Jordan Davis quick to point to Georgia career as NFL preparation

Thursday isn’t a night former Georgia defensive tackle Jordan Davis will soon forget.

“It was extremely unreal just getting the call. Thirty seconds earlier before the call, you hear they’ve moved up. When you got the call, you knew they really wanted you. It was crazy,” he said in a post-selection press conference. “I talked to Howie (Roseman) on the phone, and it was like, ‘Man, this is a dream come true.’ I knew the Eagles were interested in me, and they were one of the top three of my thirty visits. I’ve already been to their facility, and I’ve seen how it looks and met the staff. I’m just excited to be there.”

Of course, he wouldn’t be in the position without the assistance of his former collegiate team, as he was quick to point to how the Dawgs had prepared him for this level.

“Being a run defender is what my bread and butter is. That was the first thing I learned at the University of Georgia. Being a run defender and being stout in the middle and making sure I could get off, be an athlete, and make a play,” Davis said. “It’s about playmaking ability while also being stout in the middle. It’s also about being selfless, not selfish. It takes a lot of selflessness to take two defenders so your linebackers can run free or so your safety can run down in the B-gap. It’s one of those things I learned along the way that I’m going to continue to carry with me.”

Working alongside fellow first-round picks in Athens, such as Travon Walker and Devonte Wyatt, also pushed the No. 13 overall pick to be all he could be.

“We pushed each other to be the best, and we talked about this day for a very long time,” Davis said. “Jalen [Carter]’s time is coming this time next year, so be watching out for that. We just work together. Those are the guys you have memories with. You bleed, you sweat, you cry with them. Just to have those memories and win a National Championship alongside those guys, you’re going to carry that forever.”

He’ll also be reunited with a familiar face from the early days of his Georgia recruitment.

“(Eagles) D-line coach Tracy Rocker recruited me at Georgia when he was there. He gave me an offer, and I talked to and stayed in communication with him,” Davis said. “To be able to work with him and get to work, you can obviously see the type of work he does, and he can put in the work. I’m ready, and I’m really excited. It sounds like I’m tripping over words. I’m just excited.”

Now, however, he’s turned to the future and an organization that’s thrilled to have him.

“They liked how I was as a defensive player, and they thought I could be a great addition to that defensive line,” Davis said of the Eagles. “They’ve got guys like (Javon) Hargrave and Fletch (Fletcher Cox). Those are some of the best people, and those are guys I’ve watched growing up. To be an addition, I just want to do anything I can to help.”

Jordan Davis already earning praise from Eagles brass

Eagles vice president of player personnel Andy Weidl was certainly complimentary of both Davis and the program he came from.

“We spent a lot of time at Georgia this year. Our scouts went down there initially and did a great job, and then, Howie and I went down there. We saw them play at the SEC Championship and went to the Pro Day,” Weidl said. “I think when you see a guy with that type of size, athleticism, and explosion who likes to play the game, he did what they asked him to do in their defense. He fit the bill and made them strong in the middle of the defense. You saw the lateral quickness. You saw the range. You saw the ability to get down the line of scrimmage and run-down running backs and hawk-down quarterbacks. We think he has explosion in his body. We’re excited to get him in here and get him in our program.”

General manager Howie Roseman also shared the sentiments.

“This was a dominant college player for a dominant college defense. 

For Weidl, however, it was just as much about who Davis is, both on and off the field.

“More than the workout, it was how he was with his teammates,” he said. “Watching him down there and watching him interact. The personality came out and the player he was. Players were drawn to him. How authentic he was. We brought him in here and felt the same on the visit. We fell in love with the player and the person.”

Are you subscribed?

Ready to get all your latest Georgia athletics news in one place? Become a member of DawgsHQ today. With your DawgsHQ membership, you’ll not only have access to the goings on in Athens, but you’ll be able to peruse other fan sites within the On3 network to hear just how rivals are feeling about the Dawgs, as well. Make sure to follow along on Twitter (@DawgsHQ), on Facebook and on YouTube for all the Dawg news you need now! And listen to the DawgsHQ crew on our podcast Dawg Walk Talk on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.