J.C. Davis

The Player

Davis is a durable and experienced (but inconsistent) left tackle with good size and length. He flashes a mean streak and has an edge to his game. He is wide and strong enough to wall off defenders in the run game. Once he establishes his position, he drives his feet and can throw defenders to the ground. He gets good push and punches defensive tackles onto his guard combination while blocking to the second level. He’s quick and works his hips around as a backside zone blocker. 

He has a tendency to lower his eyes and overstride with his second step, which allows defenders to slip him and cross his face. He needs to improve on working his hands inside and keeping defenders off his frame. He gets stood up when he doesn’t. His 10-yard split time is outstanding, especially for his size, but he is quicker than he is fast, and his tape raises concerns about his ability to cut off backside linebackers. He doesn’t shoot his hands at the second level, and linebackers can slip him in tight spaces.    

When his technique is sound, he has the quickness and length to handle speed off the edge in pass protection. He moves well enough to plant his outside foot and power down when he anticipates inside moves, picks up blitzes, and passes off stunts. He needs to improve the accuracy and timing of his punch. His hands consistently land high and wide. He either fails to or takes too long to rewrap his hands when he misses. He struggles to stay in front of polished hand fighters. He is big and strong enough to anchor, but he can give too much ground when defenders get into his frame. He can get beaten by speed when he doesn’t get enough depth in his pass sets, and he can get beaten to the inside when he oversets to the outside. His tape from the Wisconsin game is a tough watch when it comes to his pass blocking. He played only left tackle in college, but his frame makes him a candidate to kick inside to guard at the NFL level. He started 49 consecutive games to end his college career. He played for Contra Costa College for one year and New Mexico for two years before transferring to Illinois in 2024. 

The Draft 

Davis was a first-team All–Big Ten selection last season, and offensive tackles who have earned those honors in recent years have been selected early in the NFL draft: Paris Johnson Jr., Peter Skoronski, and Olu Fashanu went in the first 11 picks; Josh Conerly Jr. was a first-round pick, and Aireontae Ersery went no. 48 overall. Don’t expect Davis to go that high; he grades out as a day-three pick. 

The Projection 

2024 third-round pick DJ Glaze is an interesting comp for Davis when you look at their frames, length, and playing styles. Glaze has struggled at times and may be better suited for a backup role, but he has started 31 games in his first two seasons in the NFL.