Isaiah Davis wasn’t included on a listing of the nation’s 247 greatest operating backs within the 2020 school soccer recruiting class.
He’s nowhere to be discovered among the many state of Missouri’s 65 highest-ranked recruits that very same 12 months.
However Davis’ identify all the time might be subsequent to choose No. 173 within the 2024 NFL Draft after the Jets selected the previous South Dakota State star — not any of his friends who as soon as earned extra recruiting stars from 247Sports — within the fifth spherical.
“It’s a dream come true being right here. I all the time had a objective in thoughts to play within the NFL,” stated Davis, whose solely different school scholarship supply was to play linebacker at Missouri Southern State. “I by no means [had] doubt in myself. A part of this entire journey, I really feel like the rationale why I’ve come so far as I’ve is I’ve all the time had [doubters] that’s made me be a lot hungrier.”
The Jets drafted two operating backs — fourth-rounder Braelon Allen is the opposite — one 12 months after utilizing a fifth-round decide on Israel Abanikanda.
The pecking order behind starter Breece Corridor — whom Davis met Saturday within the locker room earlier than the ultimate day of rookie minicamp — is extensive open.
Davis led FCS gamers with 1,578 dashing yards final season.
He scored 51 touchdowns in 46 profession video games. He grew to become a workhorse with 485 carries over the past two seasons however swatted away a query about contemporary legs.
“After these final couple months coaching,” Davis stated, “my physique is the most effective it’s ever felt.”
Head coach Robert Saleh pointed to Davis as one in every of a handful of rookies whose physicality may develop into a “contagious trait that permeates all through your complete constructing.”
“That’s the usual you’ve obtained to reside by, play the sport by,” Davis stated. “I’ve all the time performed the sport with physicality. Operating again, particular groups, no matter it might, asserting dominance and being bodily.”
First-round decide OT Olu Fashanu (quad pressure) was restricted to some motion drills with a coach in the beginning of apply. Third-round decide WR Malachi Corley ran via the foot ladder and jogged beneath some deep throws from a staffer.
Seventh-round decide security Jaylen Key — the final decide of the draft — has embraced folks across the Jets’ facility and again dwelling in Florida calling him “Mr. Irrelevant.”
“It’s one thing you get used to fast,” Key stated. “I prefer it.”
The chances are stacked longest towards the 47 gamers who attended minicamp on a tryout foundation and must flash on restricted alternatives.
Shane Hooks, a 6-5 receiver from Auburn, did simply that by making two highlight-reel deep catches towards tight protection.
The primary was a full-extension diving seize after which he popped up searching for extra yards, and the second was reaching excessive of a defensive again and ending the play in the long run zone.
Three veteran free brokers with three or extra years of NFL expertise tried out at minicamp: RB Qadree Ollison, CB Breon Borders and S Obi Melifonwu.
Melifonwu, 30, is a former second-round decide of the Raiders who final performed within the NFL in 2018 however was within the USFL in 2022.
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