Georgia Athletics
Alabama Game Week Scouting Report: Jordan Davis and the Georgia Defensive Line
We're just going to give the bad news to Alabama football fans up front (pun intended). Georgia has so many prospects for the 2022 NFL Draft that we could profile three a day during the entire week leading up to the SEC Championship Game and still not get to them all.
So to make sure we get most of them in, the scouting reports will be done by position groups.
Georgia's roster is sort of like the Crimson Tide last year, and LSU in 2019. A lot of key veteran players have peaked at the same time, which is why the Bulldogs are both undefeated and a big favorite to win the national championship.
Leading the way is the big man up front, Jordan Davis, so that where we'll begin, with the Bulldogs' defensive line:
Jordan Davis
During SEC media day, Georgia head coach Kirby Smart revealed that defensive tackle Jordan Davis weighed as much as 370 pounds at one point, before he was told to shed the weight. Davis, who is considered to be a top pick for the upcoming 2022 NFL Draft, began the season at a svelte 330. He was asked about how he dropped the extra baggage.
“Honestly, I've been working with Collier, our nutritionist and we haven't even been talking about weight, we've been talking about body fat content, or BMI index,” Davis explained. “We have this little bio-pod (phonetic) thing we do every two weeks, biweekly. Definitely, the weight, I'm trying to keep control of it. I'm doing more things. I'm drinking smoothies. I'm drinking vegetables. I hate vegetables, but I put them in a smoothie and drink them. I definitely think it's a real big impact this off-season because I feel myself more energy, being able to sustain more. When you can sustain more, then you can play more. So hopefully, that will translate down the road in the season.”
This is sure to play into the evaluation process for Davis, as he transitions to the next level. If he can’t keep his weight in check, teams may be reluctant to invest a first-round pick on the space-eater.
Playing in his hometown of Charlotte, disruptive Georgia defensive tackle Jordan Davis seized the moment during the Bulldogs' week one win over Clemson. It was a stymied defense, led by the mammoth man in the middle, which constantly kept the Tigers' offense in check with constant pressure in the backfield.
Davis absorbed two and three bodies regularly, which resulted in seven sacks on the evening for the Georgia defense, including one himself. His strength and burst off the line of scrimmage is a force to be reckoned with and Davis has finally developed into a three-down player.
"He’s elite at pocket push, elite power, one of the strongest kids I’ve ever been around,” stated Georgia head coach Kirby Smart. “He helps you the way he’s able to run games and things because he’s just different. There’s nobody quite like him in terms of the volume and the reps.”
With a rare combination of size and speed, Davis could be first-round bound, so long that he keeps his weight in check. Currently listed at 350 pounds, the agile big man has been listed as much as 380 in the past. Otherwise, the former three-star recruit has firmly entrenched himself as one of the top defensive line prospects in the nation.
Jersey: No. 99
Position: Defensive Line
Height: 6-6.2
Weight: 360
DOB: 1/12
Draft eligible: 2022
Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina
High School: Mallard Creek
Background
Raised in Charlotte, North Carolina. Three-star recruit according to 247Sports. Played football and basketball in high school. Public relations major. Dealt with an ankle injury as a sophomore. Hyperextended his elbow as a junior.
Pros
Nose tackle with great size and strength. Davis eats up space on the interior with his strong anchor. Putting on a clinic in how to stack and shed, he takes advantage of his length and upper body power to extend as he pleases. With that strength, he enforces his will, twisting opponents and disengaging with violent hands. As a pass rusher, Davis pushes the pocket, using leg drive and length. He counters his naturally high pad level by extending and preventing opponents from getting under his pads. Davis can convert his get off into power, being tough to stop once he builds up momentum. Quick hands and lateral agility make him a potent gap shooter against aggressive blockers.
Cons
Given his size, Davis is not the quickest along the interior, limiting his pass rush potential and making him a largely early down player. While he does command many double teams due to his power rush, he does not always play urgently, finishing rushes when he could. On lateral runs, Davis can struggle to find his landmarks, allowing for cutback lanes.
Summary
Humongous defensive tackle with very good length, Davis is an immovable object along the interior, lining up predominantly as a nose tackle. He is able to enforce his will on blockers consistently. His pass-rushing potential is limited due to his size and the lack of explosiveness coming with it. Davis projects as a starting defensive tackle who will be a very good defender, eating up space on the interior. His pocket pushing ability gives him value on third down, however, teams will want to keep him fresh for early-down duties.
Grades
8.3 (current value)/8.7 (potential value)
Travon Walker
Jersey: No. 44
Position: Defensive end
Height: 6-4.5
Weight: 290
DOB: 12/18/00
Draft Eligible: 2022
Hometown: Thomaston, Georgia
High School: Upson-Lee
Background
Raised in Thomaston, Georgia. Five-star recruit according to 247Sports. Played defensive line, tight end and running back in high school. Played basketball in high school. Sport Management major. Contributed on kick coverage units.
