Akeem Davis-Gaither
{{Short description|American football player (born 1997)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Akeem Davis-Gaither
| image =
| caption =
| current_team = Arizona Cardinals
| number =
| position = Linebacker
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1997|9|21}}
| birth_place = Thomasville, North Carolina, U.S.
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 2
| weight_lb = 238
| high_school = Thomasville
| college = Appalachian State (2015–2019)
| draftyear = 2020
| draftround = 4
| draftpick = 107
| pastteams =
- Cincinnati Bengals ({{NFL Year|2020}}–{{NFL Year|2024}})
- Arizona Cardinals ({{NFL Year|2025}}–present)
| status = Active
| highlights =
- Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year (2019)
- First-team All-Sun Belt (2019)
- Second-team All-Sun Belt (2018)
| statleague = NFL
| statseason = 2024
| statweek =
| statlabel1 = Total tackles
| statvalue1 = 204
| statlabel2 = Sacks
| statvalue2 = 0.5
| statlabel3 = Forced fumbles
| statvalue3 = 2
| statlabel4 = Fumble recoveries
| statvalue4 = 2
| statlabel5 = Interceptions
| statvalue5 = 2
| statlabel6 = Pass deflections
| statvalue6 = 11
| pfr = DaviAk01
}}
Akeem Brian Davis-Gaither (born September 21, 1997) is an American professional football linebacker for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). He has previously played in the NFL for the Cincinnati Bengals. He played college football for the Appalachian State Mountaineers.
Early life
Davis-Gaither attended Thomasville High School in Thomasville, North Carolina. As a senior in 2015, he had 115 tackles with five sacks and also had eight rushing touchdowns as a running back. He committed to Appalachian State University to play college football.
College career
Davis-Gaither played at Appalachian State from 2015 to 2019.{{Cite web |last=Joyce |first=Ethan |date=2024-06-24 |title=Akeem Davis-Gaither wondered if App State would be the right place for him. Now his patience is paying off |url=https://journalnow.com/sports/college/asu/akeem-davis-gaither-wondered-if-app-state-would-be-the-right-place-for-him-now/article_3359fe45-5dcb-5c75-9470-a24a2ac9ca26.html |access-date=2024-07-25 |website=Winston-Salem Journal}}{{cite web | last=Behr | first=Steve | title=Davis-Gaither gives App State power and quickness at LB | website=Watauga Democrat | date=2023-09-11 | url=https://www.wataugademocrat.com/sports/asu_sports/davis-gaither-gives-app-state-power-and-quickness-at-lb/article_be1b6890-5321-58ac-93c6-f2a6fbe78513.html | access-date=2024-07-25}} As a senior in 2019, he was the Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Year after recording 101 tackles, five sacks and an interception.{{Cite web|url=https://www.the-dispatch.com/sports/20191205/davis-gaither-thrilled-over-award|title=Davis-Gaither thrilled over award|first=Mike|last=Duprez|website=The Dispatch}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.journalnow.com/sports/college/asu/no-21-app-states-darrynton-evans-akeem-davis-gaither-win-sun-belt-offensive-and-defensive/article_eb5a66b0-140e-5734-bc14-2d90efee3c09.html|title=No. 21 App State's Darrynton Evans, Akeem Davis-Gaither win Sun Belt offensive and defensive player of the year awards|first=Ethan Joyce Winston-Salem|last=Journal|website=Winston-Salem Journal}} For his career, Davis-Gaither had 201 tackles, 6.5 sacks and the interception.[https://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/nfl/carolina-panthers/article240259166.html How Appalachian State’s Davis-Gaither went from afterthought to a top LB in NFL Draft]
Professional career
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 6
| height in = 1 1/2
| weight = 224
| dash =
| ten split =
| twenty split =
| shuttle =
| cone drill =
| vertical =
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| bench = 21
| arm span = 31 1/8
| hand span = 9 1/2
| wonderlic =
| note = All values from NFL Combine{{Cite web |url=https://www.nfl.com/prospects/akeem-davis-gaither/32004441-5681-6473-4bbb-eb231ca69181 |title=Akeem Davis-Gaither Draft and Combine Prospect Profile |website=NFL.com |access-date=February 12, 2022}}{{Cite web |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=1007734&DraftYear=2020 |title=Akeem Davis-Gaither, Appalachian State, OLB, 2020 NFL Draft Scout, NCAA College Football |website=draftscout.com |access-date=February 12, 2022}}
}}
=Cincinnati Bengals=
Davis-Gaither was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the fourth round with the 107th pick of the 2020 NFL draft.{{cite news |last1=Marcum |first1=Jason |title=Bengals select Akeem Davis-Gaither in Round 4 of 2020 NFL Draft |url=https://www.cincyjungle.com/2020/4/25/21236186/bengals-picks-2020-nfl-draft-akeem-davis-gaither-appy-state |accessdate=April 27, 2020 |work=Cincy Jungle |date=April 25, 2020}}
In Week 17 against the Baltimore Ravens, Davis-Gaither recorded his first career interception off a pass thrown by Lamar Jackson during the 38–3 loss.{{Cite web |title=Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals - January 3rd, 2021 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/202101030cin.htm |access-date=2021-01-03 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}
On November 9, 2021, Davis-Gaither was placed on injured reserve after suffering a foot injury in Week 9.{{cite web|title=Bengals Make Four Roster Moves Ahead Of The Bye|url=https://www.bengals.com/news/bengals-make-four-roster-moves-ahead-of-the-bye|website=Bengals.com|date=November 9, 2021}} In 2022, Davis recorded a career high 46 tackles and his first fumble recovery. He also intercepted a pass in the Bengals wildcard playoff win against the Ravens.
On March 13, 2024, Davis-Gaither signed a one-year contract extension with the Bengals.{{cite web|title=Bengals Re-Sign Akeem Davis-Gaither|url=https://www.bengals.com/news/bengals-roster-moves-akeem-davis-gaither-re-signed-one-year-2024-season|website=Bengals.com|date=March 13, 2024}}
=Arizona Cardinals=
On March 13, 2025, Davis-Gaither signed with the Arizona Cardinals on a two-year, $11 million contract.{{Cite web|title=Arizona Cardinals announce signing of LB Akeem Davis-Gaither|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/article/arizona-cardinals-announce-signing-lb-225810072.html|access-date=March 14, 2025|website=sports.yahoo.com|language=en}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.azcardinals.com/team/players-roster/akeem-davis-gaither/ Arizona Cardinals bio]
- [https://appstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/akeem-davis-gaither/5411 Appalachian State Mountaineers bio]
{{Arizona Cardinals roster navbox}}
{{Bengals2020DraftPicks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Davis-Gaither, Akeem}}
Category:People from Thomasville, North Carolina
Category:Players of American football from North Carolina
Category:American football linebackers
Category:Appalachian State Mountaineers football players