When the Washington Commanders drafted linebacker Jamin Davis with the 19th overall selection in 2021, the team was hoping to get a sideline-to-sideline off-ball linebacker who could grow into one of the best in the league.
Four years removed from that draft pick, not only was Davis released this past season by Washington, but he had little bite on the open market this offseason.
Since signing a one-year deal with the New York Jets in free agency after being picked up off waivers by the team in December of 2024, though, Davis may be the perfect Swiss army knife for an Aaron Glenn/Steve Wilks-run defense.
One that could compare mightily well to an All-Pro linebacker from last season.
An All-Pro Comparison
The linebacker position is one of the hardest to predict future success for from the NFL Draft simply because the college game is so different.
That was the case for Davis. While he was highly successful at Kentucky and even recorded over 100 tackles in his second season in Washington, he never truly found a role on the defense – even when Dan Quinn tried to use him as an edge rusher.
There is another linebacker with a similar story to Davis and his early-career struggles. One that went from a sparingly-used edge rusher to arguably the best linebacker in the NFL last season.
Philadelphia Eagles All-Pro Zack Baun.
As a third-round pick from the 2020 NFL Draft, Baun did not have the pressures that faced Davis immediately to start his career, Like Davis, though, Baun was used as an edge rusher during his final days in New Orleans before signing a cheap one-year, $3.5 million deal with the Eagles last offseason.
The perception at the time was that Baun would be nothing more than a rotational piece at edge rusher and a strong special-teams star. No one in their mind felt Baun could be a top off-ball linebacker.
Coaching matters.
The work Vic Fangio did to get Baun ready paid dividends immediately in the 2024 season. Baun became a First-Team All-Pro linebacker after never recording more than 30 tackles in a single season in the four years prior.
Baun earned a starting role in Philly right away. While the same is unlikely for a player like Davis, nothing is stopping him from having the kind of meteoric rise that his counterpart in the NFC had just last season.
Davis’ Role With Jets
Coaching does matter. What may be seen as a struggle for one staff may be something another takes advantage of.
The biggest knock in a comparison like this is that Davis played for defensive minds like Ron Rivera and Dan Quinn, with neither being able to find a role for him. While that is true, Baun played on a Saints team led by defensive coordinator-turned-head coach Dennis Allen.
Even great defensive minds may struggle to find a role for certain players on their team.
Davis clearly has plenty of skills as an off-ball player and also with added experience as an edge rusher. His athleticism could be an asset to a coach like Glenn, and their ultra-aggressive defense may be something that allows the 26-year-old to thrive at this time.
Nothing is guaranteed, though.
New York already has two quality linebackers in Jamien Sherwood and Quincy Williams. Davis isn’t beating either player out anytime soon.
But depth is key in the NFL, and when they end up in a base 4-3 defense at points this season, Davis could get that needed playing time. And if he can take advantage of opportunities like Baun did in Philadelphia, he could be an underrated asset for the Jets this season.
