With the pick the Jets acquired in the Leonard Williams trade, Joe Douglas went the unconventional route.
Douglas took Cal defensive back Ashtyn Davis, a player who had not been linked to the Jets primarily because he played safety in college. However, the Jets seem to be infatuated with his positional versatility and had several teams kicking themselves when they stole him with the 68th pick.
With that said, let’s get to know the Jets’ newest member of the secondary. Here are five things to know about Davis.
Betting on Himself
From college walk-on to third-round pick, Ashtyn Davis’ NFL dreams became a reality when the Jets selected him with the 68th selection in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Davis was set to go to the University of Redlands following his senior year of high school but changed his mind following a last-minute visit to Cal. The problem? Cal’s football coaches had no idea who Davis was. Even worse, Cal’s track coaches said they’d rescind their scholarship offer if Davis played football. This led to Davis ultimately turning down a track scholarship offer from Cal, which forced his parents to take out loans to pay for his college tuition.
Eventually, Davis made both teams and wound up being put on a full football scholarship by Cal.
Track Star
Ashtyn Davis was a four-time All-American hurdler for the Golden Bears’ track and field program.
He had many accomplishments, including winning the 2017 Pac-12 meet in the 110-meter hurdles. He also finished third in the 2018 outdoor nationals in the 60-meter hurdles.
What can’t he do?
Ashtyn Davis can return kicks and play gunner in addition to what he adds on defense. He was listed as a safety, but when Rodger Goodell announced his name he called Davis a “defensive back.” Davis played cornerback as a freshman at Cal and then moved to safety, so he definitely has the potential to move there.
As a redshirt freshman in football, he was named the team’s Most Valuable Special Teams Player and started the final three games at cornerback, compiling 25 tackles and three pass breakups. Davis was again the team’s special teams MVP in 2017, co-leading the FBS with 39 kickoff returns for 826 yards, which ranked ninth in the nation. He also started six games at safety, compiling 33 tackles and one interception. As a junior, he started all 13 games and garnered honorable mention All-Pac-12 status. He added 56 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, four interceptions, one pick-six and five pass break-ups.
Davis’ versatility gives Gregg Williams and Brant Boyer a lot to work with as they prepare for the 2020 season.
Fame’s in the Family
Sean Davis, the father of Ashtyn Davis, was the frontman for the rap-metal band Code III, which played shows with the likes of Rage Against the Machine and Public Enemy.
From 1990-95, Code III was a rap-metal pioneer band. It attempted to bridge the gap between hip hop and heavy metal and paved the way for other attempts to mix the two genres.
Let him play
Ashtyn Davis’ father, Sean, wasn’t allowed to play football growing up and wanted a different road for his son in terms of athletics. All along, Davis’ father wanted him to play football.
On the other hand, his mother was originally against the idea of him playing organized football. Davis had played organized baseball and was small, so she didn’t want him to get hurt. However, a family friend and youth football coach, Dante McLeod, talked her into letting her son join Pop Warner. Davis was just a mere 52 pounds when he started playing at the Pee Wee level.
Since then, they’ve never looked back. Davis turned his father’s dream into a reality once the Jets chose him in the third round on Friday evening.
