Florida’s Jarrad Davis is one of the top rated linebacker prospects eligible for the 2017 NFL Draft.
Jarrad Davis is an explosive athlete who has the ability to cover a lot of ground. He uses his speed and quick-twitch ability to make plays from sideline to sideline. Davis is a relentless player who is always in pursuit of the ball.
He’s at his best when he has space to flow to the football. This allows him to use his speed and closing burst to quickly attack the ball carrier. His short-area quickness is absolutely elite and to the point where it surprises some offensive players.
This quickness is most apparent when he decides to get after the quarterback on a delayed blitz. He’s someone who forces the quarterback to make quick decisions and more often than not mistakes.
Davis needs to do a better job working off blocks. He struggles working through traffic and disengaging. This makes it tough for him to consistently be around the football. Florida’s defensive line didn’t do Davis any favors as they rarely occupied blockers.
His strength is his speed and ability to close on the football. However, Davis is unable to get the most out of his skills when having to work through heavy traffic.
In the passing game, Davis has the athleticism to stick with running backs and tight ends. His closing speed allows him to get to the edges and make a play on wide receiver screens or dump offs to the running back.
However, he tends to play a little upright which hurts his change of direction. Davis needs to show more commitment to playing with balance which will help him adjust to developing routes.
This is a potential elite prospect who needs to clean up a few areas of his game. His athleticism is something that immediately jumps off the screen and will help him throughout the draft process.
Current Draft Status: Mid to Late 1st Round