Anyone who has watched Georgia football over the past few years knows how vital nose tackle Jordan Davis is to the defense. His ability to demand double teams on the interior of that defensive line opens alleys for the defensive linemen around him and the linebackers behind him. Making him a vital piece of the defense, a vital piece that's in his final season in Athens. So, who could replace the 6'6, 330-pound nose tackle?
Well, insert Travis Shaw. The No. 1 nose tackle prospect on the board for Georgia in 2022.
Shaw hails from Greensboro, North Carolina, just over an hour away from Davis' hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina.
Sources close to the program say that the staff views Shaw as their Jordan Davis replacement if they can pull him away from Clemson and North Carolina. Considering how vital Davis is to the Bulldog defense, that is lofty praise for a 17-year old.
Upon further examination, it is easy to understand why the staff believes this. Both are massive individuals who have freakish athleticism for their large statures.
Shaw is 6-5 and 310 lbs. compared to Davis' 6-6 and 340 lbs. When Shaw enters a collegiate weight room, he will likely be as big as Davis.
Both are talented football players that have raw ability and talent. They make plays that others are physically incapable of. However, the thing that separates them is their effort level and football IQ.
Over the past few years, Davis has been the first Bulldog to diagnose offensive plays. Time and time again, he is the first player that redirects and realizes what the offense is trying to scheme up.
The same is true of Shaw. He plays with Power-5 football players and is routinely the first to convert run to pass, chase down a screen, or find an open gap in the offensive line.
The effort level on both of these individuals is next level. It is one thing to recognize an offensive set; it is an entirely different thing to chase down a ball carrier thirty yards downfield to save a touchdown.
Davis and Shaw halt plays in their tracks before they can even begin. While other defensive linemen are conserving energy, these two are pursuing the football relentlessly.
That wasn't always the case for Davis, however. As a freshman entering college, conditioning was an issue for the nose tackle from Charlotte. He's worked over the years to become the efforter he is now. Whereas Shaw will enter college ready to play consistent snaps on defense.
Shaw is not the most gifted interior defensive lineman in 2022. That title belongs to Walter Nolen, who the Bulldogs are actively pursuing. While Nolen would be a massive get for this staff, there is already a system in place that Shaw could fit right into and has the potential to be that next great nose tackle in Georgia's odd-front defense.
Many will tell you that Clemson leads in this recruitment, which may be true, but this is far from over. Shaw has a final four of Georgia, Clemson, UNC, and North Carolina A&T.
He has camped at Georgia over the summer and came away impressed with what the staff showed him. They drove home the Jordan Davis pitch and proved why Athens could be the best fit for him.
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