control and miss too often, as represented by his ranking of 209 in tackling efficiency among FBS inside linebackers in 2016. His inconsistencies put his value on day two, but because of his athleticism he could very well hear his name called toward the end of the first round. — Josh Liskiewitz, @PFF_Josh
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Analysis: “Davis missed a lot of time with an ankle injury. He’s got the physical traits. He’s a tough kid. He’s today’s NFL inside linebacker. He can run. He can stay in the game on third down, which I think is critical in Detroit.”
Davis, who is 6-foot-1, 238 lbs, played four seasons at Florida, recording 201 total tackles in 38 games played. Despite only remaining healthy for one season as a Gator, he impressed scouts enough to remain one of the top prospects heading into the draft.
From NFL.com:
“He’s good. I don’t care about some of those holes you are talking about. Kill him so maybe somebody will listen to you and he can fall to us. We’ll take him.” — AFC executive
What do you think, Lions fans? Did Bob Quinn make the right selection?
