PHILADELPHIA -- Jordan Davis couldn't hide his excitement when the Philadelphia Eagles selected not one, but three of his former teammates at Georgia in this year's NFL Draft. Davis was a vital component of that 2021 Georgia defense with Jalen Carter, Nolan Smith, and Kelee Ringo that allowed the fewest opponent points per game (10.2), yards per play allowed (4.16), and red zone efficiency (28.1%) in the nation -- one of the greatest defenses in college football history.
The Eagles have five players from that dominant defense in midnight green. Davis -- the Nostradamus that he is -- told some of his teammates this was going to happen.
"I loved it. I told those boys, y'all know you're gonna be Eagles," Davis said at Eagles minicamp Thursday. "This was back in early March. I told Jalen (Carter) that Wednesday (before the draft).
"Just having those guys here -- it's exciting. It's a piece of home. That means a lot for guys like me and Nakobe (linebacker Nakobe Dean, also a member of that 2021 Georgia defense). We understand what it's like to be in that culture, understand what it takes to win, and what your brothers have gone through.
"Having those guys here, it's exciting. It's like I'm back in school, without school. I'm definitely excited to see those boys grow and being the leaders that they can be."
Davis will be reunited with Carter on the Eagles defensive line for the next several seasons, just like he predicted. Of course, Davis told Carter he would get picked at No. 10 by the Eagles but Philadelphia traded up one spot in the draft to select him at No. 9.
He pointed that out, yet couldn't contain his excitement.
"That's like my brother," Carter said. "It's not like a mentor, mentee role. It's more like a brotherhood. It's just whatever he needs. Whatever he needs, whatever I need out of him -- he's gonna pull it out of me. Whatever I need out of him, I'm gonna pull it out out of him.
"He knows what to expect from me and I know what to expect from him. It makes it easier on the field. He got three-plus years of experience with that at Georgia. I can just look at him a certain kind of way and he'd get the message."
Davis is going to be a big brother to his Georgia teammates again, as the elder statesman in the room. He has experienced the highs and lows of an NFL season already, from going to the Super Bowl in his rookie season to a foot injury that left him out of the defensive tackle rotation during the stretch run.
Any way Davis can make life easier for his rookie teammates, he's going to be there. This won't be a walk in the park.
"It's hard. I'm not going to sugarcoat it. It's hard," Davis said. "Just knowing those guys they came from not one, but two national championships -- the longest season of college football. Knowing those guys and having to go through that journey, luckily I'm not too far removed, I understand what it takes.
"It's going to be hard for them, and that's what we're here for. They're in the hotel, that weighs a toll on your body. Any time I can get those boys out, just to show them around the city and all the places I've been in this past year and going out to explore more places. It means a lot and it build that bond again.
"That's what we were doing at Georgia. Here we're going to continue to do that. Not just for the Georgia guys, but for the other guys. I know what it takes. I know what it's like to be a rookie. I know how it is when the wall is closing in, you need an escape. I have an apartment I'll offer. If they need a ride and want to go somewhere or (they) want to get something to eat, my line is always open."
Carter, Smith, and Ringo are fortunate to have Davis around. Davis is still going through the growing pains of the NFL lifestyle, yet has a much better sense of what to expect. He's making sure his rookie teammates don't have to climb such a steep mountain.
"I'm starting to understand because I'm working on that stuff too," Davis said. "Just little stuff like that, but I'm here trying to support for them. I'm not here to welcome them through their journey. I'm not here to hold their hand, because at the end of the day we're all going through this journey together.
"I'm here to show them somebody understands and somebody is always here for you. Whatever I can do to support, that's what I'm going to do."