Justin Davis NFL Draft Preview: Stock, Mock Drafts and Projections

Justin Davis will have to wait until Day 3 to hear his name called at the 2017 NFL Draft, but the running back presents an intriguing option for teams in the late rounds.

It felt like Justin Davis was always on the cusp of greatness at USC, but the running back suffered multiple injury setbacks during his Trojan career.

Though he only had 15 starts in four years, Davis still notched 2,465 career rushing yards when he was available, landing 12th on USC’s all-time rushing list.

As a freshman he proved to have a nose for the end zone with six touchdowns in his first seven games before an Achilles injury ended his season. By the time he hit his senior campaign, Davis’ all-around ability secured him the starting job over perhaps a more talented rusher in Ronald Jones II.

Davis’ slasher elusiveness has given him a leg up in his pursuit of an NFL draft pick, aided by a strong 4.49 40-yard dash at USC’s Pro Day.

However, concerns about his injury record and a penchant for fumbling put him in the Day 3 range.

Scout’s Take

“He shows good speed and change of direction once he has some room to run, but he is going to need more help getting to the second level than backs…He shows potential as a receiver if he can get into the open field, but drops and lack of reliability in pass protection will hinder his opportunities in the passing game if he doesn’t improve. Reoccurring ankle injuries and fumble rate are also things to be wary of.”— Pro Football Focus

“Solid college running back who lacks the physicality to be a consistent interior runner and the blocking ability teams expect from their third down backs. Davis has decent vision and elusiveness once he gets up to the second level, but he lacks early creativity and typically gets what is blocked for him on the first level.”— Lance Zierlein, NFL.com

“Injury history and ball security issues will prevent Davis from being considered a feature back, however he has shown enough athleticism to warrant a late-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. His ability to contribute in a variety of ways, both on offense and special teams, will force NFL teams to take a long look at him on day three of the draft.”— Shawn Spencer, NFLMocks.com

Very good vision and lateral movement here from Justin Davis of #USC to find the open lane. pic.twitter.com/JNbrNvBN9g
— Shawn Spencer (@Spencer_NFL) April 1, 2017

Justin Davis isn't the fastest or the strongest RB but his lateral movement and vision really make him stand out
— Zach Hicks (@ZachHicks2) March 21, 2017

Prediction

More from Reign of Troy

Like most of USC’s other Day 3 prospects, Davis has just enough to his game to intrigue NFL scouts, but just enough knocks against him to add some doubt to any draft predictions.

On PhiladelphiaEagles.com, Fran Duffy and Greg Cosell discussed Davis as one of the more intriguing potential Day 3 picks because of his skill set as an elusive runner and potential pass catching option.

Matt Miller of Bleacher Report graded Davis as a fifth round pick, going to the Cleveland Browns with pick No. 181. However, that’s a bit higher than other draft projections — like the prospect rankings over at CBS Sports, which rate Davis outside of the draft pool.

Despite the injury and ball security concerns, it seems unlikely that Davis will go unpicked. He offers enough ability to warrant a sixth or seventh round selection.

Home/USC ALUMNI NEWS