Davis was one of the most dominant players in the country this year, but his marketability is about so much more.
Defensive linemen aren’t traditionally the most marketable players on a football team, but in the name, image and likeness era, every college player now has the opportunity to build their personal brands and earn sponsorship dollars, no matter their position.
Enter Georgia defensive tackle Jordan Davis, whose spotlight is about to shine brighter than ever as the Bulldogs prepare to take on Michigan on New Year’s Eve in the College Football Playoff semifinals.
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Who is Jordan Davis?
Personal Profile
- Position: Defensive tackle
- Number: 99
- Class: Senior
- Height: 6’6
- Weight: 340 lbs.
- Home town: Charlotte, North Carolina
2021 Accomplishments
- Bednarik Award winner (nation’s best defensive player)
- Outland Trophy winner (nation’s best interior lineman)
- Nagurski Trophy finalist (nation’s best defensive player)
- Consensus All-America First Team
- Unanimous All-SEC First Team
The JD Brand
NIL Deals
Twitter followers: 13k
Instagram followers: 71.8k
If you don’t know Davis by name, you’ve definitely seen highlights on social media of the 6’6, 340-pound defensive tackle defying physics by chasing down skill position players half his size, blocking punts, scoring touchdowns, and even leading Georgia’s marching band. With his lightning speed, massive frame, and even bigger personality, Davis has wreaked havoc on opposing offenses all season while building a personal brand of now-legendary status.
His impact on the Bulldogs’ top-ranked defense went beyond just stats (28 tackles and two sacks) as Alabama coach Nick Saban called him one of the most dominant players in the country and “about as good an inside player as I’ve seen in a long time, on any college football team.” Davis’s dominance earned him consensus All-American honors and both the Bednarik Award and Outland Trophy along the way.
Initially reluctant to jump into the NIL space, Davis strategically partnered with brands that fit his enormous size and personality to create campaigns that authentically built his personal brand.
After a strong performance in Georgia’s Week 1 victory over Clemson, Davis earned a deal with Gorilla Glue when the brand honored him as the brand’s first “Toughest Player on the Planet” recipient. He followed this up with a “Size Matters” billboard with Morgan & Morgan – America’s largest personal injury law firm – that certainly turned heads on social media. Additional strategic partnerships with brands such as Georgia Dairy for a milk-focused campaign only strengthened the narrative for the 405lb.-bench-pressing Bulldog.
But Davis’s softer, compassionate, and fun sides are truly what differentiated him this season. Whether it was making a young Georgia fan’s Christmas wish come true or leading the Redcoat Marching Band and earning his own uniform after a Senior Day victory, Davis’s personality shined through.
On college football’s biggest stage, Davis will certainly stand out on the field, and regardless of how the Bulldogs fare, his larger-than-life personal brand will shine.
