‘Get to know this name.’ UK star is one of NFL Draft’s fastest-rising prospects.
Former Kentucky standout Jamin Davis has an opportunity to be the third Wildcat selected in the first round of the NFL Draft during Mark Stoops’ tenure. ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr., in his latest mock draft, slotted him as the 17th overall pick to the Las Vegas Raiders.
“Get to know this name, because Davis is a big-time riser,” Kiper wrote. “When I sat down recently to watch his 2020 tape, I loved what I saw.”
Kentucky’s Pro Day is next Wednesday, and will be the most public opportunity for Davis and 10 other Wildcats (six of them NFL Combine invitees in addition to Davis) to impress scouts.
UK defensive coordinator Brad White, an outside linebackers coach who helped develop Josh Allen from a two-star prospect into the No. 7 overall pick in the 2019 draft, attributes part of Davis’ ascension up draft boards to personal motivation rooted in Lexington.
“Any time a guy starts to accomplish a goal that so many of our players have, I think that becomes a motivation, they can look to that,” White told reporters Thursday following Kentucky’s fifth spring practice. “We had that with Josh Allen and Mike Edwards and Benny Snell. You see guys like that, they lay the groundwork and foundation and young players can look up to that. Then you get guys like Jamin who can look at that and (see), ‘It’s not the past. It’s 2020, I played with that guy, I know what he did in the weight room.’ It’s one of those, ‘I know who he was before’ type deals.
“It’s great for us because you can talk about a guy who worked the process and it took a couple years in the system and it finally clicked, and when it did, he was finally ready and took advantage of the opportunity.”
Since Stoops’ first season in 2013, Kentucky has had 11 players drafted. Davis would be the fifth linebacker of that lot, joining Avery Williamson (2014), Bud Dupree (2015), Josh Forrest (2016) and Allen.
After declaring for the draft in January, Davis was regarded as a middle-round prospect. Deeper dives into his game film, and the length and athleticism shown on that tape, seem to have left a big impression on draft analysts. White isn’t surprised by that, but he’s aware of mock-draft pitfalls; he coached five seasons with the Indianapolis Colts before coming to Kentucky in 2018.
“All they are is best guesses,” White said. “Obviously we hope nothing but the best. Everybody hopes to get drafted as high as they can. My hope for guys is that they get drafted into the right fit. I always try to tell guys, ‘If you get drafted one round or four picks or whatever higher, but you get drafted into the wrong fit, it doesn’t matter.’”
Davis is the latest Wildcat to go from being a relative unknown, at least nationally, to one of the hottest names leading up to the draft. Allen is exhibit “A” in that realm, but Davis, if selected in round one, could vie for that distinction; he bet on himself and declared as an early entrant instead of coming back for a star-making senior season, as Allen did.
Stoops during an appearance on Kentucky Sports Radio on Thursday noted that, if Chris Oats had not suffered a stroke last summer that kept him off the field for all of the 2020 season, Davis might not have been on the field as much last fall. He and Oats both were reserve linebackers in 2019, but Oats up to that point was playing more snaps.
“A year ago you guys weren’t talking about Jamin,” Stoops said. “ ... I’m so proud of him, just the work that he’s done. It doesn’t surprise me that he’s rising. He is learning to play the game every day. ...
“I think most people realize that as good as he is, and as great a young man that he is, he still has his best football ahead of him. The sky’s the limit for him.”
New titles for assistants
Kentucky assigned new titles to two of its defensive assistant coaches Thursday.
Inside linebackers coach Jon Sumrall has been elevated to co-defensive coordinator. Defensive backs coach Steve Clinkscale is now defensive passing game coordinator.
Of Sumrall, who is entering his third season at UK, Stoops said, “He is more than capable of being a Power Five defensive coordinator. He has turned down multiple opportunities to do so and stay at his alma mater because he loves this place.”
Clinkscale enters his sixth season on Stoops’ staff.
“Coach Clinkscale has had major input in our defensive scheme since his arrival here at UK,” Stoops said. “He’s not only had a major role in our program defensively but in recruiting as well. He brings a lot of experience to our staff as he has been a defensive coordinator and he will only continue to build on that here.”
