Demario Davis stands out as the only player over 30 in NFL’s top 10 linebackers

Typically, the NFL isn’t kind to players on the other side of 30. Aside from quarterbacks and specialists, many NFL players get a stigma once they hit 30. Their game is either declining, or around the corner from doing so. As the late Vontae Davis famously said when he retired, the NFL is a young man’s game.

New Orleans Saints linebacker Demario Davis is doing his best to hold off Father Time, though. At 35 years old, preparing for his 13th NFL season, Davis is still one of the best linebackers in the league. While that’s been evident on the field, it’s also been clear in the eyes of NFL execs, coaches, and scouts.

Every offseason, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler surveys league execs, coaches, and scouts, asking them to rank their top 10 players at each position. Recently, Fowler released the results for the top 10 off-ball linebackers, and Davis was the oldest linebacker on the list, ranked at No. 8.

Demario Davis ranked the eighth-best linebacker in NFL

Fowler noted that Davis was ranked as high as No. 5 by some and left unranked by others. In general, the rankings had wide variations after the unanimous top two of Fred Warner and Roquan Smith, showing how deep the linebacker talent is in the NFL right now. Still, enough evaluators recognized the level Davis is playing at.

""Still Demario," an NFC scout said about how Davis has held up. "He's found the right blend of work ethic, natural maturation and football awareness that has enabled him to sustain his level of play and extend his career.""

- NFC scout via Jeremy Fowler

Davis was especially praised for his ability to rush the quarterback as an off-ball linebacker, leading all inside linebackers in sacks with 6.5. Considering how prevalent the passing game is in today’s NFL, that’s an incredible tool for a linebacker to offer.

Returning for his seventh season with the Saints, Davis made his first two Pro Bowls in the last two seasons, though, he was named First-team All-Pro back in 2019, and Second-team in the four years following. He’ll be working to deliver another elite season in 2024 as he tries to lead the Saints back to the playoffs.

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