Cal Football: Ashtyn Davis Apparently Facing Uncertainty on his NFL Draft Position

CBS Sports suggests he could drop because teams aren't clear on his health

Photo by John Hefts, USA Today

There are no guarantees in the NFL, and CBS Sports is projecting that former Cal safety Ashtyn Davis could drop to the fourth round because teams have not been able to confirm he is fully healthy.

CBS rated Davis the No. 3 safety and the No. 42 prospect overall, but has him going to the Cleveland Browns with the 115th overall pick.

“It may come as a surprise to see Davis still on the board,” Josh Edwards wrote. “Davis could be one of the players impacted most by a lack of traditional medical testing during the COVID-19 crisis.”

Davis, a second-team All-Pac-12 selection with All-America hurdler speed, underwent an undisclosed medical procedure after missing the Bears’ bowl game last season and chose only to participate in the bench press at the NFL combine.

Earlier this week, SI.com projected Davis as the No. 49 overall prospect in the draft, which suggested he could be go as high as the second round in the April 23-25 draft

Davis had planned to show off his 40-yard dash speed at Cal’s Pro Day event, but the March 20 event was canceled due to the COVID-19 spread.

As a result, Davis has not had the chance to publicly display all of his physical talents. CBS Sports is speculating that could cost him on draft day.

Cal senior Elijah Hicks, who has transitioned from cornerback to safety to help fill the void left by Davis, has no doubt his old teammate has what it takes.

“You know how fast he is because he’s a Pac-12 champion in the hurdles,” Hicks said. “At the same time, you see how smart he is because he's making all kind of plays. We like to call it above-the-neck football.

“We take pride in that knowing how to trick the quarterback into giving us plays. You see it on film. Ashtyn or (fellow safety) Jaylinn (Hawkins) . . . they're going to see these guys know football.”

Meanwhile, former Cal linebacker Evan Weaver is projected by CBS Sports to be picked in the seventh round, at No. 230 overall by the New England Patriots.

Here's a link to the CBS story with its full seven-round mock draft.

Weaver led the nation in tackles, was a consensus All-American and earned Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Years honors last fall.

But CBS Sports expressed some of the same concerns that other mock drafts have offered.

“Weaver is a very savvy linebacker that has compiled tackles in bulk over the years. There are some athletic limitations to his game,” Edwards wrote.

Again, not that Weaver needs anyone defending his body of work, but Hicks is mystified by the doubters.

“I don’t really like to get into the politics of it, but it’s interesting to see how you question someone's ability to play football when they make plays. It’s kind of funny.

“The last two years, he’s played at an extremely high level versus good teams, against first-rounders. I don't really understand it.”

Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert is projected as the top Pac-12 player taken in the CBS Sports mock draft, pegged at No. 5 in the first round to the Miami Dolphins.