Jordan Davis never actually left South Alabama, and yet his return is perhaps the biggest roster news of the Jaguars’ offseason.

Davis, the team’s starting left tackle the last two seasons, entered the transfer portal for a little more than a week following spring practice. He said he entered the portal just to “see what’s out there,” but soon enough realized that he could achieve his dream of playing in the NFL from South Alabama.

“The portal is part of the new age of college football, man,” Davis said. “It’s OK to be a little curious sometimes. But I want to keep the main thing the main thing, which is the NFL, and I feel like that’s possible in Mobile.”

The 6-foot-5, 305-pound Davis, who grew up in the Atlanta area, originally signed with South Carolina out of high school. He spent two seasons with the Gamecocks, but never saw any on-field action.

Davis began the 2023 season working behind senior Josh McCulloch at left tackle. But after McCulloch aggravated a recurring knee injury in Week 4 vs. Central Michigan, Davis took over at the position and has never relented.

Losing Davis would have been an especially heavy blow for the Jaguars, who had already seen starting quarterback Gio Lopez (North Carolina), starting right tackle Malachi Carney (Georgia Tech) and freshman sensation running back Fluff Bothwell (Mississippi State) leave via the transfer portal. Retaining Davis to go along with fellow offensive line veterans Malachi Preciado at center and Kenton Jerido at guard, head coach Major Applewhite said, was in a word, “huge.”

“To have three or four guys return with experience is almost unheard of in the Sun Belt,” Applewhite said. “From an experience standpoint, from a continuity up front standpoint … you’re obviously just trying to hold on to as many good players as you can.

“It’s leadership, it’s experience, it’s talent. He’s kind of a security blanket for the offensive line, running backs, quarterbacks — they feel better about that guy being on the team. I don’t know how to measure it, but it’s extremely important to have him back.”

South Alabama opens the 2025 season at home Aug. 30 vs. Morgan State.