The Green Bay Packers have made some big changes at running back this offseason, and now they’re doing homework on prospects like Ray Davis ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft.
The Athletic‘s Dan Brugler posted a video of Davis to X. Along with highlighting a key play from Davis, Brugler noted that the former Kentucky Wildcats running back was visiting with the Packers on Monday, April 8.
#Kentucky RB Ray Davis has one of the best backstories in the draft class (read @zkeefer's story). But he is also a really talented back who will make an impact as an NFL rookie.
Davis is in Green Bay today and then has more team visits scheduled w/ Denver, Atlanta and Arizona. pic.twitter.com/pd0MZKp5eG
— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) April 8, 2024
Davis is also scheduled to meet with multiple other teams, including the Denver Broncos and Atlanta Falcons.
While it doesn’t mean everything, the Packers have a tendency of drafting prospects they bring in on top-30 visits. The team bringing in Davis at least indicates there’s some interest in the talented running back.
Ray Davis Scouting Report
There are a handful of intriguing running back prospects in this year’s draft. However, none of them have a story quite like the one Davis has.
Davis grew up homeless as one of 15 children due to both of his parents being incarcerated. His story is one of perseverance, which is fitting given how he plays on the football field.
After starting his career at Temple, Davis transferred to Vanderbilt for two seasons before playing his final college season with Kentucky. His one season with the Wildcats was a breakout year for him, rushing for 1,129 yards and 14 touchdowns while adding another seven scores through the air.
At 5’8″ and 211 pounds, Davis has a compact but well-built frame for a running back. While he wasn’t a standout athlete with a Relative Athletic Score (RAS) of just 4.64 out of 10, his play style makes him an exciting prospect.
Davis has very good contact balance to stay up through tackle attempts for additional yards. He averaged an impressive 3.81 yards after contact per attempt, according to Pro Football Focus. The 24-year-old has a good blend of being able to finish runs with both elusiveness and strength depending on what the situations calls for.
He may not have the top-end long speed or consistent vision, but Davis has the size and mentality to be a reliable runner in a committee approach at the NFL level.
Josh Jacobs Is Green Bay’s New Star Running Back
Even if the Packers draft a player like Davis, it looks like Josh Jacobs will be the team’s workhorse in 2024.
The Packers signed Jacobs to a four-year, $48 million deal. While the hope was that Jacobs could play alongside Aaron Jones, the two sides were unable to agree to a pay cut. Instead, Jones signed a one-year deal to play for the rival Minnesota Vikings.
Jacobs will be asked to take on a heavy workload for Green Bay. He’s coming off his worst season as a pro, averaging just 3.5 yards per carry for the Las Vegas Raiders. However, he was a first-team All-Pro in 2022 and led the league in rushing, which is what the Packers are hoping for in 2024.
The Packers also re-signed AJ Dillon. However, Packers fans need to temper their expectations. Dillon signed a league-minimum deal for one season, meaning the team could still decide to cut ties during training camp.
Regardless of what the plans are for Dillon, drafting another running back would be a good idea for the Packers.
