NFL Draft scouting report: Georgia DT Jordan Davis

Georgia’s Jordan Davis could be the top interior defender selected in the 2022 NFL Draft. Here’s a look at his scouting report, player comparison, and potential draft range. 

In 2021, the Georgia Bulldogs had one of the best defenses college football has ever seen. During their 14-1 season that concluded with a National Championship, Georgia allowed a mere 79 rushing yards per game on just 2.6 yards per attempt. Defensive tackle Jordan Davis was a huge reason for this success.

Jordan Davis NFL Draft overview

Davis was a four-year starter at Georgia for the Bulldogs thanks to his remarkably rare combination of size, length, and power. His team made it to a bowl game in every season since his freshman year in 2018. Davis’s career stat line might be underwhelming, but he has uncoachable size and traits that could allow him to bully players even at the NFL level. Jordan Davis played in 41 games and managed 11.5 tackles for a loss and 7.0 sacks, according to Sports Reference.

Strengths:

• Unmatched size, length, and overall frame for the defensive tackle position
• A body type that only comes around once in a blue moon (6’6”, 340 lbs)
• Carries his weight remarkably well, doesn’t need to cut down
• Impressive movement skills for a player his size
• Can’t be moved off the line of scrimmage
• Uncanny ability to anchor vs double-teams
• Gains quick and steady ground on bull rush
• Can move well enough laterally to pursue the ball carrier
• Always in control of the offensive lineman he is engaged with
• Potential to be the best run-defending two-gapper in the NFL
• Shouldn’t be pigeonholed as just a 0-tech, can play across odd and even fronts

Negatives:

• Good athlete for his size, but not compared to much smaller players at his position
• Needs a better pass-rush plan, must develop better hand usage
• Didn’t play nearly as many snaps as you would like to see, is he just a two-down player in the NFL?
• Severe lack of production in each of his four seasons in college, never earned more than 5.0 tackles for a loss or 2.5 sacks in a season.
• Doesn’t offer quick enough pressure as a pass rusher
• Can overpursue in his angles to the football

2021 Statistics

14 games, 32 total tackles, 17 solo tackles, 5 tackles for a loss, 2 sacks, 1 pass defense

NFL player comparison: John Henderson

I see shades of former Lions and Browns Pro Bowl nose tackle Shaun Rodgers when I watch Jordan Davis, but ultimately, I settled with John Henderson as my NFL player comparison. “Big” John was a mammoth defensive tackle for the Jaguars who stood at 6’7” and weighed 335 pounds. Henderson earned just 29.0 sacks in his 10-year NFL career, but still managed to be a two-time Pro Bowl player thanks to his elite run defense. Like Henderson, Davis is an old-school defensive tackle, but this player should still hold value in today’s NFL.

Projected draft range: Late first round

Even with the remarkably rare traits that make him a unicorn among draft prospects, Jordan Davis doesn’t offer enough as a pass rusher to be a high first-round pick. Still, his trump card is special and he should be a dominant run defender for whichever team he lands with. Davis will never be among the league leaders in sacks, but he will routinely shut down plays near the line of scrimmage, and there will be teams that will consider him in the back half of the first round in the 2022 NFL Draft.

Final thoughts

Jordan Davis has ’10-year career’ written all over him. In today’s passing league, this type of player isn’t as valuable as he would have been once upon a time, but he will still be a treat in the middle of a defense for whoever gets him. The only thing we don’t know is how many snaps per game a team will be able to keep him on the field for.