NFL Draft Picks 2017: Lions bolster defense with linebacker Jarrad Davis

The Detroit Lions had an interesting decision at pick number 21. Do they build up on their defense or draft another weapon for Matthew Stafford? There was a lot of defensive talent on the board at pick 21 and the Lions went with athletic Florida linebacker Jarrad Davis.

Davis will step in immediately and be a big time player on the weak side of the Lions defense. He is very athletic and can fly from sideline to sideline to make tackles, and he is fast enough to cover running backs and tight ends on passing situations. He’s a very hard-nosed player that finishes tackles just as well as anyone in the draft.

Being on the outside, he’s going to need to work on shedding blocks better and attacking the line of scrimmage to make tackles. His athletic ability might be a liability at times, as he flies around almost too fast and will over-run plays from time to time. Good coaching will fix those issues and Davis will become a player to watch over the next few years.

It’s a great pick for Detroit. Davis is a high character individual who has a great work ethic that will pay off immediately. They released DeAndre Levy earlier in the offseason and only have Tahir Whitehead and Paul Worrilow with experience in their linebacker corps. Davis steps in right away to start and, I hate to say it, will give the Packers and the rest of the NFC North fits for a long time.