Jordan Davis explains excitement of playing for mother's favorite NFL team

Jordan Davis‘ mother, Shay Allen, was a huge fan of Donovan McNabb and the Philadelphia Eagles back in the early 2000s. 13 years later, her 6-foot-6, 340-pound baby boy out of the University of Georgia was drafted by them in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

“I’m sure she’s super stoked,” Davis said. “She’s not going to be overly excited she’s gonna, keep it cool … I’m sure she’s super proud and super excited for me to be doing it for her favorite team and makes me want to go even harder.”

Davis’ mother did more than just be his biggest cheerleader from the stands. The two have a strong bond with God and demonstrated that before as many Georgia football games as they could.

“Keeping God first,” Davis said. “I wouldn’t be here without him. None of us would be here without him. I’m a huge believer. You know, it’s just one of those things that it becomes common, it becomes a tradition. It just gives you that little boost of confidence before each game. 

“Might call it a superstition, some people might. But I just feel like I don’t have my best games unless I pray.”

The Eagles sent the No. 15, 124, 162 and 166 overall picks to the Houston Texans for the No. 13 overall selection, drafting Davis and giving his mother one more reason to cheer for Philadelphia. Davis emerged as one of the top defensive players in the entire nation during his four seasons with the Bulldogs.

Last season, Davis assisted the defensive effort as an anchor in the Bulldogs’ tranches. His efforts helped bring a championship to Georgia and helping to end a drought that spanned over 40 years when the Bulldogs defeated Alabama in the 2022 College Football Playoff National Championship Game. The star defensive lineman was the recipient of the Chuck Bednarik Award, presented annually to the best defensive player in college football and a no-doubt first-round draft selection.

A former four-star recruit in the class of 2018, Davis was the No. 36 defensive lineman in the nation per the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average. Davis played his high school football at Mallard Creek in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he wasn’t considered a blue-chip recruit out of high school, but stuck it out at Georgia and helped build a resume that made him a first round selection.