Dowayne Davis
Encyclopedia
Dowayne D. Davis is an American football
safety who is currently a free agent
. He was signed by the Dallas Cowboys
as an undrafted free agent in 2008. He played college football
at Syracuse
.
Davis has also been a member of the Kansas City Chiefs
and Detroit Lions
.
, and moved to the United States at age 10. He began playing football while attending high in New York City. He played high school football as a linebacker and running back at Christopher Columbus High School
in The Bronx
.
He set a school records records in September 2003 with 35 carries and 306 rushing yards and scored all of Columbus' points (two touchdowns and two two-point conversions) in a 16-12 win over Campus Magnet. In October 2004, he was the only Bronx athlete to play for the New York State All-Star team in the 7th annual Governor's Bowl All-Star Football Game. Davis had four solo tackles in the game and regarded as "the lockdown corner of the game."
in 2004. He played college football at Syracuse from 2004 to 2007. He started 35 consecutive games and totaled 216 tackles for the Orangemen to rank 10th all-time in career tackles by a defensive back at Syracuse. As a sophomore in 2005, Davis was moved to the strong safety position. Davis was a starter at the strong safety position for Syracuse in 2005 and 2006, but he was switched to the cornerback position for the 2007 season. In January 2008, Davis was honored by the Central New York Chapter of the National Football Foundation
as the Scholar Athlete of the Year. He was also selected to the Big East Conference
All-Academic Team.
, Davis entered the NFL by signing with the Dallas Cowboys
on May 1, 2008. He was waived by the Cowboys on August 30 during final cuts.
. He was released on September 25.
on December 16, 2008. Following the season, he was re-signed to a future contract on December 29. The Lions released Davis on April 16.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
safety who is currently a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
. He was signed by the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
as an undrafted free agent in 2008. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Syracuse
Syracuse Orange football
The Syracuse Orange football program is a college football team that represents Syracuse University. The team is a member of the Big East Conference, which is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I conference that is part of the Football Bowl Subdivision...
.
Davis has also been a member of the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
and Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
.
Early years
Davis was born in Kingston, JamaicaKingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...
, and moved to the United States at age 10. He began playing football while attending high in New York City. He played high school football as a linebacker and running back at Christopher Columbus High School
Christopher Columbus High School (Bronx, New York)
Christopher Columbus High School is a public secondary school located in the Pelham Parkway, northeast section of the Bronx, New York. It is within walking distance from the Bronx Zoo and the New York Botanical Garden....
in The Bronx
The Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
.
He set a school records records in September 2003 with 35 carries and 306 rushing yards and scored all of Columbus' points (two touchdowns and two two-point conversions) in a 16-12 win over Campus Magnet. In October 2004, he was the only Bronx athlete to play for the New York State All-Star team in the 7th annual Governor's Bowl All-Star Football Game. Davis had four solo tackles in the game and regarded as "the lockdown corner of the game."
Syracuse University
Davis enrolled at Syracuse UniversitySyracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
in 2004. He played college football at Syracuse from 2004 to 2007. He started 35 consecutive games and totaled 216 tackles for the Orangemen to rank 10th all-time in career tackles by a defensive back at Syracuse. As a sophomore in 2005, Davis was moved to the strong safety position. Davis was a starter at the strong safety position for Syracuse in 2005 and 2006, but he was switched to the cornerback position for the 2007 season. In January 2008, Davis was honored by the Central New York Chapter of the National Football Foundation
National Football Foundation
The National Football Foundation is a non-profit organization founded in 1947 by General Douglas MacArthur, legendary Army Black Knights football coach Earl "Red" Blaik and journalist Grantland Rice...
as the Scholar Athlete of the Year. He was also selected to the Big East Conference
Big East Conference
The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletics conference consisting of sixteen universities in the eastern half of the United States. The conference's 17 members participate in 24 NCAA sports...
All-Academic Team.
Dallas Cowboys
Not selected in the 2008 NFL Draft2008 NFL Draft
The 2008 NFL Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 26 and April 27, 2008. For the 29th consecutive year, ESPN televised the draft; the NFL Network also broadcast the event, its third year doing so...
, Davis entered the NFL by signing with the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
on May 1, 2008. He was waived by the Cowboys on August 30 during final cuts.
Kansas City Chiefs
On September 3, 2008, Davis was added to the practice squad of the Kansas City ChiefsKansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
. He was released on September 25.
Detroit Lions
Davis was signed to the practice squad of the Detroit LionsDetroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
on December 16, 2008. Following the season, he was re-signed to a future contract on December 29. The Lions released Davis on April 16.