Deshaun Davis

{{Short description|American gridiron football player (born 1995)}}

{{Infobox NFL biography

| name = Deshaun Davis

| image =

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| current_team = Jacksonville State Gamecocks

| number =

| position = Linebackers coach

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1995|12|31}}

| birth_place = Prichard, Alabama, U.S.

| death_date =

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| height_ft = 5

| height_in = 11

| weight_lb = 230

| high_school = Vigor (Prichard, Alabama)

| college = Auburn (2014–2018)

| draftyear = 2019

| draftround = 6

| draftpick = 210

| pastteams =

Cincinnati Bengals ({{NFL Year|2019}})*
Jacksonville Jaguars ({{NFL Year|2019}})*
Philadelphia Eagles ({{NFL Year|2019}})*
Saskatchewan Roughriders ({{CFL Year|2020}}–{{CFL Year|2021}})*

| pastcoaching =

UCF (2022)
Graduate assistant
North Alabama (2023–2024)
Linebackers coach
Jacksonville State (2025-present)
Linebackers coach

| status =

| cflstatus = American

| highlights =

First-team All-SEC (2018)

| statleague = NFL

| statseason =

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}}

Deshaun Davis (born December 31, 1995) is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the linebackers coach at Jacksonville State University. Davis played college football at Auburn as an inside linebacker.

Early life

Davis was all-state at Vigor High School his sophomore and junior seasons. A torn ACL ended Davis' senior year. He committed to Auburn on April 17, 2013, choosing the Tigers over Clemson, Florida State, LSU and Kentucky.{{cite web |title=Deshaun Davis, Vigor, Inside Linebacker |url=https://247sports.com/Player/Deshaun-Davis-21296/high-school-33747/ |website=247Sports |access-date=October 10, 2020}} In addition to football, Davis played basketball and baseball at Vigor.{{cite web |last1=Darrington |first1=Kamarri |title=Auburn's Deshaun Davis completing journey from sidelines |url=https://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/sports/college/auburn/2018/07/24/auburns-deshaun-davis-completing-journey-sidelines/816836002/ |website=Montgomery Advisor |publisher=Gannett |access-date=October 10, 2020 |date=July 24, 2018}}

College career

At Auburn, Davis redshirted his true freshman year and did not make the starting lineup until his redshirt sophomore season.{{cite web |last1=Jones |first1=Caleb |title=Deshaun Davis signs deal with Saskatchewan Roughriders |url=https://www.theplainsman.com/article/2020/05/deshaun-davis-signs-deal-with-saskatchewan-roughriders |website=Auburn Plainsman |access-date=October 10, 2020 |date=May 7, 2020}} During his redshirt freshman season, then-defensive coordinator Will Muschamp told Davis to expect no playing time, leaving the player to consider a transfer.{{cite web |last1=Thomas |first1=Ben |title='Every day is Deshaun Davis Day:' Former Auburn star honored in Vigor return |url=https://www.al.com/sports/2019/01/every-day-is-deshaun-davis-day-former-auburn-star-honored-in-vigor-return.html |website=AL.com |access-date=October 10, 2020 |date=January 25, 2019}} Davis started occasionally taking over playcalling duties from defensive coordinator Kevin Steele.{{cite web |last1=Green |first1=Tom |title=How linebacker Deshaun Davis became Auburn's other 'defensive coordinator' |url=https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2018/07/deshaun_davis_auburn_dc.html |website=AL.com |access-date=October 10, 2020 |date=July 24, 2018}} During his senior season, Davis led the team in tackles and was named first-team all-Southeastern Conference.{{cite web |last1=Marcum |first1=Jason |title=Deshaun Davis contract breakdown with Bengals |url=https://www.cincyjungle.com/2019/6/24/18662002/deshaun-davis-contract-auburn-tigers-football-bengals |website=Cincy Jungle |publisher=SBNation |access-date=October 10, 2020 |date=June 24, 2019}} An ankle tweak against Mississippi State threatened to derail his season, but Davis did not miss any games as a result of that injury.{{cite web |last1=Lee |first1=Justin |title=Auburn star middle linebacker Deshaun Davis practicing this week after injury scare |url=https://oanow.com/sports/college/auburn/auburn-star-middle-linebacker-deshaun-davis-practicing-this-week-after-injury-scare/article_e6205240-cc3c-11e8-99df-979b90e2eedd.html |website=Opelika-Auburn News |access-date=October 10, 2020 |date=October 10, 2018}} After his senior season, Davis participated in the Senior Bowl.{{cite web |last1=Dehner Jr. |first1=Paul |title=Bengals' sixth round (213): LB Deshaun Davis, Auburn |url=https://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/nfl/bengals/2019/04/27/bengals-sixth-round-213-lb-deshaun-davis-auburn/3602280002/ |website=Cincinnati Enquirer |publisher=Gannett |access-date=October 10, 2020 |date=April 27, 2019}}

