Hogs Haven
[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...
