The 2022 NFL Draft is now less than a week away. Teams are finalizing their draft boards and fans are trying to figure out just which potential-filled prospect they most want their teams to target. With that in mind, over the next few days WEEI.com will present a handful of options that might make the most sense for Bill Belichick’s Patriots with the No. 21 overall pick.
Today that includes a freakish big man on the defensive line.
Jordan Davis
DT
Georgia
6-6, 341
40 time: 4.78
Resume: Davis was an All-State defensive lineman at Mallard Creek (Charlotte, N.C.) High School. … He chose Georgia over the likes of North Carolina, Florida, Florida State and Michigan. … Davis made an immediate impact for the Bulldogs, earning Freshman All-American honors by starting four of the 11 games he played in 2018. … He’d go on to start 33 of 47 games over four seasons, developing into arguably the best interior defensive lineman in the country. … Davis earned unanimous All-American honors last fall for the national champions, also taking home the Outland Trophy (nation’s best lineman) and Chuck Bednerik Award (college football’s best defensive player). … Finished ninth in the Heisman Trophy voting. … Was a massive force, both literally and figuratively, in the middle of the Bulldogs’ defense that led the team on its 2021 title run.
Pre-Draft Buzz: As good as Davis was on the field, his reputation blew up when he ran a 4.78 40 at the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine, a crazy number for a man of his size. … The Athletic quotes Alabama coach Nick Saban describing Davis as “about as good a player as I’ve seen for a long time as an inside player on any team.” … While Davis’ limited impact as a pass rusher may limit his NFL value, mock drafts place him as likely slotted for the middle or latter part of the first round. … One NFL.com mock has Davis going to the Eagles at No. 15 overall, while another has him landing with the Saints four picks later.
Why Davis fits the Patriots’ needs: While defensive tackle may not be New England’s biggest need, a look back at the early 2000s shows that Bill Belichick isn’t afraid to stock up on the defensive front. Pairing a guy like Davis with 2021 standout second-round pick Christian Barmore would give the Patriots a defensive line to build around for years to come. It would also beef up the front that could be a bit undermanned or even undersized at the linebacker position. Davis falls under Bill Parcells’ “planet theory,” meaning there are simply very few people on the planet with his combination of size and athletic ability. It’s also worth noting that the Georgia defense has some schematic similarities to what Belichick has done in New England over the years, meaning Davis’ might find a smooth transition to professional life in Foxborough. Davis may not be a cornerback or a wide receiver or be seen as a sexy pick for the Patriots, but he certainly is the kind of beast on the defensive front that Belichick could put to good use.
