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Athletic, multitalented middle linebackers are overtaking SEC defenses

The first few collegiate practices for Jarrad Davis were a blur. That is to say, he was surrounded by blurs.

The scrawny, stiff-hipped linebacker was placed on an island, asked to cover quick-twitch wide receivers, as a defensive back would. Florida's big-hitting, three-star prospect from Kingsland, Georgia, went from dominating his relatively small bubble in the middle to moving -- uh, running -- around as receivers left Davis “spinning around in circles” from cuts and wiggles.

“When I came out of high school, I was probably one of the least athletic guys as far as stepping out of the box and having to cover somebody," Davis told ESPN.