Voted Captain, Jets' Top Wide Receiver Corey Davis Is Ready to Lead

New York Jets wide receiver Corey Davis was added in free agency to be a number one wide receiver. Now he'll lead a young wide receiver corps as a team captain

Joshua Sarner/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Shortly after signing with the Jets in free agency this offseason, Corey Davis confidently stated that he has what it takes to be New York's No. 1 wide receiver this year and beyond.

Days before his first season with Gang Green officially begins, Davis feels the same way. Except now, he'll take the field on Sunday in Carolina with a "C" on his chest.

The wideout was named as one of New York's five captains on Wednesday, a group that was voted on by his teammates. 

"Man it's amazing. It's a great feeling," Davis told reporters. "Coming here for the first year, having these players vote me to be captain speaks volumes. They have a lot of trust in me and a lot of confidence in me. It feels good man. Got to lead these boys and I'm ready for it."

Corey Davis on being named a captain by his teammates:

"I'm not a very vocal guy, but I'm going to lead this boys best I can. I want to evolve as a person and a player as well" pic.twitter.com/0WMHyYnXvu

— Jets Videos (@snyjets) September 8, 2021

Davis, 26, blossomed into a rising star at his position over his four seasons with the Titans. Just last year, the former first-rounder set a career-high with 984 receiving yards and five touchdown grabs.

In green and white, however, he's the clear-cut leader of this receiving corps, a stud that's poised to have another career year as rookie quarterback Zach Wilson's top target.

"I know that I'm a number one receiver in this league. It's great that they saw that during free agency," Davis explained. "Like I said, I've always thought of myself as a number one receiver. I just gotta go out there and prove it to the league."

As much as Davis wants to show the fans and his peers what he can do, it sounds like he's already proven what he's capable of to Wilson. Especially with the way Davis has acted off the field through offseason workouts, training camp and the preseason.

"I thought Corey was a perfect pick to be a captain. Really, he’s not a vocal leader and I don’t think you need him to be, at all," Wilson said. "I think you see his leadership day in and day out and just the way that he approaches the game and the way that he just does everything right."

Same goes for head coach Robert Saleh, who said Wednesday that he could gush about Davis for five minutes at a time.

"From a coach’s standpoint, when you draw up a player, you can’t draw it up better for him with his mindset, the way he prepares every day, the way he goes about his business, the way he talks to his teammates, the way he takes care of himself," Saleh said. "Then you go on the field, he’s on his job, every single detail. he’s deliberate in everything that he does. And then, on top of it, he’s pretty damn good at what he does too. He’s been everything we expected as a free agent pickup, because they don’t always work out that way, and knock on wood, he’s been awesome."

That's high praise from the first-year quarterback and his head coach.

New York's offense is young, a unit that's adjusting to a new scheme in 2021 with several new faces. Don't be surprised if they manage some growing pains as Wilson transitions to the next level. 

All signs point toward Davis being a rock for the Jets on the offensive side of the ball, though. And serving as a captain will afford Davis more of an opportunity to lead away from the game as well.

"We have a young team, young wideout corps, and a lot of these guys lean on me, and that's something that I want. I want that pressure," Davis said. "Like I said, I'm ready for it."

MORE:

• Jets Reveal Five Captains For 2021 Season
• Jets Among League's Worst in Preseason Power Rankings
• New York Jets 2021 Season Preview

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