Pro Football Focus' Max Chadwick, Dalton Wasserman, and Trevor Sikkema redrafted the 2012 NFL draft class. In the redraft, New Orleans Saints linebacker Demario Davis is now the 11th overall pick. The New York Jets originally selected him in the third round, 77th overall, out of Arkansas State.
Reading back on his pre-draft critiques, Davis said that you have to be humble enough to admit your weaknesses. "Even if I thought they were wrong, it's something somebody noticed and I could work on," Davis said earlier in the offseason. "What I did was I worked on those, and now I see those things as strengths."
Davis would spend his first four years in the league (2012-2015) with the Jets, gathering 349 tackles, 6.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, and one interception before signing with the Cleveland Browns in 2016 on a two-year deal. However, after Cleveland switched defensive schemes following the '16 season, they traded Davis back to East Rutherford, N.J. In that one year with the Browns and in his second stint with the Jets, Davis gathered 234 tackles, seven sacks, and one forced fumble.
Demario Davis on the Saints
Although Davis had impressive stats before joining New Orleans, his career truly exploded only after he signed with the Saints. Davis signed with the Saints on March 19, 2018, and has gathered 811 tackles, 31 sacks, three interceptions, and three forced fumbles. While wearing black and gold, Davis has become one of the NFL's top linebackers, placing among the top 20 at the position in each year with the team.
He is also a three-time all-pro and a two-time Pro Bowler, and he won the Bart Starr Award in 2021, which is given annually to an NFL player who exemplifies outstanding character and leadership both on and off the field, all while playing for the Saints.
Davis has only missed one game in his NFL career due to injury, and that came last year, in his 13th season. That's insane, especially when considering the fact that he's played in over 200 games.
Davis was part of a great linebacker class
Demario Davis was almost a top-10 pick, but he was the fourth linebacker off the board. We're not talking on-ball linebackers either, which is considered a premium position. The fact four off-ball linebackers were picked in the first 11 picks tells you just how great this class was.
The 2012 NFL draft included Bobby Wagner, Luke Kuechly and Lavonte David. Wagner and Kuechly are the defining linebackers of their generation and will be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame soon. David has been one of the more productive, yet underrated, linebackers for a long time. Davis was the late bloomer of the group, but his run of being named to the All-Pro team was been an impressive addition to his resume.