Jarrad Davis was one of those rare finds for the Florida Gators. A guy who didn’t get enough respect as a player coming out of high school, but the Florida coaching staff at the time knew he was a star in the making. Davis was rated just a three-star by Rivals.com and was the No. 30 outside linebacker in the country.
In his final season at Camden County High School, he led his team with 114 tackles and three forced fumbles. Davis lived in Kingsland, Georgia, but the Georgia Bulldogs never came calling with an offer, so Florida snagged him over Auburn, Tennessee, Ole Miss, and Clemson.
Davis has become a fan favorite in his time with the Gators. His intensity is so strong it can be felt throughout the stadium on game day. He is one of the biggest leaders, not only on defense, but on the entire team. Davis is just a guy who works hard and goes about his business the right way, which is easily seen by what he puts on the field on Saturday’s.
He played in all 12 games his freshman year, but was used mostly as a weapon on special teams, and was named the Most Valuable Special Team’s Player. While his role was mostly on special teams, he did get one start at linebacker as a freshman. He had 24 tackles, two tackles-for-loss, and one forced fumble on the year.
Davis continued to wait his turn in his sophomore year, and again had just one start. Before suffering a season-ending knee injury in the opening kickoff of the ninth game of the season, he had 23 total tackles and one tackle-for-loss. Though his season ended three games too soon, he worked hard through his rehab process to be ready to finally take on a bigger role in the 2015 season.
His breakout season came as a junior and there was no looking back from that point. Davis recorded 98 total tackles in 2015, second only to former Florida great, Antonio Morrison. He also put up 11 tackles-for-loss, 3.5 sacks, four pass breakups, and an interception. Those statistics earned him a spot on Second Team All-SEC by Gridiron Now.
Davis’ performance in the 2015 season also left him with a decision to be made. He discussed the possibility of leaving for the NFL with his family, but he felt like there was still more left for him to do at Florida. Not only more for him to do as a player, but more for the Gators to do as a team. He announced his decision to return following Florida’s loss to Alabama in the SEC Championship.
“I always encouraged him to live life with no regrets,” said his mother, Amy Davis. “I know he does not regret coming back.”
Morrison said Davis would be the best linebacker in the country in the 2016 season, and he has lived up to it. He was named to the Preseason Coaches All-SEC First Team and was recently named as a semi-finalist for the Butkus Award, which is given to the best linebacker in college football each season.
Davis currently leads the Gators with 56 tackles this season. He also has six tackles-for-loss, two sacks, four pass breakups, and five quarterback hurries. The best game of his career came this season, as he recorded 15 tackles against Vanderbilt.
While Vanderbilt might have been his best game statistically, the most memorable was his final game against Georgia. An ankle injury suffered in the previous game left him as a last minute decision, but there was no way he would let himself miss the game. Davis spent the entire week in the training room getting himself ready to go, and right before kickoff, he let the coaches know he would be playing. One final time to play against his home-state team that didn’t think he was good enough. The Bulldogs definitely don’t feel that way now. He was the defensive MVP of the game, with 7 total tackles, 2.5 tackles-for-loss, and a quarterback hurry. He even made the final stop of the game on a Georgia fourth-down to put the game away as a win for Florida. All on a stiff ankle.
As his final season with the Gators is coming to an end, he will take the field in Gainesville one last time on Saturday. To make the moment even more special, his grandparents will be at the game to watch him for the very first time. Ironically, his grandparents are traveling from South Carolina to watch the Gators take on the Gamecocks.
“This will be their first and last time in The Swamp with him as a player,” she said. “It’s bittersweet. It’s the end in The Swamp for us.”
While Davis might not play a single snap this week due to his injury, watching him as he is honored on the field before the game and hearing what will surely be the loudest cheer from the crowd when he walks out will make everything worth it for his family.