New York Jets: Ashtyn Davis has the talent to replace Jamal Adams

New York Jets’ rookie Ashtyn Davis has what it takes to replace Jamal Adams

On July 25th the New York Jets traded their exasperated star safety, Jamal Adams, to the Seattle Seahawks after a seven-month-long contract dispute. The Jets got a haul in return for Adams, but that doesn’t change the fact that his departure leaves a giant hole in their defense. He is, without a doubt, an amazing player, but the Jets have someone on their roster who just might have what it takes to replace him. That player is rookie safety, Ashtyn Davis.

Davis played safety and cornerback at the University of California from 2015 to 2020. After a redshirt year in 2015 and two seasons playing cornerback from 2016-2017, he changed positions to safety in 2018. He was outstanding his last two years at California as he recorded 6 interceptions, 9 pass deflections, 108 total tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1 forced fumble, and 3 fumble recoveries.

It’s likely that Davis would have been drafted in the first two rounds of the 2020 NFL draft had he not been dealing with a groin injury prior to Cal’s bowl game. Due to COVID-19, teams weren’t able to do physicals on him and confirm that he was healthy. Since teams couldn’t bring him in for a physical, he fell into the New York Jets’ lap in the third round.

The Jets traded Jamal Adams once they were able to get all their rookies into their facilities to do their physicals. This very well may have been a coincidence, but it shouldn’t be a surprise if they decided to move on from him once they knew Davis was healthy and ready to go. Davis is a stud, and he can be really good as a versatile safety in the Jets’ scheme.

First things first, you need to understand why Adams is such a valuable player. He is exceptionally impactful, and his value is criminally underrated by the masses. A lot of people have criticized the Seahawks for giving up so much for him because he is a safety, a position that isn’t considered valuable. Here’s the problem: Adams isn’t a safety. Instead, he’s an ultra-powerful superweapon who plays all over the field.

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Last season Adams played not only safety but also cornerback and all three linebacker spots. He played every position but defensive end and defensive tackle, and he played them all at a high level. His production last season speaks for itself.

In 2019, Adams recorded one interception, seven pass deflections, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, 6.5 sacks, 75 tackles (61 solo, 14 assisted), 10 tackles for loss, 13 quarterback hits, three quarterback hurries, six quarterback knockdowns, and 16 quarterback pressures.

The most impressive part about Adams’ 2019-20 season was his effectiveness as a blitzer and run stopper. His 6.5 sacks and 10 tackles for loss ranked 54th and 40th in the NFL, respectively, and first among safeties.

He ranked ahead of a few star edge rushers like Calais Campbell and Demarcus Lawrence in both categories as well which is mindblowing. There aren’t many safeties who are as effective in the box and deep in coverage as Jamal Adams, which is why he’s the best safety in the NFL. For a player to replace his value, they need to be effective in the box as well as in coverage, and Ashtyn Davis provides that kind of versatility.

Davis made a name for himself in high school as a track runner. He garnered a plethora of accolades and record-breaking times on the track, but he always wanted to play football. To achieve his goal of playing college football, he needed to use his success as a track runner to advance to the next level. That’s exactly what he did, and he went to the University of California looking to join the football team as a walk-on. He bet on himself, and that risk has more than paid off.

His track speed is the main reason why he’s been so successful on the gridiron. According to The Draft Wire, he runs a 4.28 forty-yard dash which is elite speed and makes him one of the fastest players in the NFL. With that kind of speed, he’ll be able to keep up with anybody in the NFL, and he won’t get burned by receivers with blazing speed.

Two important qualities for a defensive back to have are hip flexibility and speed. The benefit of having great speed is obvious, but hip flexibility is important as well. If a player has tight hips that limit their mobility, they won’t be able to react quickly if a receiver beats them inside or outside and gains leverage. Having fluid hips is key to being able to recover and break on the ball in coverage. This play against Oregon is a great example of Davis’ hip flexibility.

California is running a cover 3 with Davis down in the box. The Oregon receiver gets some separation inside and creates an open window for Justin Herbert, but Davis flips his hips and breaks on the ball to get the interception. The athleticism required to make that play is special.

His athleticism will be much-needed for the New York Jets this year because they play a lot of teams with explosive offenses and receivers with top-end speed (see their schedule).

Teams like the 49ers, Broncos, Cardinals, Chiefs, and Browns will be tough matchups because, not only do they have high powered offenses, they also have explosive receivers like Tyreek Hill, Odell Beckham Jr., DeAndre Hopkins, and many more who can take the top off the defense. However, the New York Jets can put Ashtyn Davis in a deep third and trust him not to get burned because he has the speed to keep up with the Tyreek Hill’s of the NFL.

Davis is a special athlete who specializes as a deep safety, but he isn’t afraid to get in the mix near the line of scrimmage. Of course, he isn’t as good at attacking gaps and stopping the run as Jamal Adams, but he is more than willing to get in the box and do the dirty work. Here’s another play against Oregon where his ability to stop the run stands out.

With 30 seconds left in the first quarter, the Ducks faced a 4th and 1 near the red zone. They ran the ball to the left side and Davis pushed through the tight end and hit the running back behind the line of scrimmage. He didn’t make the tackle immediately, but as the running back reached the ball out to try to get the first down, he fumbled and the Bears recovered the ball. Davis will likely never be a great run stopper, but seeing him put in the effort on a play like this is promising.

Ashtyn Davis is nowhere near as good as Jamal Adams right now because Adams has a high football I.Q and does so many things at an elite level. While he won’t be able to step in and replace Adams’ value right away, Davis has the athleticism and versatility to be an effective replacement for the New York Jets.

dark. Next. Jets' 2021 NFL mock draft after Adams trade

Once Davis improves at reading and attacking gaps, he’ll be an elite safety because he can already make plays on the ball in coverage. He had to grind to get to where he is now, and with his work ethic and love for the game, there’s a real chance that he becomes not only the best safety from the 2020 draft class but one of the better safeties in the league. For the New York Jets and their fans, this is an intriguing possibility for a franchise that’s desperate for a glimmer of hope.

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