[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbyzzyj3n3jt6m7 player_id=none image=https://badgerswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]
When Menomonee Falls (Wis.) running back, Julius Davis committed to UW in 2019, many throughout the program felt they had found their next stud running back.
Despite missing almost his entire senior season, Davis finished his prep career with 447 carries for 3,067 yards and 32 touchdowns.
Davis was rated as a three-star recruit by 247, and was the #1 player in the state of Wisconsin with offers from the likes of Notre Dame, LSU, and USC. So, securing a commitment from Davis was no small addition.
With his commitment, Davis became the first scholarship running back out of Wisconsin to join the program in seven years.
Since joining the program
It’s been a bit of an uneven career for Julius Davis in Madison so far. Davis wisely chose to red-shirt in 2019, and saw just 1 carry for 1 yard in 2020.
I would also be remiss if I didn’t mention that injuries have contributed to the derailment of his career. Davis has struggled to remain healthy, which has in turn made it difficult to earn opportunities.
Few players would have benefited from the additional reps in spring ball more than Davis – but he was once again unavailable, leaving the touches to walk-on running back Brady Schipper who still remains ahead of him on the depth chart. .
As the Badgers concluded fall camp, Julius Davis found himself essentially 6th on the depth chart behind the likes of: Chez Mellusi, Jalen Berger, Isaac Guerendo, Braelon Allen, and Brady Schipper. This left little to no opportunity for Davis to earn carries.
This season, the program saw the departures of Jalen Berger, Loyal Crawford, and Antwan Roberts at running back – while also losing Chez Mellusi and Isaac Guerendo to season ending injuries of their own.
This left the program gutted of their running back depth, leaving just Braelon Allen, Brady Schipper, Julius Davis and Jackson Aker as the only healthy backs.
Despite the lack of healthy bodies at the position, Julius Davis remained behind walk-on Brady Schipper and logged just 25 snaps during the season. It took Berger getting dismissed and Guerendo going down with an injury for Davis to even make the traveling roster.
For his career, Julius Davis has received 20 carries for 103 yards (5.2 YPC).
I’m certainly not going to write off a player as young or as talented as I’ve seen on tape, but after three years in the program – I’m not sure Wisconsin is any closer to knowing what they have in the Menomonee Falls native.
Contact/Follow us @TheBadgersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin news, notes, opinion and analysis.