Reports: Washington Redskins Interested In Florida Linebacker Jarrad Davis

The Washington Redskins are going to be looking for an upgrade at linebacker in the 2017 NFL Draft. Florida’s Jarrad Davis is an underrated player who could be on their radar.

The Washington Redskins had a weakness at the linebacker position for most of the 2016 season. Mason Foster was able to get by as a three-down starter, but Will Compton struggled to tackle on running downs. Though the team signed Zach Brown in free agency, he only inked a one year deal. Compton recently did the same, so there is a lot of uncertainty at position. As a result, the Redskins could target a young player in the draft, and Jarrad Davis is a guy who is getting some buzz as an option.

According to Draft Analyst’s Tony Pauline, the Colts and the Redskins are both interested in obtaining Davis’ services in the NFL Draft. Davis is considered to be a smart player with strong physical talent, and he could be a fit at linebacker for the Redskins.

Davis could potentially start alongside Brown, or could take over for Foster on passing downs. He has the potential to be a long-term starter, as he has strong intangibles. Davis is a smart player who has excellent technique in tackling. The only concern with Davis is that he dealt with a plethora of injuries during his college career. At the end of his senior year, he injured his leg and was not fully healthy for the rest of the season.

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If Davis can stay healthy, he is definitely a starter at the NFL level. What he lacks in athleticism he makes up for with perfect technique and intelligence. I would expect that the Redskins will try to draft either he or Haason Reddick with the No. 17 overall pick if they are looking for a linebacker. If both are off the board, then they will possibly take Dalvin Cook or the top cornerback available. Currently, we project Davis to be the No. 23 overall pick, but he could easily move up as the hours go on.