Detroit Lions – Five experts’ thoughts on draft pick Jarrad Davis

FILE - This Oct. 3, 2015, file photo shows Mississippi quarterback Chad Kelly (10) being sacked by Florida linebacker Jarrad Davis (40) during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Gainesville, Fla. Davis is an athletic outside linebacker who needs to be better working his way through traffic to ball carriers. Strong pro day could push him into the first round. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack, File) — FILE – This Oct. 3, 2015, file photo shows Mississippi quarterback Chad Kelly (10) being sacked by Florida linebacker Jarrad Davis (40) during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Gainesville, Fla. Davis is an athletic outside linebacker who needs to be better working his way through traffic to ball carriers. Strong pro day could push him into the first round. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack, File)

By Paula Pasche | The Oakland Press

PUBLISHED: April 28, 2017 at 10:45 a.m. | UPDATED: June 17, 2021 at 6:30 a.m.

Jarrad Davis, a three-down linebacker, was the Detroit Lions’ first-round selection in the NFL draft on Thursday night. While it seems like a solid pick, many analysts think they should have drafted Reuben Foster who was available.

Here are five opinions on GM Bob Quinn’s pick:

1. Mike Mayock of NFL.com’s analysis: “Davis missed a lot of time with an ankle injury. He’s got the physical traits. He’s a tough kid. He’s today’s NFL inside linebacker. He can run. He can stay in the game on third down, which I think is critical in Detroit.

2. SI.com awarded the Lions a ‘B.’ The analysis: “The Lions had arguably the worst linebacking group in the league during the 2016 season, and they were not in much better shape headed into Thursday. Enter Davis, a three-down defender who just needs to stay healthy. He was unable to do so at Florida, but Detroit obviously feels comfortable enough with him after all the headaches caused by DeAndre Levy’s injury issues in recent seasons. Davis shouldn’t leave the field much-his coverage skills will keep him out there in sub-packages. Davis’s career always will be compared with that of Reuben Foster, still on the board here.”

3. USA Today gave a ‘C’ grade with this analysis: “The Lions got themselves a true three-down linebacker in Davis. He’s stout against the run and can hold up in coverage. He’ll be a good player, but he’s not better than Reuben Foster, even with the injury concerns.”

4. The New York Times didn’t give a grade. Here is how they see Davis fitting in: “The Lions were a playoff team last season and bolstered their offensive line depth through free agency, so adding a solid prospect at linebacker seems like a wise move for a team that needs to fix a lot of small problems if they want to get to the next level. They passed on Alabama linebacker Reuben Foster, who is a top-five talent but turned in a diluted drug sample before the draft.”

5. MMQB.com also didn’t give a grade. The analysis: “With the unfortunate derailing of DeAndre Levy’s career (knee problems), the Lions needed a stack ‘backer. Tahir Whitehead is an active, dynamic player, but not always the most trustworthy. A stabilizing force could work wonders. More importantly, though, Davis is believed to be a quality contributor in pass defense. Some have even compared him to Carolina’s uber-athletic Shaq Thompson. In today’s NFL, coverage ability at linebacker is critical.”