J.C. Davis OT Illinois |
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| Jersey: #74 SUB-POSITION: Left Tackle | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 03/11/2026 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2026 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FORTY time: 5.16 seconds (71%*) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowl Invite: Senior Bowl | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Jersey: #74 | |
| SUB-POSITION: Left Tackle | |
| Last Updated: 03/11/2026 | |
| Draft Year: 2026 | |
| Forty time: 5.16 seconds (71%*) | |
| Bowl Invite: Senior Bowl | |
| Overall Rating: | 83.2 / 100 | |
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| Average rating of opposition Defense player has faced | ||
| Defense Rating: |
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76% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| Pass Blocking: |
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78% |
| Run Blocking: |
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82% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
5th
Overall Rank:
#137
Position rank:
#27 (OL)
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| College Games: 49 College Snaps: 3133 | ||
ESPN RATING: 72/100
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247 RATING: 78/100
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RIVALS RATING: 5.4 (89%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Donovan Jackson - Ohio State |
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93% |
| Sean Rhyan - UCLA |
|
88% |
| Ajani Cornelius - Oregon |
|
86% |
Drafted: ROUND: 6 - Pick Number: 192 (NYG)
Draft Profile: Bio
J.C. Davis played his high school ball at McClymonds in Oakland, California, where he lined up as a defensive tackle and earned second-team all-conference honors as a senior. He made the switch to the offensive line at Contra Costa College and quickly took to it, landing All-CCCA First Team recognition before heading to New Mexico as a lightly recruited two-star prospect.At New Mexico, Davis stepped into the starting left tackle job immediately and never gave it up. He started all 24 games across 2022 and 2023, logging over 1,500 snaps and earning All-Mountain West First Team honors as a junior. PFF graded him as the No. 4 tackle nationally and the top-graded tackle in the Group of 5 that season, with particularly strong run blocking marks. His consistency made him the highest-graded returning tackle in college football heading into 2024.
Davis transferred to Illinois and started all 25 games over two seasons in Champaign. He allowed zero pressures in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl win over No. 14 South Carolina and finished 2025 as PFF's No. 3 graded left tackle nationally. He earned AP All-Big Ten First Team honors and closed his college career with 49 consecutive starts.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Thick frame with long arms and large hands gives him a real physical advantage at the point of attack.
- Reads gap exchanges and twists well; rarely caught guessing on combo blocks.
- Effective snatch-trap technique to counter rushers who lean into their moves.
- Good drive power when he gets his feet moving and locks on to a defender.
- Pin-and-climb combos are well-timed and show reliable coordination with interior linemen.
- Patient hands against spin moves; doesn't lunge or overcommit to the first threat.
- Enough lateral quickness to mirror inside counters and locate targets on screen blocks.
- 49 consecutive starts across three programs speaks to his durability and reliability.
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Leads too often with his head and chest, compromising his base on contact.
- Hand placement is inconsistent; wide strikes expose his frame and limit sustain.
- Opens his outside hip prematurely against speed, giving up the corner too easily.
- Contact balance is shaky; gets pried open when defenders work his edges.
- Feet are late to fire after initial contact, leading to overextension and recovery issues.
- Punch lacks pop at the point of attack; rushers can work through it to set up counters.
Scouting Report: Summary
Davis fits best in a scheme that keeps things relatively simple for him up front. A gap or power-heavy run game would let him use his natural drive strength and finishing ability without asking him to cover too much ground laterally. In the passing game, vertical sets suit his length and his feel for handling interior games and twists. He showed real competence against B-gap pressure at Illinois and handled some quality Big Ten rushers, particularly in the 2024 Citrus Bowl. Those reps matter more than anything he put on tape in the Mountain West.The concerns are real, though, and they all connect. His hand timing, posture, and balance issues feed into each other. When his initial strike is late or wide, he ends up leaning to compensate, which kills his anchor and leaves him vulnerable to secondary moves. A good offensive line coach can clean some of that up, but the pattern is persistent enough on film that it's not just a bad habit that will vanish with a few technique sessions. He'll need consistent coaching and reps to tighten his mechanics at the next level.
At his best, Davis looks like a swing tackle who can fill in at either spot and give you competent snaps in a pinch, with some upside to push for a starting role if the technique catches up. His experience, toughness, and feel for handling line games give him a real floor. The ceiling depends entirely on whether he can fix the posture and hand issues that limit his consistency. For a team that drafts him on Day Three, there's enough here to work with.
Written By:
K.C. Martinez (Big Ten)
J.C. Davis percentiles vs other Offensive Tackles (NFL Combine historically - higher value represents better perfomance)
How other scouting services rate J.C. Davis (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
175.6
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
40.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.