ATHENS – Got a sweet NIL deal for Jordan Davis? That’s great. But don’t bother bringing your proposal to Georgia’s super-sized nose guard.
You’ll have to go through Shay Allen. To Davis, she’s better known as Mom.
“My mom does all that stuff,” Davis said this week. “Anything you see, just know it’s been run through my mom. It’s been washed and it’s been rinsed out. So, anything you see me doing, my mom has definitely had a big hand in it.”
In July at SEC Media Days, Davis infamously said he did not plan to take advantage of the NCAA’s newly minted name, image and likeness legislation. Mainly, he said, because he didn’t really understand it or know what to do.
“I still don’t know what to do,” Davis cracked Monday.
But Mom does, and she has been quite busy of late.
The first sponsorship deal to come Davis’ way was from Gorilla Glue. That came the week after the 6-foot-6, 335-pound lineman recorded three tackles, two TFLs and a sack against Clemson in the season opener.
Since then, you can find his likeness on Morgan & Morgan billboards in and around Atlanta, flexing a bicep under the heading of “Size Matters” for the extra-large law firm. You know, “For the People.”
And they’ve continued to roll in from there. How many deals for how much? Davis insists he can’t say. He’s leaving that to Mom while concentrating on the matters he can control on the football field.
This just in: That’s been going well, too.
Davis’ numbers will never be eye-popping because of the position he plays. As a nose guard, or inside-technique defensive tackle, his primary job is to tie up blockers to free others to make plays. His extraordinary size and strength always has allowed him to do that.
“Two on me, somebody’s free,” Davis loves to spout.
What’s different this year is Davis has been able to shed blockers more often and make plays himself. That has resulted in two sacks – including one for a safety against South Carolina, three tackles for loss, five quarterback pressures, seven solo tackles and 18 tackles overall. That ranks second among Georgia’s heralded defensive linemen.
Those plays, which include a couple of lateral-pursuit take-downs on the perimeter, have brought Davis even more attention. “DawgNation Daily” host Brandon Adams was one of the first to broach the subject of Davis as a Heisman Trophy candidate several weeks ago, introducing it somewhat jokingly during his video podcast and coming up with the catchy hashtag #JD2NYC.
It has taken off from there. ESPN’s “College GameDay” host Rece Davis, in Athens for the Kentucky game two weeks ago, was one of the first national voices to say on air he thought Davis should be a Heisman candidate. David Pollack, “GameDay” co-host and former Georgia All-American, chimed in on the discussion recently as well.
“I’d have him in the Heisman discussion,” said Pollack, the Bulldogs’ most decorated defensive lineman in history. “He’s the most dominant player I’ve seen in college football.”
Georgia coach Kirby Smart might’ve unintentionally fanned the flames when asked about Davis after the senior’s latest dominating showing. Asked what Davis’ impact was on the overall defense, Smart said, “Godzilla-like. He’s the immovable object.”
The Internet took that and ran with it.
Predictably, the demure Davis is handling the Heisman talk with a shrug. He really doesn’t know what to make of it.
”Honestly, I’ve never stopped to think about it,” he said Monday at Georgia’s media day. “… I don’t even know when the ceremony is, if that gives you any idea.”
For the record, the Heisman ceremony is Dec. 11 in New York. And there have been very few defensive linemen make it to the ceremony. Pittsburgh’s Hugh Green, who came in second to George Rogers in 1980, has the highest finish among that set in the two-platoon era of college football.
All eyes will be on Davis again Saturday as No. 1 Georgia (7-0, 5-0) goes to Jacksonville tasked with slowing down a formidable Florida running game. The Gators (4-3, 2-3 SEC) enter that game ranked second in the SEC in rushing (254.3 ypg) and total offense (501.7) and sixth in scoring (34.4 ppg). Thanks in large part to Davis, the Bulldogs counter with a defense that not only is tops in the league against the run (63.6 ypg), total yards (208.3 ypg) and points (6.6 ppg), but also in first or second in the nation.
Davis should be supremely motivated for the challenge. He did not play in last year’s game. He was one of several frontline players to miss the game for the Bulldogs. Davis suffered an elbow injury in the previous game against Kentucky and was out three games. The Gators’ offense feasted on the way to a 44-28 win.
“Sitting out was hard,” said Davis, who watched the game on TV at home in Athens with his mother. “I felt like I could have done some things against Florida, maybe. You know, it’s not like it’s all on one person, but at least help the team in whatever way I can. But, you know, that’s the past.”
Actually, playing Florida in Jacksonville holds a special place in Davis’ past. That’s where he got his first start as a freshman in 2018. He was similarly impactful in 2019. So the Bulldogs are 2-0 against the Gators with Davis on the field.
“Every game is special to me,” Davis said. “Any time I’m able to take that field, it’s always special, especially coming off an injury. That makes me realize how much I missed it and how much I enjoy the game.”
That Davis is even back to play this season is truly special for the Bulldogs. Now getting first-round grades from many NFL scouts, Davis contemplated turning pro after last season.
But thanks to his best buddy, Devonte Wyatt, that ended up being a quick exercise.
“My decision was made when I called ‘Vontay’ and said, ‘I’m thinking about coming back,’” Davis said. “He said, ‘I’m thinking about coming back, too.’ I said, ‘Well, let’s do it.’ It was kind of like that (snaps fingers).”
While Davis is getting the lion’s share of attention, he’s not even sure he’s Georgia’s best linemen. Between fellow interior tackles Wyatt and Jalen Carter, it’s hard to truly say which one is most impactful. They all bring different traits to the field. Wyatt has his quick-twitch moves, while Carter combines brute strength with uncanny athletic ability.
But for anybody who watches Georgia’s defense play, it’s just hard to see past the gargantuan No. 99 in the middle when he swallows up a dive play or chases down a fleeing quarterback. He even has two blocked kicks in the Bulldogs’ past eight games.
At the end of the day, plays like that are sending suitors to Davis’ mom for potential sponsorships. More surely will come next year when Davis is getting ready to play in the NFL. But between this NIL thing and all the fun he’s having on the football field, Davis said he believes more college football players will be coming back for their senior seasons in the future.
“You know, having a little pocket change is nice to take care of my brothers and my mom and to do nice things. That’s definitely nice,” Davis said. “… But, honestly, this season has been so fun. I’m so glad I came back. I couldn’t have made a better decision. It’s just fun. I’m enjoying the ride, having fun, every moment of it, even the part about waking up early.”
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