After two years as a Bear Cub, junior Andre Davis is entering his first year of playing football at Kansas State University.
He received a football scholarship after pulling in 41 catches for 841 yards in addition to eight total touchdowns. He was ranked fifth in the whole Junior College nation as a wide receiver, and 35th overall on the prospect big board.
Davis was able to make his dreams of playing Division 1 football happen after growing up in the tough streets of Baltimore.
“Baltimore prepared me for anything life throws at me, because life isn’t promised everyday there,” Davis said.
Davis, 20, began playing football when he was 5. It was a way to stay out of trouble.
“I played before I knew I was good, before people told me I was good enough to go places. I just loved it,” he said.
Football helped bring a sense of responsibility to his life. “Football is like life; you got responsibility on the field and a job to do. You’ll have your ups and downs, but if you work hard, you’ll succeed,” Davis said.
After excelling during his senior year at Laurence Dunbar High School in East Baltimore, Davis was surprisingly not recruited by four-year universities, which lead him to SRJC.
His time in Santa Rosa helped Davis mature, not only as a wide receiver, but as a man.
“I got to Santa Rosa when I was only 17 years old. I had never been out on my own. It made me more mentally strong and brought a sense of independence,” Davis said.
After an up-and-down freshman year, Davis went home to Baltimore for eight months and sat out the 2012 season before he returned to SRJC determined to succeed in 2013.
He busted onto the scene with a two-catch 94-yard performance, which included a 75-yard reception in the 2013 season opener against Mendocino College.
The Bear Cubs utilized Davis in all aspects of the game, lining him up as a wide receiver, running back and kick returner.
Davis was a big-time playmaker for the Bear Cubs in 2013. His 20.5 yards per reception was good enough to rank fourth in the nation among Junior College football players.
Davis was able to capture All-Nor Cal and All-State awards while being voted team MVP and captain.
According to ESPN Recruiting Nation, Davis has some notable strengths on the field.
“He has good size and is a lean, muscular, quick-twitch athlete with great speed and quickness. He does a very nice job extending away from his frame to snag balls on the run, tucks quickly and immediately is looking to make someone miss and usually does,” said ESPN writer Jake Trotter.
The tougher the competition, the better Davis has played. Now entering his first season in the Big 12 conference, he looks to only get better each day.
“We work real hard everyday. I feel I haven’t touched my limit yet, I still have more to prove,” Davis said.
Davis looks to make an immediate impact for his team in 2014 and he might just be what the Kansas State Wildcats are looking for. “He does not have many weaknesses; pays attention to the little things as a route runner, has playmaking skills at all three levels of the field. He can stretch and win and also produces big plays as a return man. We would expect this kid to make an immediate impact and step into a starting position,” Trotter said.
Davis has all the tools one looks for in a wide receiver; he is big, fast and a threat to take it to the house on any reception. Not many players possess the vision Davis has in the open field. He has juke moves you see in “Madden”; sometimes he makes defenders look ridiculous.
“I just feel special with the ball in my hands and when I’m on the field I don’t worry about anything,” Davis said.
Davis should have an impact this year, not because of his size or skills but because of his hard work and dedication to his craft. With some great coaches, who knows? Maybe when next year Davis can have his name called in the NFL draft.