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Jets third round pick, Arkansas State linebacker Demario Davis, really helped himself at the combine, working out very well. But is he a good player? Let’s take a look . . .
If ESPN’s Mel Kiper is right about this kid, the Jets got themselves a steal in the third round.
“If Demario Davis played in a high-profile program, you’d probably be looking at a first round pick,” Kiper said.
Davis played at Arkansas State, a low Division I program.
Davis really helped himself at the combine. At 6-2, 235 pounds, he ran a 4.53 forty. He also did 32 reps of 225 pounds, and had an impressive vertical jump of 38.5 inches. There is no way around it – this guy is an explosive athlete.
But you know what is kind of interesting about the pick – surely most of us assumed this selection was made to help the Jets pass rush, but this kid didn’t have a lot of sacks for the Red Wolves. Just seven sacks in his career.
At this point, he has to be considered a very good all-around linebacker, not a top-shelf pass rusher.
And he has special team’s standout written all over him.
Clearly Rex thinks the Jets can take his pass rushing ability to another level.
But just as important, with his tremendous speed for an outside linebacker, he can help the Jets cover tight ends better. He had two interceptions as a junior, and one as a senior. As a senior, he also had four pass breakups.
I don’t think he’s the full-time answer to this problem because his hips are little stiff, but he can lend a hand.
I don’t think Davis is going to challenge for a starting job anytime soon because his instincts are average, and it’s going to take some time for him to pick-up the system.
But in the mean-time, he can help them in a number of ways, mainly as a reserve linebacker (Rex is going to love blitzing this kid) and core special team’s player.
And one thing is abundantly clear about the player – whether it’s a linebacker or special team’s, he loves hitting people – he packs a wallop.
While I like Davis as a prospect, I thought the best value, still on the board, when the Jets were picking in the third round, was Ole Miss right tackle Bobby Massie.
But the Jets weren’t going to go there.
They are paying Wayne Hunter decent coin this year, and want to make it work.
Also, they are going to try 2010 second round pick Vlad Ducasse at right tackle.
When you throw in former Philadelphia Eagle and Baltimore Raven, 6-7 Austin Howard into the mix, they feel they can find their right tackle from this trio.
I know that isn’t what a lot of Jets fans want to hear, but that is their plan right now.
And if they had picked Massie, they would have made an already crowded field, even more crowded.
They Jets brass feels that offensive coordinator Tony Sparano, and offensive line coach Dave DeGugliemo, can make Hunter and Ducasse more consistent.
We shall see.
(Premium will return by 9 pm on Saturday, with a report on Stephen Hill, and some notes on Day III.)
