Davis fitting in and slimming down with Eagles

[time2rock]

Davis fitting in and slimming down with Eagles

 

Jordan Davis is a big guy with a big personality.

During OTAs this spring, his new teammates are seeing both on full display on the practice field, in the weight room and around the NovaCare Complex.

"You can tell he’s a jokester, old soul,” said Brandon Graham, the longest-tenured player on the team. "He knows all the old school songs, he be singing, dancing. We gotta get on him a little bit, ‘You’re a rook, come on man, don’t come in here with all that.’ But we try to let him have his own personality. He’s comfortable.”

That last part is pretty obvious.

Not long after Graham met with reporters on Friday, the jolly giant himself appeared. Wearing a red long-sleeve Georgia shirt and a grin, Davis plopped himself down in the chair behind the microphone.

"Class is in session,” Davis said. "Let’s do it.”

When asked who the funniest player on the roster is, Davis didn’t hesitate to name cornerback and resident jokester Darius Slay. It was Slay who played a big role in helping last year’s first-round pick, DeVonta Smith, come out of his shell quicker than expected. But Smith is quieter, more reserved than Davis, who doesn’t need any help getting loose around his teammates.

Davis has been letting his jovial personality fly from the moment he arrived in Philly.

"Just being confident in myself,” Davis said. "I’m gonna always be me, I’m gonna always be myself. It’s football, it’s a grind. I’m not going to sit here and be one person in one aspect and be one person in another aspect. I’m just going to be me. They have to get on me sometimes. I’m the little brother of the group. But it’s all love. It’s all love. There’s a time and place for everything and I understand that.”

He hasn’t been in Philly long, but Davis has already started to learn about the culture in the city. The best thing he’s eaten so far? A cannoli from Dante & Luigi’s he said was "to die for.”

"You can tell the culture up here is really heavy,” Davis said, "and you’re going to get a good cannoli.”

This is true. This is very true.

Of course, the last time Davis spoke to reporters was at rookie minicamp when he said he weighed 345 pounds and was working on cutting his weight down to the 330s in an attempt to hit his peak performance. So cannolis are great … in moderation.

And Davis knows that. He’s already putting in the work to reconstruct his body.

"I think I look a little bit slimmer,” Davis said as he looked down and rubbed his chest. "I look in the mirror and I’m like, man, I’m getting toned. My arm muscles are looking good. My mom says I’m slimming down. My face is getting slimmer. I think that’s just the continuous work. It’s every day, it’s something. It’s just work.

"We put in that work, it’s obviously just gonna fall off. And just keeping in mind, I’m getting paid to do what I do. I’m getting paid to be at my peak. Just working down and cutting down. You can’t just go out and eat everything in the world. You have to have everything in moderation.”

The Eagles drafted Davis in late April and while it’s important for him to learn the defense, his role in it, to meet his teammates and forge relationship, it’s also really important for him to work with the nutritionists and athletic trainers at the NovaCare Complex. Because Davis is an exceptional athlete but there’s going to be a fine line when it comes to his weight and body composition. It’s about finding that sweet spot to balance his massive frame while maximizing his unique athleticism.

So far, Davis feels like the plan in place from the Eagles is going well.

"I’m just sticking to the plan and when the time comes,” Davis said. "I’m sure it’ll be for my benefit.”

Aside from the work he’s been putting in off the field, Davis has been learning a ton on the field too. He’s really been learning a lot already from his veteran teammates. Technique, Davis said, is what really separates players in a league that doesn’t allow much margin for error. If Davis can perfect that technique and pair it with his insane athletic profile, the Eagles might have nailed their first-round selection.

Graham knew Davis was going to be "massive” but like most people who meet Davis, he ends up being even bigger than you expected. Heck, Davis even dwarfs 6-4, 310-pound Fletcher Cox.

 

On Friday, Graham marveled at the ease with which Davis has been moving massive weights in the Eagles’ locker room. Davis responded with humility, saying the other guys are lifting a lot too.

But then Davis was asked who he thinks is the strongest guy on the team. He paused, then grinned.

"I don’t want to toot my own horn but I’m might give somebody a run for their money. But anyways … ” he said, drumming on the table before standing up. "Y’all have a great day. I love y’all.”

https://www.nbcsports.com/philadelphia/eagles/eagles-jordan-davis-fitting-he-slims-down-spring

[UK_EaglesFan89]

He's a big big human! If they can get him to slim down a little but keep that raw athleticism then he's going to be a force for this team.