Jordan Davis Proving Value Both on the Field and as a Teammate
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PHILADELPHIA – Cam Jurgens is the Eagles' center for the foreseeable future as Jason Kelce mends from elbow surgery.
Jordan Davis offered his scouting report of both centers following Wednesday’s practice. The rookie defensive tackle has been parked over both their heads many times in training camp during various drills.
“Kelce is fast, very fast, extremely quick,” said Davis. “It’s just one of those things, you have to get it in gear because you don’t know where he’s going to go. You can tell Kelce has a lot more experience. He knows how to work the edges, work his blocks and everything. It’s just the experience.
“Cam is strong. He’s stout. He’s going to sit down, so you really have to make sure you can’t place your hands, really on both of them. It’s like a 1-2 tandem, so either way, you’re going to get a fierce competitor.”
Davis has been fierce in his own right and is eager to take his fierceness out on somebody else, which he will have a chance to do on Friday night (7:30) in the preseason opener when the New York Jets pay a visit to Lincoln Financial Field.
How much he plays remains to be seen.
Jordan Davis after day 10 of Eagles training camp
Ed Kracz/SI Fan Nation Eagles Today
Head coach Nick Sirianni said his starters could play a series or two. Davis is kind of a starter, though more of a rotational player, but he could certainly use the experience of playing against another team’s offensive line, though.
It may not always look pretty for him, because he is still learning different techniques, but it will be a good measuring stick to see how far he’s come since the Eagles traded up two spots in the draft last spring to make him the 13th overall pick.
“I’m here because I have ability, but it’s just getting better,” he said. “The game is evolving, no matter what. College is one thing, but to be good here is a different thing. I’m just trying to get to the point where I can be the same type of player that I was in college, here.”
Technique, though, is a continual work in progress.
“I’m still a rookie,” he said. “I’m learning my ropes. I’m learning strength, I’m learning how to play. Just learning how to be a pro. It’s all about those inches. The inches become a mile if you stack them long enough. Cut down on the mistakes, every day.”
One thing Davis doesn’t need to improve upon is his ability to be a good teammate.
He addressed the video that went viral of his bull rush against Jurgens on Sunday during the open practice at Lincoln Financial Field.
“I hate it, honestly,” he said. “I just feel like it’s very one-sided. You see one rep, but you don’t see Cam blocking me and getting me at practice, and getting me at the other reps. So, I always say looks can be deceiving. So, one rep and it goes viral, whatever, but Cam is holding his own.
“He’s a very good player. It’s just been a competition. It’s iron on iron. You see the background of everything, but don’t let the hype get to you.”
He demonstrated that further when asked about the probability of him drawing double teams as offensive lines try to keep the 6-6, 340-pounder from collapsing a quarterback’s pocket from the interior.
“I’d honestly say that two (guys) on me, somebody is free,” said Davis. “To be able to do that and have the guys looking at me to be an addition to the team, it makes me feel good. I feel like I’m bringing something and contributing to this team. I’m not here to be the guy, I’m just here to be a part of it.
"It’s going to take all the parts to get this car rolling, and hopefully, we’ll go to the promised land.”
Ed Kracz is the publisher of SI.com’s Fan Nation Eagles Today and co-host of the Eagles Unfiltered Podcast. Check out the latest Eagles news at www.SI.com/NFL/Eagles or www.eaglesmaven.com and please follow him on Twitter: @kracze.
