Kentucky senior running back Ray Davis was chosen in the fourth round by the Buffalo Bills as the 128th overall pick in the 2024 National Football League Draft, it was announced Saturday in Detroit.
Davis, a graduate transfer from San Francisco, transferred to Kentucky in 2023 after two seasons at Vanderbilt (2021-22) and two at Temple (2019-20). In his lone season with the Wildcats, he had one of the best single-season performances in school history with 199 carries for 1,129 yards (11th on UK’s single-season list) and 14 rushing touchdowns. He also caught 33 passes for 323 yards and seven scores, totaling 21 touchdowns, a single-season school record. Davis became the 11th player in school history to reach 1,000 rushing yards in a single season. His seven receiving touchdowns are the most touchdown catches in a season by a running back in school history and led all running backs in the Football Bowl Subdivision in the ‘23 season. His 126 points also were a single-season school record.
Davis was named a Second-Team All-American by Sports Illustrated and was a First-Team All-SEC choice by the Associated Press, Phil Steele and USA Today. The league’s coaches voted him to the All-SEC Second Team.
Davis is believed to be the only player in NCAA history to total at least 1,000 rushing yards in a career at three different Division I schools (also Temple and Vanderbilt). He also became the first player in Southeastern Conference history to have 1,000-yard seasons at two league schools, also running for 1,042 for Vanderbilt in 2022. He had the fourth-most career rushing yards among active players in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (3,641).
In two seasons at Temple, Davis totaled 1,259 rushing yards and nine touchdowns, along with 27 catches for 243 yards and two TDs.
Davis’ two seasons at Vanderbilt featured 1,253 rushing yards, including his 1,042-yard campaign in 2022. He totaled 34 pass receptions for 196 yards and three TDs as a Commodore.
In the classroom, Davis graduated in 2022 from Vanderbilt with a degree in communications studies. He earned an undergraduate certificate in business from UK in December of ‘23.
The 2024 NFL Draft presented by Bud Light kicked off Thursday, April 25 at 8 p.m. ET with the first round. Rounds 2-3 were Friday, April 26 at 7 p.m. ET and Rounds 4-7 are Saturday, April 27 at noon ET in Detroit’s downtown Campus Martius Park and Hart Plaza. All rounds will be covered on NFL Network, NFL+, the NFL Channel, ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes.
Kentucky/NFL Draft Notes:
By LEOCCIANO CALLAO Published: 17:24 GMT, 7 March 2025 | Updated: 17:47 GMT, 7 March 2025
No, that’s not a bee you’re hearing. That’s the sound of the buzz following former Kentucky cornerback Maxwell Hairston after an impressive performance i
NFL NationCloseNFL NationNFL Nation is made up of 32 team-specific reporters who cover the NFL year-round across ESPN.com, ESPN television shows, ESPN Radio, ES
After six seasons in a 49ers uniform, Deebo Samuel is getting a change of scenery.The 49ers agreed to flip their longtime offensive