2017 NFL Draft Profile: Jarrad Davis
In my opinion, inside linebacker is the most undervalued position in the NFL, as numerous teams simply choose to not care about the position. Jarrad Davis is a product who comes from a typically defensive-minded Florida Gators team, and he is someone who can make an impact on day one in a variety of ways.
Height: 6’1
Weight: 238 lbs
Jarrad Davis missed the combine with a high ankle sprain, which could affect his draft stock.
Strengths
When I watch his tape, the first thing that strikes me about Davis is his scheme versatility, he can play in both a 3-4 and 4-3, which makes mocking him somewhere a relatively difficult task. Regardless, he would provide an upgrade for nearly every team in the NFL at the linebacker position.
Davis is first and foremost a great run stuffer, and he is patient working behind his defensive line and spying, and ultimately finishing off opposition running backs. The way he patrols in the run game is very similar to the way Bobby Wagner does at the Seattle Seahawks.
If Davis is drafted to a team that runs a 3-4 defence, then he could potentially be a guy who gets 6-8 sacks a season because he showed at Florida that he was capable of being an effective weapon in their blitz packages.
The easiest way to build an effective defence in a short span of time is to build a speed defence with man corners, and this is why Davis is technically one of the more effective ‘win now’ pieces in this draft class, as his speed and hard hitting ability is something that every defence needs.
A lot of teams in the NFL don’t care about character concerns, but something that makes Davis extra valuable is that he doesn’t come with any baggage. Reuben Foster is reportedly a player who is high maintenance, but teams won’t have to worry about this with Davis, and he evolved into a sort of defensive leader as a member of the Florida Gators.
Ultimately, Davis is a great downhill linebacker who could be moved around, which means he would be an effective player even if he landed on a bad defence. Bad teams have to move personnel around to be effective, and Davis is someone who can perform a variety of roles.
Weaknesses
The only real weakness I see with Davis is that he is sometimes more concerned about flexing his physicality, as opposed to just playing football. There are times when he can lose discipline and abandon the best option and simply try to clatter a player, he will need to iron this out in the NFL or coaches will get frustrated with him.
At times, he can also get embroiled in physical battles with guards and interior linemen, which means he can sometimes be kept out of the game. It is not that Davis is a dirty player, but he often tries to prove himself when he doesn’t need to, as we all know that he is a brilliant player.
Top Three Team Fits
Oakland Raiders: The Raiders linebacker corps is a factory of sadness, and Davis would provide a mega upgrade on their interior. The Raiders were a disaster against the run last year, and Davis’ patience and ability to spy running backs and quarterbacks would provide Ken Norton with his very own ‘Bobby Wagner’ type piece. Davis would be a long term option in their 4-2-5 defence, and he won’t freestyle in the way that Malcolm Smith often decided to.
Buffalo Bills: The Bills want to run their own version of the Panthers base 4-3 zone defence, but they will need to upgrade their linebacker position in order to do so. The Bills aren’t really blessed with many talents at the linebacker position, as Reggie Ragland was primarily a two-down back in college, and Lorenzo Alexander is most probably a one-season wonder. McDermott isn’t just going to copy Ron Rivera’s scheme, but the Bills will need some playmakers at inside linebacker or he won’t be able to run a base formation on obvious passing downs, which is a problem.
New York Giants: The Giants generally don’t draft linebackers high, but it is about time they changed that philosophy. It must be noted, that the Giants were strongly considering drafting Leonard Floyd last year, so this may be the sign that their draft philosophy is changing. Davis would be a good piece in Steve Spagnuolo’s blitz happy defence, and his ability in coverage would allow the Giants to be a little more flexible with their play calling.
The Verdict
Jarrad Davis is a talented player, who plays in a position that is greatly undervalued. I would honestly consider drafting him in the high teens if I were a team in need, but he will most likely fall in the 20-30 range in this draft. If he somehow slips to the top of the second, then someone is getting an absolute steal, as he is a big time performer with a great work ethic
Pro Comparison: Jonathan Vilma
Draft Prediction: The Raiders finally address their embarrassing linebacker unit and draft Davis with the 24th pick.