[Note: This article was written by John Portis and posted in the Fan Post section of the site. This front-page version is his work, though it appears under my name – BiB]
I was always a fan of BiB’s UDFA Spotlight series that ran this time of year. While many of the highlighted players did not make the final roster or provide significant contributions, I enjoyed reading about players fighting for their NFL dream and a shot at a roster spot. Since training camp is a little more than a month away, I decided to research a player that would have been a good candidate for the series: WR Davion Davis.
I will admit to not knowing who he was or that he was even on the roster despite multiple updates in the past few months. When his name appeared among the players taking reps on returns last week I passed over it. However, on Day 3, he appeared in the notes once again on the receiving end of a Mariota TD pass. A quick search of his name revealed that he had actually worked out for Washington in 2019. At the time, Scott Jennings wrote a short recap that detailed his college career.
Davis played 4 seasons for Sam Houston State and was named an All-Pro and SLC Player of the Year in 2017. He was named to the All-Pro Team again in 2018, but suffered a season-ending leg injury to finish out his college career and went undrafted in 2019. He wasn’t signed by Washington after his workout, but instead joined the Vikings. He wound up on the their practice squad before being elevated to the active roster and making his NFL debut versus none other than the Washington Redskins in October 2019. He was waived again a month later and re-signed to the practice squad. The next few years of his career he made the rounds on NFL practice squads including the Browns (2021) and Texans (2021-2022). The story at this point would seem to mirror many UDFAs that toil in the league before washing out.
However, circumstances changed early last year. Davion had signed with the XFL Houston Roughnecks, but requested his release after not logging a snap in the first few games. He ended up in the USFL with the Birmingham Stallions and enjoyed somewhat of a break out season as one of their top receivers on the teams way to securing a championship title. The 27-year-old wide receiver finished second in the USFL in receiving yards with 575 and tied for 5th in receiving TDs.
The performance got him back in the NFL last summer with the Arizona Cardinals where he managed to make a few preseason plays including a 26-yard TD highlight catch versus the Vikings. It wasn’t enough, however, as he was once again released at final cuts. He spent time on both the Cardinals’ and Texans’ practice squads before being released in late December last year.
Washington quietly signed him to their practice squad before the end of the season, and his name was among a host of other future contracts signed on January 8th. While none of this may excite you for the coming season, I have left out one aspect that might. Davis is an accomplished return man.
In his 2017 college season, he returned six kickoffs for 152 yards and 13 Punts for 281 yards, for a 21.6 yard average. His 2017 AP accolades included returner as well as wide receiver.
While he was underutilized in the role in his previous stops, he logged 13 Punt returns for 119 yards and a 9.2 average in the USFL last spring. His RAS score is an underwhelming 3.17 due in large part to a 4.6 40 time paired with a 5 11” 195 lb frame. However, his short shuttle time was excellent and his 4.07 time would have put him in the same company as Mike Sainristil, Luke McCaffrey, and Rome Odunze this year. Looking at some of those names you can tell it is clearly a metric Washington’s front office values.
Olamide Zaccheus, Damiere Byrd, and Kazmeir Allen have all been mentioned as possible challengers to Jamison Crowder’s return role this offseason, but none of them has the resume at the position that Davion Davis brings to the table. A review of his highlights show a player that plays faster than his forty time, wins in contested catch situations, and is not easily brought down by the first man. Davion has experience in the slot as well as the outside and would add versatility as a depth WR . He could challenge Jamison Crowder for his roster spot this year if he can continue to show out at training camp and during the preseason.
One other thing to note — I mentioned earlier that Davion has recorded some preseason splash plays, and his 26-yard TD catch last summer was thrown by none other than David Blough, currently Washington’s assistant QB coach. It can’t hurt to have someone on the coaching staff that is familiar with him and how he runs routes, etc.
A quote from Davis this spring sums up being overlooked and his chances of making the roster.
“It’s how I’ve been all my life, really,” said Davis before Thursday’s practice in preparation for Saturday’s USFL South Division game against the visiting Houston Gamblers. “People might not know me, but when they’re able to see what I do, they’re like, ‘This kid can actually play.”