Chicago Bears 2017 draft position profiles: Linebackers

Jarrad Davis, Florida (6-foot-1, 238 pounds)

Will Muschamp isn’t the head coach of Florida, but his spirit on defense sure is. The NFL is filling up with Florida’s defensive stars. Davis could be the next one.

Davis has a powerful, compact body. He has a high IQ, with his ability to diagnose plays quickly. His agility allows him to slip blockers coming his way. He has a low center of gravity, and that helps him shed tacklers.

Davis helps a defense with his versatility. He plays both the outside linebacker in a 4-3 defensive scheme, and slip inside on a 3-4 scheme. As I’ve written before, defensive coordinator Vic Fangio is a master of using players in different positions, so having a guy like Davis helps him continue that.

Another skill Davis has is his good tackling. He possesses good quickness, getting to the backfield. In 38 games at Florida, Davis had 20 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks. This is something the Bears sorely need.

The question on Davis is his durability. As I mentioned, he played in 38 games. Out of the four seasons he played, he only had one in which he played every game (2015). He’s had a series of bumps and bruises, including a torn meniscus that knocked him out of the 2014 season.

The Chicago Bears need to comb over Davis’ medical reports. When he is on the field, he is a terror for offenses. Keeping him on the field is the problem. Perhaps playing in a rotation helps him at the next level. He’ll play fewer snaps, thus keeping him healthier.