Georgia Football Players to Watch: Jordan Davis

After not producing much in the loss to Alabama, can Jordan Davis help Georgia out versus Michigan?

Georgia defensive tackle Jordan Davis is as impactful a player as the Bulldogs have had in a long time in between the hedges. Davis, a former three-star recruit out of Charlotte, North Carolina, is coming to the end of his college career and is in a position to accomplish the goal that he set out at the end of last season. 

Along with many of the draft-eligible upperclassmen on the team, Davis left the money that comes with a career in the National Football League on the table for one more season in Athens. After the come-from-behind victory in the Peach Bowl versus Cincinnati, many felt that if all things went to plan and Georgia didn't suffer too many losses to the NFL Draft and the transfer portal, 2021 could be the year for the Bulldogs. 

Davis was one of those many draft-eligible players to leave money on the table and return to Georgia for one more season. So far, it has paid off; the nose tackle is on his way to securing his NFL Draft status as a first-round pick.

Davis is coming off the back of his senior regular-season campaign where he racked up 28 tackles, three for a loss, and two sacks. Those stats may not scream NFL first-round pick, but Davis's real talent and potential show on tape. The six-foot-six, 340-pound lineman, is as big, athletic, and impactful as they come in this year's NFL Draft. 

Davis draws attention not just because of his size but also his unordinary movement and ability for crashing the pocket and beating one-on-ones against offensive linemen. This allows for Davis to draw more double teams and attention from offensive linemen, which diverts attention away from his teammates. 

Davis's simple unselfish task and passion for taking double teams to free up his teammates made him a mid-season focus surrounding the talk about who should be in the Heisman conversation. 

After being a bystander for much of the game versus Alabama in the SEC Championship, the Orange Bowl looks to provide a matchup that fits Davis's skillset as a run stopper. Georgia will be tasked with facing the Joe Moore Award-winning offensive line, along with trying to stop one of the nation's top-run games. 

The big question surrounding Jordan Davis after his efforts in the SEC Championship game is if he can play all three downs for Georgia when it matters most. As a nose tackle, playing all three downs is not the expectation, but in a game with Michigan, Georgia will need No. 99. 

Michigan presents a run-heavy attack, an offense that has remained one of the nation's most explosive offenses through running the ball. So, if Georgia is going to keep Michigan's offense out of their endzone, it's going to be because Davis has demanded attention in the middle of the defense, allowing linebackers to run free. 

Like he's done all season. 

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