Pros
Lining up as a five-technique on base downs, Walker has the positional versatility to kick all the way out to a seven or reduce inside and rush from a three-tech alignment. His length is nothing short of special, utilizing it to outreach blockers and creating knockback. From there, Walker possesses the leg drive and motor to drive opponents back. In the run game, he is able to impact linemen with his hands, twisting them and enforcing his will. By extending, he stacks and sheds with a push-pull move. Athleticism is apparent when moving laterally, staying square and displaying range while maintaining extension. Walker times the snap well and shows a quick get to avoid cut blocks. His length makes him a threat to bat down passes. Not stiff, displaying balance and nimbleness when transitioning out of a spin move. Despite his height, Walker keeps his pads low.
Cons
Walker lacks decisiveness and counter moves as a pass rusher, making him a one-trick pony at this point. Slow hands make his moves predictable. When he is unable to extend quickly enough, linemen latch and seal him off on the edge. Walker needs to process faster when controlling gaps, missing too many opportunities for tackles. He has only played in a rotational role up to this point in his career.
Summary
Very long defensive end who possesses the ability to outreach and control opponents at the point of attack. Walker is a more than capable power rusher, creating knockback and driving his legs. He needs to develop a counter move as he is a one-trick pony. Below average processing speed prevents him from making more splash plays. Walker projects as a developmental 3-4 defensive end or five-technique who can move around on the line. He has traits in length and athleticism that are highly coveted and should help him have an impact in a rotation as a rookie. With more technical refinement and urgency, Walker can be a quality starting-caliber player.
Grades
7.6 (current value)/8.8 (potential value)
Devonte Wyatt
Jersey: No. 95
Position: Defensive lineman
Height: 6-2.6
Weight: 313
DOB: 3/31
Draft eligible: 2022
Hometown: Decatur, Georgia
High School: Tower
Background
Raised in Decatur, Georgia. Four-star recruit according to 247Sports. Attended Hutchinson Community College. Sociology major. Was arrested and charged with three misdemeanors including damage to property, family violence and criminal trespass.
Pros
Versatile defensive lineman who lines up anywhere five- to zero-technique for the Bulldogs. Wyatt has a quick first step, allowing him to attack gaps. Once at the outside shoulder of blockers, he uses a rip move to keep his frame clean. Keeping his pads low, he can win the leverage battle and get a push bull rushing. Upper body strength is apparent as he wreaks havoc on the inside, tossing linemen. Wyatt plays hard in all phases of the game, making plays thanks to his effort.
Cons
Without a pass rush plan, Wyatt fails to maximize his physical traits. His hands are all over the place, making him more of a bull in a china shop at this point. He is unable to protect his chest, letting opponents latch on and finish him. In the run game, he gets washed by down blocks frequently. An overeagerness to attack gaps causes him to end up in bad positions. Wyatt lacks length and gets outreached a lot. He is not reliable as a tackler.
Summary
Defensive lineman with a quick get off, upper body strength and versatility. Wyatt has desired physical traits to be a pass-rushing presence on the interior. His hand usage is very raw and he has to develop a plan. In the run game, he gets washed too often. Wyatt projects as a developmental defensive tackle who will fight for a roster spot. His immediate impact will be small and limited to effort plays. With development to hand usage, he can become a rotational piece.
Grades
6.2 (current value)/7.4 (potential value)
BamaCentral Analysis
Georgia’s opponents have scored only 83 points, the next fewest allowed by an FBS team is Clemson at 180. It starts up front and Davis is the best defensive lineman in college football and is a finalist for the Outland Trophy, Bronko Nagurski Trophy and Chuck Bednarik Award. Davis, Wyatt and sophomore Jalen Carter have combined for 18 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, one blocked field goal, one blocked extra-point attempt and a fumble recovery. Walker has 30 stops, 5.5 tackles for a loss and four sacks. The Bulldogs feature the nation’s top scoring defense allowing just 6.9 points per game. Georgia is send nationally in passing defense (151.6), third in rushing defense (79.0) and fifth in sacks (41). The Bull Dogs also lead the nation in red zone defense. Opponents have been inside the 20 only 22 times this season and nine times have come away with no points. The defense has allowed seven touchdowns this year while it has scored three touchdowns. Meanwhile, Alabama has questions at center and right tackle, and a beat-up backfield.
All this week, BamaCentral will profile numerous Georgia players as the Crimson Tide prepares for another showdown in the SEC Championship Game . Also check out NFL Draft Bible for more evaluations.
