When Jamin Davis was selected with the No. 19 pick last April, the Washington Football Team was heralded for grabbing a player with so much upside.
Little by little, the compliments kept filing in. And the "upside'' seems to keep rising.
With minicamp over and preparation underway for the start of training camp, Davis is still receiving high praise. WFT coach Ron Rivera immediately fell in love with Jamin's potential. Now, fellow defender Jeremy Reaves is making sure all of D.C. knows what they're getting in the former Kentucky star.
“He’s got a chance to be special,” Reaves said on 106.7 The Fan’s Grant & Danny Show Tuesday. “He’s very instinctual, very smart, he understands the game, he understands leverages, passing concepts.
"The kid's got it all, honestly.”
Davis started just one season in Lexington before taking his chance at becoming the next great NFL linebacker. Production alone warranted first-round buzz, but it was his Pro Day numbers that make him a solidified top-20 target.
Davis recorded 102 total tackles, three interceptions, two pass deflections, 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble on the way to being one of the most reliable tacklers in the SEC.
“He’s a very well-rounded football player and he’s got that confidence and swagger that you like at linebacker," Reaves said. "I know me personally I’m gonna knock somebody’s face off but I know he’s gonna knock somebody’s face off, too. It makes our job easier when you got a guy like that and he can freaking run, too -- so it’s very convenient for the guys in the back.”
Washington is banking on Davis to play a vital role in Jack Del Rio's defense come Week 1 against Los Angeles. During OTAs, the former Wildcat primarily took snaps at the MIKE backer while former starter Jon Bostic worked the strong-side.
Washington also added cornerback William Jackson III and defensive back Benjamin St-Juste to fortify the secondary. Last season, Washington's pass defense held opponents to an average of 191.8 passing yards per game.
Davis is a hybrid-type linebacker, and is a jack of all trades, but on the way, WFT thinks, to being a master of many, too. That is, if the "kid'' indeed "has it all.''
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