Professional career

{{NFL predraft

| height ft = 5

| height in = 11+3/8

| weight = 234

| dash =

| ten split =

| twenty split =

| shuttle = 4.38

| cone drill =

| vertical = 31.0

| broad ft = 9

| broad in = 3

| bench = 25

| arm span = 31+1/4

| hand span = 10

| wonderlic =

| note = All values from NFL Combine{{Cite web |url=https://www.nfl.com/prospects/deshaun-davis?id=32194441-5638-7019-8819-a6fd3e0eaa86 |title=Deshaun Davis Combine Profile |website=NFL.com |access-date=March 23, 2020}}

}}

=Cincinnati Bengals=

Davis was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the sixth round (210th overall) of the 2019 NFL draft.{{cite web |last1=Judis |first1=Patrick |title=Bengals select Deshaun Davis with the 210th pick |url=https://www.cincyjungle.com/2019/4/27/18520082/bengals-auburn-tigers-deshaun-davis-nfl-draft-2019 |website=Cincy Jungle |date=April 27, 2019 |access-date=April 28, 2019}} After recording fifteen tackles in the preseason, he was waived during final roster cuts on August 31, 2019.{{cite news |title=Bengals Announce 53-Man Roster |url=https://www.bengals.com/news/bengals-announce-53-man-roster |website=Bengals.com |date=August 31, 2019 |access-date=August 31, 2019 |archive-date=August 31, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190831213214/https://www.bengals.com/news/bengals-announce-53-man-roster |url-status=dead }}

=Jacksonville Jaguars=

On September 2, 2019, Davis was signed to the practice squad of the Jacksonville Jaguars, but was released two days later.{{Cite web |last=Inabinett |first=Mark |date=September 2, 2019 |title=Deshaun Davis gets another NFL opportunity |url=https://www.al.com/sports/2019/09/deshaun-davis-gets-another-nfl-opportunity.html |access-date=September 9, 2019 |website=AL.com}}

=Philadelphia Eagles=

On December 18, 2019, Davis was signed to the Philadelphia Eagles' practice squad.{{cite news |author=McPherson, Chris |title=Eagles place LB Kamu Grugier-Hill on Injured Reserve |url=https://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/news/eagles-place-lb-kamu-grugier-hill-on-injured-reserve |website=PhiladelphiaEagles.com |date=December 18, 2019 |access-date=December 19, 2019}} He was released on January 1, 2020.{{cite web |last1=King |first1=Nathan |title=Former Auburn linebacker Deshaun Davis signs with CFL team |url=https://auburn.n.rivals.com/news/former-auburn-linebacker-deshaun-davis-signs-with-cfl-team-1 |website=Auburn Sports |publisher=Rivals |access-date=October 10, 2020 |date=May 6, 2020}}

=Saskatchewan Roughriders=

Davis signed with the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League on May 6, 2020.{{cite news |title=Riders Sign LB, Deshaun Davis |url=https://www.riderville.com/2020/05/06/riders-sign-lb-deshaun-davis/ |website=Riderville.com |date=May 6, 2020 |access-date=May 6, 2020}} After the CFL canceled the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Davis chose to opt-out of his contract with the Roughriders on August 27, 2020.{{cite news |title=Riders DL Cory Thomas, LB Deshaun Davis opt out to pursue NFL employment |url=https://3downnation.com/2020/08/27/riders-dl-cory-thomas-lb-deshaun-davis-opt-out-to-pursue-nfl-employment/ |website=3downnation.com |date=August 27, 2020 |access-date=August 28, 2020}} Davis was selected by the Conquerors of The Spring League during its player selection draft on October 12, 2020,{{cite tweet |user=TheSpringLeague |title=The #TSL2020 Conquerors LB group! |number=1315718693037510656 |date=October 12, 2020 |accessdate=November 3, 2020}} and opted back in to his contract with the Roughriders on January 4, 2021.{{cite news |title=Riders Transactions - January 4 |url=https://www.riderville.com/2021/01/04/riders-transactions-january-4/ |website=Riderville.com |date=January 4, 2021 |access-date=January 4, 2021}}

Coaching career

Davis started his coaching career as a graduate assistant at the University of Central Florida in 2022. On December 7, 2022, he was announced as the first member of Brent Dearmon's staff coaching linebackers at North Alabama.[https://roarlions.com/news/2022/12/7/football-deshaun-davis-joins-una-football-staff.aspx "Deshaun Davis joins UNA Football staff"] RoarLions.com. Retrieved 2022-12-07.

Personal life

Davis is a Christian.{{cite web |last1=Ostendorf |first1=Greg |title=The unlikely friendship that inspires senior Deshaun Davis |url=https://auburntigers.com/news/2018/11/16/football-the-unlikely-friendship-that-inspires-senior-deshaun-davis |website=Auburn Football |publisher=Auburn University |access-date=October 10, 2020 |date=November 16, 2018}}