Many Jets fans will wonder who Cal defensive back Ashtyn Davis is and why the Jets took him 79th overall, but the pick makes a lot of sense because of his raw athletic ability and versatility on defense and special teams.
For starters, Davis is fast. He went to Cal on a track scholarship before walking onto the football team and working his way from punt return specialist to cornerback to free safety. He returned 70 punts for 1,604 yards and averaged almost 23 yards per return for the Bears. He also recorded 102 solo tackles with seven interceptions as a defensive back.
The Jets don’t have an immediate need at safety – yet – so the expectation is that Davis will be a cornerback and return specialist. His experience at safety means he could also play in the deep secondary if called upon, but he should help fill out the cornerback room led by Pierre Desir, Brian Poole, Bless Austin and Arthur Maulet.
Davis said he can play almost anywhere on defense – cornerback, safety and even weakside linebacker – but prefers the “deep defense.”
“I’m looking forward to manning some people up,” he said. “I think that’s in the cards for me.”
Davis’ sentiment lines up with a lot of scouting reports that peg him as a hard-nosed and fearless defensive back, which could either be a blessing or a curse for Gregg Williams. The Jets love bruisers on defense (see Adams, Jamal) but Davis appears to be over-aggressive at times. He sometimes takes himself out of plays and fails at finishing tackles. Davis is also coming off groin surgery he had in December that forced him to miss the end of the season and the NFL combine.
With that said, Williams knows how to coach up raw talent, and Davis possesses plenty of traits that the coordinator desires.
Davis fits well in a Jets defense that craves versatility. He’s definitely still a developmental player but could turn into a solid enforcer for the Jets in the near future.
