By Michael Stets
ALLEN PARK–The Detroit Lions don’t tackle during practice, but with players in full pads a big collision or hit is always inevitable. On the fifth day of training camp Friday (third in pads), rookie linebacker Jarrad Davis delivered an impactful thud to veteran wideout Marvin Jones, sending him backward several steps and earning a big pop from the fans in attendance.
“When I get back in there I’m going to let them know it wasn’t as bad as it could’ve been,” a smiling Davis told the media after practice, just after Jones interrupted the scrum to playfully wrestle with the rookie linebacker.
Davis explained how his mindset changes once the hits are for real during games as opposed to practice.
“The biggest thing is in practice is making sure you are in position,” he said. “And in the game it’s almost a different mindset. You kind of get a little taste of it out here, but when you get in the game and get in that violent, that fierce atmosphere, that’s when you really let it loose and you go ahead and take care of business.”
He may be a rookie, but Davis has played like anything but that. In fact, he’s looked like a veteran so far during training camp. And his teammates are gravitating to him quickly. After the hit on Jones, which occurred during 7-on-7 drills, safety Glover Quin and several other defenders, who were noticeably fired up, ran over to Davis to give him his props for it.
The physical play of the former Florida Gator is becoming quite infectious, but that’s not the only part of his game standing out thus far after five practices. He’s making the defensive calls with confidence, raising the level of play among his teammates, and quickly growing into a leader on the Lions’ defense.
“He does have some innate leadership ability,” said head coach Jim Caldwell. “And a lot of that is how he works. Even as a young guy, he works extremely hard.”
Caldwell halted any praise after that, issuing a caveat that Davis has just begun his NFL career. “We are only a short ways down the road now. Let’s just see. We haven’t played a game yet. We haven’t done anything in preseason yet, but he’s coming along.”
The Lions open up the 2017 preseason on Sunday, August 11 against the Indianapolis Colts. And Davis will be let off the leash to do what he said he loves to do in his introductory press conference in Detroit: impose his will on another player.
“Most defensive players feel that way,” said Caldwell. “If they don’t, they are in the wrong business. They are an aggressive bunch and that’s the life they live and lead and what they enjoy doing. He’s just like the rest of them, Haloti [Ngata] and Glover [Quin] and you name it. All of those guys don’t mind physical contact.”