Jordan Davis reveals lessons he learned from time at Georgia
Jordan Davis is officially a Philadelphia Eagle.
After months of speculation about Davis’ weight or questions about a stat sheet that doesn’t align with a typical high draft pick, it’s clear Howie Roseman — one of the most respected general managers in the NFL who recently assembled the Super Bowl team — had his eyes set on the Georgia Bulldogs big man and was going to do whatever it took to get him in Philly.
While the city of Philadelphia and Eagles’ fan base is unique, there are certainly obvious parallels between the culture surrounding the Bulldogs and Eagles.
Jordan Davis was recently asked about what lessons and memories he took away from his time with the Bulldogs and if they can help him as he attempts to make his mark with the Philadelphia Eagles.
“The people,” the former Georgia big man responded without hesitation when asked about what he will remember and cherish most from his career in Athens.
”Developing relationships, the locker room andwhat it takes to develop a championship caliber team.”
Jordan Davis believes the adversity, the passion for football from both fan bases and lessons learned during last year’s championship ties directly into his future with the Eagles.
“It takes a lot of blood, sweat and tears and I’m grateful to have had those experiences I had at Georgia and also or carry those memories and experiences into a place like Philly,” Davis added.
Roseman and company appear to be building a true contender in the wide-open NFC east, and while there are questions surrounding quarterback Jalen Hurts, he’s proven capable — and according to the Eagles brass and evidence from their late surge in 2021 to sneak into the playoffs — they are building an old-school, gritty squad.
While Hurts and the offense struggled early in the year and the young defense was midddle-of-the-pack finishing 18th overall in 2021, the late win-streak relied on a heavy dose of running the ball, keeping the defense fresh, eating up the clock and slowing the game down for Hurts.
Why Eagles went all-in for Jordan Davis
The Eagles sent picks 15, 124, 162, and 166 to the Texans for pick 13 to select defensive tackle Davis, a stalwart on Georgia’s 2021 National Championship team.
Roseman had the ultimate praise for the Georgia Bulldogs star defensive lineman.
“It starts with Jordan,” the Eagles’ GM said when asked about giving up so much to acquire Davis.
“Jordan was a top-10 player on our board. For us, it’s O-line, D-line. We wanted the best O-line in the league, and we think we’re on our way with the players we have on our roster and hopefully, we continue to add to that. And we want to have the best D-line in the league. The combinations (on the defensive line) we can have with the players on our roster, it’s exciting.”
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During last season’s magical UGA run to the national championship, Davis plugged up the middle of the line of scrimmage and opened things up for others behind him. He earned AP and Coaches’ All-SEC First-Team, All-American status from several sources and recognition as the winner of both the Bednarik Award and the Outland Trophy for his efforts
There was chatter about his weight and if he would be limited or have the stamina to anchor an NFL defensive front. However, he silenced plenty of the doubters with an impressive 4.78 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine to go along with his 32-inch vertical and 123-inch broad jump.
It’s more than obvious the Philly brass believe Jordan Davis has versatility and can do it all when it comes to his role in the Eagles’ defense.
“I think when you see a guy with that type of size, athleticism, explosion, that loves to play the game, he did what they asked him to do in their defense, he fit the bill,” VP or Pllayer Personnel Andy Weidl said. “He made them strong in the middle of the defense. I mean you saw the lateral quickness. You saw the range. You saw the ability to get down the line of scrimmage and run down running backs and hop on quarterbacks. We think he has it in his body, explosion in his body. We’re excited to get him in here and in our program.”
Nothing will be certain until games are played, and while Philadelphia and Georgia have plenty of differences, it appears the two may be a perfect match.