Ray Davis leaves his monster season in Kentucky for the NFL
Ray Davis began his collegiate career at Temple where he was the primary back as a freshman. He was still the most productive back in 2020 but his season was limited for four games due to the impact of COVID on their schedule and the Owls were only 1-6 on the year. Davis entered the transfer portal and landed at Vanderbilt.
After only appearing in three games in 2021 playing in the Commodores backfield committee, Davis took over as the clear starter and logged 1,042 yards on 232 rushes as a senior, and tacked on 29 receptions. His first season at Vanderbilt ended with a knee injury as his only notable health history.
Davis then transferred to Kentucky as a fifth-year senior where he ran for a career best 1,129 yards on 199 rushes and totaled 21 touchdowns. He attended the NFL Combine where he recorded solid results though at 5-8, he is one of the shortest rookie running backs. Davis needed an extra year in high school due to academic grades and coupled with his five seasons in college, he’ll turn 25 years old in November.
Height: 5-8
Weight: 211 pounds
40 time: 4.53 seconds
Ray Davis stats (2019-23)
| Year |
School |
Games |
Runs |
Yards |
Avg. |
TD |
Catch |
Yards |
TD |
| 2019 |
Temple |
12 |
193 |
936 |
4.8 |
8 |
15 |
181 |
2 |
| 2020 |
Temple |
4 |
78 |
308 |
3.9 |
1 |
12 |
62 |
0 |
| 2021 |
Vanderbilt |
3 |
44 |
211 |
4.8 |
1 |
5 |
27 |
0 |
| 2022 |
Vanderbilt |
12 |
232 |
1042 |
4.5 |
5 |
29 |
169 |
3 |
| 2023 |
Kentucky |
13 |
199 |
1129 |
5.7 |
14 |
33 |
323 |
7 |
Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
Pros
- Shorter but compact and powerful, he is a decisive runner that is tough to bring down and gains added yards after contact
- Above average balance that allows him to remain upright when defenders do not wrap up
- Never lost a fumble in college
- Good vision and patience in picking the right lane which shows up even more as a valuable goal line threat
- Has workhorse ability and is durable
- Capable receiver that can play on all three downs
Cons
- Pass pro needs work
- More of an inside rusher than a speedy outside runner and his power will be more tested at the pro level
- Lower level of competition in college will make the switch to the NFL a tougher challenge
- Lacks the top-end gear for long gains, burst is only adequate
- Will turn 25 years old in November
Fantasy outlook
Ray Davis bounced around three schools over the last five years, finally gaining notice last season in Kentucky as a powerful rusher and capable receiver that can play on all three downs. He is already the same age as Travis Etienne and Jonathan Taylor, which is concerning in a long-term view.
This is considered to be a poor year for rookie running backs and none may be drafted until the third round. Davis will be a Day 3 pick but he can offer immediate help to his NFL team. He is considered to be one of the most fundamentally sound backs in this class and while he may not be elite in any area, he is very good in most.
He could go anywhere to a team that is looking for backfield depth and may end up becoming the immediate No. 2 back depending on the situation he encounters. The Los Angeles Rams, New York Giants, Carolina Panthers, and Dallas Cowboys would be the more advantageous landing spots, but Davis could end up almost anywhere. He’s one to track regardless of where he lands because he is older and more mature, and able to step into any needed role.
