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11.29.08 - CFI: Player Anatomy: RB James Davis, Clemson

3.26.09 - Twenty-five NFL scouts were among the onlookers at Clemson’s Pro Day. James Davis made a strong impression. Not only did he lower his 40-yard dash time from 4.49 seconds to 4.39 seconds, he looked good catching the ball out of the backfield, a major question mark for pro scouts. He is projected as a middle-round selection.

Davis would have been a sure-fire first day pick if he came out a year ago. However, he chose to stay in school and the Clemson offense turned shambolic in 2008, lowering Davis' draft stock. It doesn't matter if it's fair, it's the reality of the situation. This 40 time will certainly help him move up a bit, but he won't be a day one pick. The question surrounding Davis is--can he be elusive enough at the pro level, and is this speed a representation of how fast he is on the field? He will get his chance to prove the answers to those questions are "yes", and if he can, he'll get paid eventually. Davis could be extra motivated by being drafted later than he thinks he should have been. Davis is a good cutback runner, but isn't known to have breakaway speed and has some serious issues with his pass blocking. - All Access Daily Dose: Clemson Pro Day

2.16.09 - I was excited to see James Davis at the Senior Bowl after watching him for 4 years at Clemson. Unfortunately I came away largely unimpressed by what he showed in practice, but we’ve seen players have bad All-Star performances and still have good NFL careers. He was “thunder” to CJ Spiller’s “lightning” but Davis doesn’t show supreme power between the tackles. I do like his ability to make people miss in the open field, and he has the initial burst to get to space in a hurry. James Davis is a big play waiting to happen, we’ll see if he can take that explosiveness to the next level. - Draft Guys Report On James Davis

1.23.09 - James Davis couldn’t have been more disappointing in passing situations. He struggled trying to block linebackers and he completely missed Rey Maualuga…didn’t even get a hand on him. He wasn’t any better coming out of the backfield as a receiver, allowing passes to go through his hands coughing the ball up after he was hit by a defender in the Thursday scrimmage. - NFL Draft Bible On Location At The Senior Bowl

1.20.09 – MOBILE, James Davis(Clemson) had good hands as a receiver, and he was a willing blocker, although he needs technique work. He still looks like an NFL RB, but he's probably been the fourth best of the four South RBs this week. Draft Guys On Location at The Senior Bowl

1.19.09 – MOBILE, James Davis(Clemson) ran the most upright of the South backs, and looked the most awkward and least athletic, although he showed great effort throughout the practice. Draft Guys On Location at The Senior Bowl

12.31.08 - The Senior Bowl said Wednesday that quarterback Cullen Harper, safety Michael Hamlin and tailback James Davis of the Tigers, along with receiver Kenny McKinley of the Gamecocks accepted invitations to play in the Jan. 24 game.

Scout's Take - 7.1.08

Pros: He has a solid combination of speed and power, with a nose for the end zone (36 touchdowns entering ‘08). A one-cut-and-go runner, Davis hits the hole hard with the ability to utilize his blockers. His running style makes him a between-the-tackles-back who can break tackles and pick up important yards after contact due to his upper body strength. When Davis is able to keep his legs fresh, his yards per carry go up.

Cons: The biggest knock on the Atlanta native is his upright running style, which makes him less elusive and could cause him to wear down due to the big hits he is likely to absorb. He is not extremely fast but his acceleration helps make up for it and Davis certainly has enough speed to be successful. He won’t be much of a factor in the passing game as he hasn’t shown much in terms of hands, route running, or pass blocking skills.

Overall: By opting out of the 2008 NFL Draft, Davis immediately vaulted to the top of the ’09 class of senior backs. Davis took advantage of the 72-hour grace period to pull his name out of the 2008 Draft. After taking the starting running back job from Reggie Merriweather as a true freshman, Davis began to split carries with C.J. Spiller during his sophomore season. Now he hopes to take advantage of some more touches in his final season wearing Orange—as a junior he surpassed a dozen carries in only seven of Clemson’s 13 games. Davis should benefit if he is allowed to play the role he’s played to this point at Clemson, which is sharing the load. He is definitely suited for a zone blocking run scheme offense.

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