Friday open thread: How would you grade Jarrad Davis’ rookie season so far?

Earlier in the week, we partook in a little hindsight to see what could have happened had the Detroit Lions chosen a different player with their 2017 first round draft pick. Aside from the season Reuben Foster is having over in San Francisco, there really wasn’t a popular pick that has had an outstanding rookie year.

So let’s turn back to the pick Detroit did make: Jarrad Davis. Davis has had an up and down year, with some very high highs and some extremely low lows. At times he’s looked like a rookie (or even worse), at times he’s looked like a future All Pro.

So today’s Question of the Day is:

What grade would you give Jarrad Davis for his rookie season thus far?

My answer: C-.

I’ll openly admit that I probably came into the season with a little higher expectations than I should have for Davis. Considering where the Lions’ linebacking corps was last year, I expected a drastic turnaround all on the shoulders of the Florida rookie. That didn’t exactly happen.

But I wasn’t the only one with bloated expectations. The Detroit Lions began the year expecting Davis to be a three-down back immediately. In his first six starts in which he finished the game, he played in every single snap. However, the Lions realized Davis wasn’t quite ready to be that dependable coverage linebacker, and since Week 11 he has basically come off the field for all obvious passing downs.

It’s made him a better linebacker and it’s made the Lions a better team, but it’s also a mild disappointment.

For a first round pick, Davis has just been okay. His physical nature and explosive playing style will peek its head through every now and then, but it just isn’t consistent enough right now. If he can continue to have performances like last week against the Bears, in which he did this:

Then the Lions may have themselves a special player, but he’s got a long ways to go (and a lot of time) to convince me.

Your turn.