Jamin Davis Takes Over Kentucky Pro Day

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The 2021 NFL Draft includes quality off-ball linebackers across the board. We could see several of them taken in the first round come April 29. Will Kentucky’s Jamin Davis be among them? Based off his Pro Day performance, it’s possible.

First off, Davis checked in at 6-foot-3, 234 pounds. His frame looks a little thin, but in today’s NFL, that’s enough size to hold up on a down-to-down basis. It was his athletic profile that took his performance to another level though.

According to a tweet from Pro Football Focus, he ran a 4.37 40-yard dash and had a 42-inch vertical and 11-foot broad jump. Folks, that’s as good as it gets. In fact, those would be elite numbers for a cornerback, wide receiver or safety.

To be fair, Daniel Jeremiah with the NFL Network got information from a scout saying that he had Davis timed at a 4.49. The other two numbers are indisputable however, and a 4.49 is still elite for an off-ball linebacker.

It’s not just numbers for Davis either.

He was a rotational depth piece for a couple of seasons in Lexington but then broke out in 2020. Last year, he started all 10 of Kentucky’s games, racking up 102 tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and three interceptions. One of those interceptions went for a touchdown too.

Despite his thin frame, there’s a place for Davis in the NFL. The only question is whether he can work his way into first round consideration. Here are some of the other off-ball linebackers he will be battling for that chance:

  • Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Notre Dame
  • Micah Parsons, Penn State
  • Zaven Collins, Tulsa
  • Nick Bolton, Missouri

Can Davis force his way into the mix? With numbers like that, sure. But it’s not a guarantee.

The more likely scenario is that the former Wildcat will be taken sometime in the second round. If that happens, he’ll almost certainly provide value. He should be an immediate impact player on special teams and can either play MIKE or WILL in a 4-3 defense.

Even if he’s not a first round guy, Davis will get taken a lot sooner than most realize.

Follow Clint Lamb on Twitter @ClintRLamb.

2021 NFL DraftJamin DavisKentucky FootballKentucky Pro DayKentucky WildcatsNFL Draft

Written by Clint Lamb

Clint Lamb is a College Football Writer for OutKick. Managing Editor for Roll Tide Wire. Sports radio host for The Bullpen on 730/103.9 The UMP. Co-host for The 'Bama Beat podcast through The Tuscaloosa News and TideSports.com.

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  1. It would kind of be cool to have an NFL combine for all current NFL players as sort of a competition. Whoever gets the top measure in a category wins money or something. I actually think that would be more entertaining than a pro bowl.

    I’ve always wondered if the NFL draft is the peak of a player’s athleticism? They put so much focus on these drills that I wonder if they maintain that level over their careers? We don’t hear about NFL player 40 times after they’re in the league. If you timed this guy again in 5-6 years will he still be running that same 40 time, will he be faster, or slower? I tend to think it would be slower because of the wear and tear of playing football, but who knows?

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