Getty Eagles rookie Jordan Davis said his first year in the NFL has been humbling, but that he's learning and improving along the way.
Make no mistake, Philadelphia Eagles rookie defensive tackle Jordan Davis has been able to contribute through the first four games of the season. He’s played about a third of the defensive snaps, according to Pro Football Focus, which grades him as the team’s best interior defensive lineman thus far. But Davis still called his experience thus far a humbling one.
The former Georgia Bulldog was interviewed by Eagles insider Dave Spadaro, and answered “Yes, yes,” when asked if he’s been humbled. “Couple players that get you, you know, a couple plays here and there, but you just have to go back at it.”
“Getting knocked on your butt, getting blocked, sometimes we call it getting strapped, so you’re getting held and you can’t really do anything. So it’s a humbling experience,” Davis said.
The 22-year old then paused briefly, before shifting his opinion slightly.
“I wouldn’t even call it a humbling experience, I’d just say it’s part of the game and you know that’s what you work towards, to not get that humble moment,” Davis said. “I always say you have to be humble in the game of football, because football will find a way to humble you if you don’t.”
Jordan Davis Learning From Veteran Opponents and Teammates
Davis spoke about learning techniques and fundamentals from his more experienced teammates, and having them put an arm around him and guide him along the way as he tries to level up his play to compete with more experienced opponents. But he’s also viewing his battles on the field as an opportunity to learn from his opposition.
“I think it’s great, it’s a learning experience, I look on film and I’m like alright this is what I need to do man, this is where I need to work my hands, get his hands off me, he has strong hands,” Davis explained. “There’s a lot of vet guys that I go against so they have a lot of tips and trades and they just know how to block and position their bodies, there’s just so much that they have for the experience and I’m just a rookie coming in, but slowly trying to learn how to break through those walls.”
Davis Adjusting to Longer Seasons in NFL
Davis also spoke about the difference between the shorter college schedule, and the 17-game NFL season. College football operates on a 12-game schedule, and even in Georgia’s national championship run, they only played 15 games with Davis appearing in 14 of them. In particular, the youngster said it’s an even bigger difference during the rookie season because of the busier than usual offseason.
“Slowly but surely I’m finding my way, but it’s very hectic, especially your rookie season,” Davis said. “I’ve heard that from everybody that I’ve talked to, they say rookie year is the longest. You’re coming from college, working out, training, you don’t really have a break your rookie season you’re just jumping into a lot of stuff. But it’s an experience of a lifetime, and I think that’s the way I carry it and carry myself.”