Georgia defensive tackle Jordan Davis emerged as one of the big winners of the NFL Scouting Combine earlier this month. Despite one of the all-time great performances in combo history, whispers persist that NFL scouts may be skeptical about his pass-rush ability to the next level.
Am 85th Maxwell Club Awards at Harrah’s Resort Atlantic City, where he was presented with the Chuck Bednarik Award as the nation’s top defensive player, Davis addressed these concerns.
“I did a lot of self-reflection and you know, I understand this is one of my Achilles heels, but that’s what I did in the offseason and that’s what I got better at,” he said. “A lot of people think it’s all in Georgia in that scheme, but I put in the work and do my best to be a complete player and do all the necessary things to be in the pass as well.”
The national champion Bulldogs ’imprinted draft lifts the defensive line up and down, one of the factors that plays into Davis, usually being replaced on third downs. Once weighed as much as 360 pounds, the condition also raised a question of talent ratings during the bidding process. However, Davis showed up in Indianapolis and what appeared to be prime form, the scales tilted to 341 pounds and the fastest official forty-yard stroke (4.78) of any player over 310 pounds since 2003, according to Next Gen Stats .
He would later add a 10-foot-3 wide jump, the longest such jump since 2003 by a Combine participant who weighed 300 pounds or more and recorded a 1.68 10-yard split, which is a more explosive time than the by JJ Watt (1.71). Davis developed his most memorable combination experience, highlighting his love for the game.
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“I would just say hang around the other players. That’s one of the only times you have all those college football players in one area, so you’re talking game with people from all over the country. It’s not even about the Performance on the field, it’s more about the connections on the field I made.
Despite the memorable combination of performances, Davis chose to train on his Pro Day, just the day before, specifically going through a whole series of pass-rush exercises during position work, to bring his skill set back to the NFL once again. Teams to show.
“All I do is I want to put on a show and put my best foot forward, so I’ve already heard good responses from it,” Davis replied when asked about feedback from his workout. “I did not expect anything less. I went out there and did my best, so coming back and hearing positive reviews, I feel good.
There seem to be quite a few million reasons why Davis “feels good.” While draft picks currently fluctuate depending on where Charlotte is born, most teams see him as a solid pick from the middle of the first round in the upcoming 2022 NFL draft picks.
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