NFL Draft

What Sets Kentucky's Ray Davis Apart from the Rest of the 2024 NFL Draft's RB Class

Davis should make an instant impact as a three-down weapon at the next level.

Luke Easterling

What Sets Kentucky's Ray Davis Apart from the Rest of the 2024 NFL Draft's RB Class
What Sets Kentucky's Ray Davis Apart from the Rest of the 2024 NFL Draft's RB Class /

After last year's class featured two dynamic playmakers who came off the board in the top 12 picks, the 2024 NFL Draft doesn't feature that kind of marquee talent at running back.

In fact, it wouldn't be shocking to see the first two rounds of this year's draft come and go without seeing a single one of this year's top prospects at the position come off the board.

Kentucky's Ray Davis may not be the first of them to hear his name called, but he brings a versatile, three-down skill set that could easily make him one of the most productive players in the group from Day 1.

Davis checks all the boxes as both a runner and a pass-catcher out of the backfield that NFL teams will be looking for come April:

If your favorite team is looking for value at running back in this year's draft, landing Davis in the middle rounds could give them a productive player who can make a big impact on the ground and through the air, and could challenge for a starting job immediately.

This year's running back class features other prospects who may have a particular trait that's better than what Davis brings in that area, but his well-rounded game could be what ends up setting him apart from his peers.

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Luke Easterling
LUKE EASTERLING

Luke Easterling (he/him) has been covering college football and the NFL for more than two decades, with a particular focus on the nexus of both, the NFL Draft. Writing for some of the largest and most recognizable brands in sports media, Luke's experience and expertise in evaluating potential NFL prospects and evaluating team needs/fits has earned the appreciation of his readers, and the respect of his peers. Luke cut his sports journalism teeth at The Tampa Tribune before spending two years at Bleacher Report as a featured columnist covering the NFL Draft and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Luke then spent nearly seven years at USA TODAY Sports Media Group as editor of Draft Wire and Bucs Wire, building both into authoritative destination sites for their respective audiences. Now at The Arena Group, Luke covers the NFL and college football for Athlon Sports, and runs Sports Illustrated's FanNation site for the NFL Draft. A graduate of the University of South Florida, Luke has been a featured guest on ESPN Radio, CBS Sports Radio, Fox Sports Radio, SiriusXM and more.  Based in Tampa, Florida (the true home of the Cuban sandwich), Luke plays the drums, loves 2000s pop-punk, watches way too many British murder mystery shows, and channels the energy of his deep-south Grammy and his full-Italian Nana in the kitchen. Twitter: @lukeeasterling Email: luke.easterling@si.com

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