The Washington Football Team’s 2021 NFL Draft class is set. Now, it’s time to take a closer look at what they added.
In Round 1, the Washington Football Team mounted a bit of a surprise move, adding Kentucky linebacker Jamin Davis. Davis, a 22-year old who peaked with the Wildcats in 2020, rode elite athletic testing and strong interviews into Round 1, but for much of the offseason, he flew under the radar.
Now that Davis has been picked by Washington, many are curious: Was it the right pick, and does he have the potential to warrant the selection, especially over other prospects like Christian Darrisaw, Rashod Bateman, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, and Trevon Moehrig?
That’s what we’ll aim to figure out in this article. Here’s a look at the details of Jamin Davis’ prospect profile, and whether he can provide value for the Washington Football Team.
Jamin Davis Scouting Report
2020 Production: 102 total tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, 3 interceptions, 2 pass deflections, 1 forced fumble, 1 touchdown
Athletic Profile: 6-foot-3.5, 234 pounds, 4.48 40-yard dash, 42-inch vertical, 132-inch broad jump, 21 bench reps
Relative Athletic Score: 9.94 out of 10
Tape Breakdown
The most eye-catching part of Jamin Davis’ profile is his athletic framework. Naturally, that’s what shows up on tape first. Standing at almost 6-foot-4, 234 pounds, with 33-inch arms, Davis looms over the competition, as well as his own teammates. His long frame gives him impressive reach in tackling situations, and allows him to make plays that other LBs might not be able to make.
Many of Davis’ athletic testing numbers translate onto the field as well. Davis’ 4.48 speed shows up with his sideline-to-sideline range. Davis can traverse the width of the field incredibly quickly for his size. His explosive burst helps him gain speed quickly, and at his top speed, he can run stride for stride with players six inches smaller than him. Compounding his range, Davis also has excellent hustle through the whistle, and you won’t find him taking many reps off.
In shorter ranges, another one of Davis’ most impressive athletic traits shows up: His elite lateral ability. Davis moves with incredible side-to-side twitch. Davis’ twitch, combined with his short-range explosiveness, makes it very hard for ball carriers to escape him once they enter his tackling radius. With his twitch, he can change his tackling angles on a moment’s notice, and with his burst, he can swoop in and seal the deal at the contact point.
Davis’ lateral ability is almost more observable in congestion. Things can get kind of hairy in the box, with so many blockers and defenders mixing together. But Davis has the twitch, instincts, and fluidity to navigate through congestion and hone in on the ball carrier. This also shows up around the edge, as Davis can use his explosiveness and length to snare up runs before they get started.
In coverage, Davis’ longer range traits are more visible. He has good hip fluidity for his size, and just as his range allows him to seal off outside runs, it also allows him to traverse the field and stick with pass catchers. Additionally, Davis has solid awareness in zone coverage, and he maintains good positioning when faced with 2-on-1 situations. He can also line up in different spots and maintain his effectiveness. He played at MIKE, WILL, and as a nickel with the Wildcats.
It is worth noting that Davis, while being well-sized, is a bit on the lean side, considering his long frame. There are times when he struggles to bring the requisite amount of force against blockers. Nevertheless, Davis has solid play strength, and there aren’t many bad things you can say about his physical profile.
The concerns with Davis are mainly procedural, but he’s not a bad processor. He can be late to react as route concepts develop, and like any linebacker, he sometimes bites on run fakes or counters. He’s very aggressive when triggering, but he needs to develop more patience and key awareness in the NFL. Luckily, mental traits are easier to develop than physical ones. Davis flashes the necessary instincts to be an impact player, and his potential is astronomical with his tools.
Team Fit
Overall, Davis is a high-upside, versatile linebacker with tantalizing short-range and long-range ability. Upon further study, it’s easy to see why the Washington Football Team chose to select him over other linebacker prospects like Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Nick Bolton, and Baron Browning. But how does he fit Washington’s defense?
For now, the Washington Football Team’s starters likely project to be Jon Bostic, Cole Holcomb, and Jamin Davis. Among that group, Davis likely slots into the WILL linebacker role. WILL linebackers often specialize more in coverage, and Davis’ profile, with his lean frame and easy movement skills, translates well into that role.
Nevertheless, Davis himself has the makings of a three-down linebacker alongside his fellow starters, and he should have some versatility across the second level. At Kentucky, he frequently lined up in different spots, and he has the athleticism and length to rotate into the slot if needed. His coverage upside is immense, and that’s something Washington needed this offseason.
Davis’ athleticism and play style makes him an excellent fit for Ron Rivera’s 4-3 scheme, and playing behind a defensive line that consists of Chase Young, Montez Sweat, Jonathan Allen, Daron Payne, and Matt Ioannidis will allow him to play faster, with more confidence, and with more consistent speed.
Ideally, that line will, more often than not, keep things clean in the second level, which will allow Davis to use his athletic traits unimpeded.
Expectations
Early on, there may be some lumps taken with Jamin Davis. If he can add 5-10 pounds to his frame, that would be ideal, especially against NFL blockers. He also needs to keep developing his mental game. As it stands, he’s reasonably smart and instinctive, but his process, regarding how he sees keys and reacts to them, is still a work in progress.
Nevertheless, Davis’ physical traits and high-character mentality make him a worthy investment. In his first season, he may rely more on his raw athleticism than anything else, but being in such a good defensive situation should allow him to develop quicker than he would elsewhere. And if Davis can show off his instincts more consistently and couple them with his athletic traits, he can be a legitimate down-to-down playmaker for the Washington Football Team.
Time will tell if Davis was the right pick for Washington in Round 1. However, looking at the surface factors, it feels like any failure on Davis’ part will be inadvertent — perhaps due to injury or other uncontrollable factors. Davis is a top-notch athletic specimen with the right mindset to incubate growth, and he’s entering an excellent situation.
For now, it seems as though there’s reason to be optimistic that Davis can reach his potential in D.C. All the tools are there, and Washington has the pieces in place to help him. Now, they just have to see that development through.