PHILADELPHIA — Watching Jordan Davis line up is natural. Listed at 336 pounds, Davis is one of the biggest defensive linemen the Philadelphia Eagles have employed in years — and he’s playing up to his natural frame size.
Davis had his share of wins in 1-on-1s Monday morning, nearly taking guard Jake Anderson to the ground and controlling center Cameron Tom. Impressive showings in 1-on-1s are part of what makes Davis so interesting on the Eagles’ defensive line, as the body makes him a nightmare on odd fronts.
How is Davis making a good first impression? Working with Jason Kelce has paid dividends.
“I don’t know if you’ve caught it, but we’re putting in extra work outside,” Davis said. “He’s not going to give me the whole game on how to beat him, but if I’m doing something right — walk by him, put a hand there, get in front of him — you know he’s a fast guy. Back. Being able to do that instead of playing and I’m cutting.
“It’s little things like that, but I’m getting it from everyone.”
Kelis was the first to notice something different about Davis and how he prepares. It began with how Davies was taking serious walk-throughs when first-team reps were calling.
“His eyes are wide. Anytime you see a guy whose eyes are distorted, his senses are on alert. He takes everything in,” Kelis said last week. “That tells me he’s ready to grow and he’s trying to improve his craft. Those are the guys, when you combine that with the physical skills, it’s great to see.”
Davis isn’t one to take reps lightly, whether it’s walkthroughs or 1-on-1s. It’s time to grow and develop as a player, especially as a first-round rookie with so much promise.
“You’re learning,” Davis said of the walkthroughs. “Some days you might not get a lot of reps on the field, but you have to take the walkthrough reps into account. The things you learn in the classroom carry over into the walkthrough. Then you take it to the field.
“It all goes hand-in-hand. If you’re not intense in the walkthrough… you just have to be mentally focused. I’m at this point. I want to learn everything and I want to be able to contribute. Every rep is going to be important and all eyes will be on me.”
Davis has had his fair share of wins in 1-on-1s, but has also taken some L’s. Second-round rookie Cam Jurgens presents quite the challenge.
“He’s a strong guy. He definitely helps me get better. I’m thankful to have a guy like him,” Davis said. “I try to improve. It gives you the best of both worlds and it helps him get better.”
With Davis and Jurgens now on the pads, Davis is using losses to win on Sunday. The Eagles want Davis to step up on the line, but the rookie still has a lot to learn over the next several weeks.
“My main move is the bull rush so you just have to work on that,” Davis said. “It’s just a good way to see what you can do better. You can study the strengths and weaknesses of the offensive line and what you can work around.
“I’m trying to add a little bit to my bag. Once I get the things down that I want to get down, I’m adding tools to the toolbox so you never run out.”
There’s a lot to be impressed by how Davis approaches the game — and the results are coming after just one week of camp.
