Experts React To Detroit Lions Drafting Jarrad Davis

Most NFL Draft experts gave the Detroit Lions high marks for their selection of Florida linebacker Jarrad Davis in the first round on Thursday.

The Detroit Lions selected linebacker Jarrad Davis with the 21st pick in the 2017 NFL Draft on Thursday night. He was a popular mock to Detroit leading up to the draft, and most expert reactions to the pick were positive if unsurprised. With the departure of DeAndre Levy, the Lions are thin at linebacker and Davis will likely start right away.

Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press mocked Davis to the Lions before the draft, saying that his character would likely be a deciding factor, something Bob Quinn confirmed in the press conference after the pick.

"He’s a sideline-to-sideline player against the run. He can cover tight ends and running backs and stay on the field in sub packages. And he has athletic traits that the Lions, who just so happen to need linebackers, like.But beyond the football reasons why I think Davis is an ideal fit for the Lions, who have the 21st pick in Thursday’s draft, is that scouts and analysts swear by Davis as a person. I had one scout tell me Davis was one of his favorite players in the entire draft for the way he carried himself, and ESPN analyst Todd McShay called him “top five in the class” in terms of his intangibles."

After the pick was made, Birkett said that he thinks Davis will start right away for the Lions:

Ty Schalter of The Lions Wire liked the pick, saying he can be a critical player for the Lions, citing his versatility:

"The 6-1, 238-pound linebacker can run, hit, cover and be a field general. He’s everything Detroit needs in the center of their defense; if he can live up to his billing he’ll be a massive upgrade for the Lions, now and for years to come."

Justin Rogers of MLive echoed Schalter’s sentiments, also saying his versatility is an asset:

Walter Football gave the pick a “B” grade, questioning why the Lions took Davis when Reuben Foster was still on the board:

"Over Reuben Foster? Hmm… Jarrad Davis saw his stock rise late in the process once teams realized that he had top-five intangibles, so he projects to be a great team leader for the Lions. He also fills a huge need here, as the Lions lost DeAndre Levy this offseason. Detroit still has many defensive holes to fill, but selecting Davis is a nice start. That said, the Lions could regret not taking Foster down the road."

Jeff Risdon of SideLion Report, on the other hand, was pleased that the Lions took Davis over Foster:

Michael Rothstein of ESPN also thought the Lions might take Davis with the 21st pick, writing on Thursday morning:

"Linebacker, more than any other position on the roster, is a spot the franchise needs a talent infusion. And Davis hits on everything Detroit would want in a potential star linebacker.He has high character, which is something that matters to the Lions from the top of their front office to the coaching staff… He has shown he is a good closer, which means he’ll be able to get to running backs fast if they break past the first level of the defense. That speed and acceleration also should be enough to help in pass coverage of running backs and tight ends — something the guy he’d be replacing, DeAndre Levy, did so well."

Jon Benne of SB Nation cited Davis’ athleticism as one of his strengths:

"In Davis, the Lions are getting one of the NCAA’s most explosive linebackers. The Florida product was limited to the center of the field thanks to his stocky build (6’1, 238 pounds), but he used his exceptional speed to develop into one of the team’s top playmakers.Davis ran a 4.62 40-yard dash (fourth among combine linebackers) and turned in position bests in the broad (129 inches) and vertical (38.5 inches) jumps. For comparison’s sake, his speed and agility measurements were closer to this draft’s wide receivers than the rest of its linebacking corps."

Kent Lee Platte of Pride of Detroit used his RAS metric to quantify Davis’ athleticism, which ranks near the top of the league in broad jump, vertical and 10-yard split.

Next: Detroit Lions Take Jarrad Davis In First Round Of NFL Draft

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