Davion Davis continued to open eyes at the practice after he scored a touchdown in his first preseason game with the Browns. (Cleveland Browns)
Meet Davion Davis, the Browns receiver who came out of nowhere to star in their first preseason game
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland.
Takeaways from Day 14 of Browns training camp …
Davion Davis is the reason NFL preseason games still need to be played.
The anonymous Browns wide receiver was the last player brought to camp and only got there after an injury led to retirement of another wideout, Derrick Willies.
He’s the 10th receiver on a depth chart top-heavy with stars like Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham Jr., training camp-sensation Donovan Peoples-Jones, reliable pass-catchers Rashard Higgins and KhaDarel Hodge, and two rookie draft picks.
And Davis went out Saturday in Jacksonville and had the game of his life – making an acrobatic TD catch over Jaguars heralded rookie cornerback Tyson Campbell, and three other sure-handed grabs to lead everyone with 56 yards receiving on four catches.
It earned him the leadoff spot at the podium in daily interviews with the news-starved media scrambling to answer the question, “Who is Davion Davis?”.
“It was crazy,” Davis said Tuesday, still humbled by the experience in Jacksonville. “My first NFL touchdown. So I didn’t know how to celebrate. I just gave my grandma thanks and celebrated with the team. A dream come true, honestly.”
Davis’ path to the Browns is typical of unheralded players pursuing their dream despite limited opportunities. They need any rep in preseason games because they get few in practice.
Davis scored 20 touchdowns as a junior at Sam Houston State, then suffered injuries as a senior and turned in an unimpressive 40 time at his pro day. He was invited to the Minnesota Vikings camp in 2019 -- at a time Kevin Stefanski was the club's quarterbacks coach -- and spent that season mostly on their practice squad.
Davis was out of the NFL in 2020 and got some exposure in the developmental Spring Football League.
Now he’s being congratulated for making the play-of-the-game in a receivers room with Landry and Beckham.
“It’s crazy,” Davis said. “I still can’t believe I come in every day and I’m with guys like Odell and Jarvis and [Ryan Switzer] and [Higgins] and everybody. It’s people I’ve looked up to get to this point. It’s a dream come true.
"Me and Kyle [Lauletta, who combined with him for the four receptions] actually played against each other in college, his senior year, my junior year. I just figured that out last week.
“It’s been a crazy past year, year-and-a-half for me. I stayed true, stayed driven on my goal and dream. I’m blessed to have the opportunity."
Davis said the dream started with his grandmother, Bernice, who told his mom when Davis was born that he would be the football player in the family. Bernice passed away in 2011 and Davis said he honors her by blowing a kiss to the sky. He did it after his touchdown in Jacksonville and then sent an image of it to his mom.
“And she started bawling on the phone. I’m blessed. I give thanks to my grandma, my mom, everyone behind me,” Davis said.
A year ago, Davis wouldn’t have had the opportunity to shine in a game because preseason was canceled due to the pandemic.
“You would have had to make your plays in practice,” he said.
He didn't rest on his laurels. On Tuesday, Davis hauled in an over-the-shoulder catch on a deep ball heaved by Case Keenum. The fans in attendance responded with loud cheers. And because of his highlight play in Jacksonville, they knew who No. 18 was.
Big impression
Veteran newcomer Anthony Walker is the leader of the linebacker group this year, and he came away from the Jacksonville game duly impressed with rookie Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah.
Walker’s take: “Fast, as you know. Quick reads, got to the point of attack right away, eight tackles, three TFLs, one sack. Played [47] snaps and special teams as well, which is a good day’s work for anybody but for him to go out and execute on defense and special teams, especially after missing a couple days at the start of training camp, to get himself back into shape and in the position he’s in now is definitely a testament to his work.”
Nevertheless, in Tuesday’s light, non-padded practice, JOK took a backseat in team drills to Jacob Phillips, who worked mostly with the first team.
Also, Mack Wilson, who suffered a sprained shoulder in the Jacksonville game, was back in uniform and participating in all drills.
JOK, Phillips and Wilson are competing for the lone open starting spot at WILL linebacker.
Welcome back
Three players who missed significant practice time with hamstring injuries returned to the field on Tuesday. Safety Grant Delpit (12 missed practices), safety Ronnie Harrison (10) and rookie receiver Anthony Schwartz (nine) all participated in team drills.
Still out were end Myles Garrett (hamstring), cornerback Denzel Ward (undefined soreness) and end Jadeveon Clowney (undisclosed).
You would think the Browns are managing these players to be good for the joint practices against the Giants on Thursday and Friday.
“Honestly, you would love to have all of those guys available today, but [we] just want to be smart about it,” coach Kevin Stefanski said. “Specifically to those Giants practices, we will see when they are ready, if they are ready.”
Beckham did work individually and in position drills and was with the first team going against air. But Stefanski was even more evasive when asked if Beckham would be involved in the practices against his former team.
“Ramping him up appropriately,” the coach said. “We’ll kind of take things day by day.”
Brownie bits
Stefanski confirmed that tight end Stephen Carlson (knee) and Switzer (foot) will have surgery. Carlson definitely will be lost for the season …
Rookie Demetric Felton, who had four catches in Jacksonville working exclusively as a slot receiver, spent the entire practice with the running backs. Felton has never practiced both positions on the same day. The Browns would like to reassure whether Felton can handle the running back position in a game …
The team’s unofficial depth chart in the second preseason week had no changes from the first, with the exception of Carlson being removed because of his season-ending injury.
