:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69209792/1309334315.0.jpg)
The pick is in!
After a great season and an absurd pro day, Jamin Davis is a first-round pick. He will be calling Washington, D.C. home for the next several years, as he was selected with the 19th overall pick by the Washington Football team.
Davis is joining an already stout defense that features Chase Young, Daron Payne, Jonathan Allen, and Montez Sweat. Experts in the league anticipate Washington to have one of the best defenses in the league, and adding Davis just bolsters that expectation.
After only being a starter for one season for Kentucky, Jamin becomes the third first-round pick of the Mark Stoops era, joining Josh Allen (7th overall in 2019) and Bud Dupree (22nd in 2015).
Check out some of the reactions of his pick on Twitter below.
With the No. 19 overall pick in the 2021 @NFLDraft, @WashingtonNFL selects LB Jamin Davis!
— NFL (@NFL) April 30, 2021
: 2021 #NFLDraft on NFLN/ESPN/ABC pic.twitter.com/mArZ44gq4m
The Washington Football Team takes, at No. 19, #Kentucky LB Jamin Davis, maybe the fastest rising player during this pre-draft process. From 4th-5th rounder in October to first rounder now.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 30, 2021
Happy for Jamin Davis
— Matt Jones (@KySportsRadio) April 30, 2021
Truly a story of a kid who worked his way into major success
Big time development story for UK Football
.@jamindavis25 ➡️ @WashingtonNFL at # 1️⃣9️⃣
— Kentucky Football (@UKFootball) April 30, 2021
2021 #NFLDraft April 29 – May 1 on NFLN pic.twitter.com/ljix9rhCI1
How about that? Jamin Davis is a three-star recruit, starts just one year at Kentucky ...
— Kyle Tucker (@KyleTucker_ATH) April 30, 2021
Drafted 19th overall tonight in the NFL Draft by Washington.
Stoops has turned three 2- and 3-star linebackers into first-round picks now.
Daniel Jeremiah: “I saw Darius Leonard when I watched Jamin Davis.”
— Washington Realm (@WashingtonRealm) April 30, 2021
Jamin Davis to the WFT was one of the worst kept secrets of the draft. Ron Rivera values players with military backgrounds. This is an instinctive, high upside football player.
— Jordan Reid (@Jordan_Reid) April 30, 2021
One of my favorite prospects this year.
Last year, WFT drafted North Carolina LB Cole Holcomb in the 5th round. The inside 'backer went on to start and was very productive. At Mike, 9yr vet Jon Bostic has just one yr left on his contract. Jamin Davis will have a great chance at early PT.
— Adam Luckett (@AdamLuckettKSR) April 30, 2021
Among the reasons Jamin Davis is a Ron Rivera match-made-in-heaven:
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) April 30, 2021
-Linebacker
-Parents both are army veterans
-Lives by the line, "You can’t have a million dollar dream with a minimum wage work ethic"
-Versatile
-Hard-hitting tackler
-And his DC at UK, Jon Sumrall, said this: pic.twitter.com/M8XsOFuRdT
Here's the bottom line - Ron picked his LB. He picked him for a reason. If you trust Ron, trust the pick. Jamin Davis has all the potential in the world to become a Pro Bowler behind the Washington D Line
— JP Finlay (@JPFinlayNBCS) April 30, 2021
#WashingtonFootball with a smart pick. Jamin Davis is a beast! #BBN @RowlandRIVALS
— Mike Farrell (@rivalsmike) April 30, 2021
JAMIN DAVIS SELECTED BY THE WASHINGTON FOOTBALL TEAM AT NO. 19
— Jack Pilgrim (@JackPilgrimKSR) April 30, 2021
LET’S GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Was talking to Fred Smoot earlier - he looooooves Jamin Davis
— JP Finlay (@JPFinlayNBCS) April 30, 2021
PFF rated @WashingtonNFL 1st-rounder Jamin Davis as the most-athletic LB in the draft.
— Kyle Stackpole (@kylefstackpole) April 30, 2021
ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. had Davis as the 14th-best prospect overall.
"The fact that he can cover. He has great range. He tested out very well. He's very instinctive. He's a really nice player."
Jamin Davis is a tough guy defender, but kinda giggled a bit when asked about getting to play behind Washington's DL. "It means the world to me."
— Ben Standig (@BenStandig) April 30, 2021
Rivera on why they chose Jamin Davis: “He’s what you look for in a football player.”
— Jake Rohm (@jakerohm) April 30, 2021
He also mentioned that Davis can play all linebacker positions for them if need be. @WDVMSports
From 1995 to 2012 @UKFootball had ONE linebacker drafted.
— Cole Cubelic (@colecubelic) April 30, 2021
Since @UKCoachStoops took over UK has had 5 linebackers drafted over the last 7 drafts.
3 in the 1st round.
Mark Stoops has taken the Kentucky football program to heights I didn’t think were possible.
— Jack Pilgrim (@JackPilgrimKSR) April 30, 2021
@UKFootball ➡️ @WashingtonNFL
— Jon Sumrall (@CoachJonSumrall) April 30, 2021
@jamindavis25 RD 1 PICK 19#LBU #BBN #FORTHETEAM pic.twitter.com/Y0YLx47Gqu
"He understands our culture...."Plays the game at the right tempo" says Ron Rivera on Jamin Davis.
— Chris Russell AKA The Rooster (@Russellmania621) April 30, 2021
Can play all three linebacker positions.
Congratulations to @jamindavis25 from @UKCoachStoops and your @UKFootball family!
— Kentucky Football (@UKFootball) April 30, 2021
Can't wait to watch you play for @WashingtonNFL #RecruitAndDevelop x #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/JwSuh7LH5Z
I have chills watching this. The moment @jamindavis25 got the call every football player dreams of. Wow. @WJCLNews was in Hinesville as the former @LongCoFootball standout got the call from @WashingtonNFL pic.twitter.com/CGaAG4CvXx
— Frank Sulkowski WJCL (@TheBigGuyWJCL) April 30, 2021
Talking to @jamindavis25 I called it. Congrats buddy very proud of you. Go Big Blue. pic.twitter.com/WIMBvP8znu
— CoachMarrowUK (@vincemarrow) April 30, 2021
A Sea of Blue comes loaded with the best Kentucky Wildcats links, news, analysis, and some other fun stuff, so be sure to go ‘like’ our Facebook page and then go follow us on Twitter.