COLLEGE CAREER – Trading up to the 14th spot in the 2018 NFL Draft, the New Orleans Saints addressed the defensive line with this gifted pass rusher, only the second draft choice ever from Texas-San Antonio. During his four collegiate seasons, Davenport notched career totals of 186 tackles (97 solo), 22 sacks, 38 tackles for loss, six forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, one returned for a touchdown and eight passes defensed, finishing his career as the school’s all-time leader for stops for loss, takedowns and quarterback hurries (21).
2017 – Tabbed 2017 Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year and a first-team All-Conference selection…Member of the Chuck Bednarik Award and Wuerffel Trophy watch lists…Posted 55 tackles (30 solo) and set school records with 17.5 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks and eight QB hurries…Also tallied four pass breakups, three forced fumbles and a fumble return for a touchdown…Posted at least one tackle for loss in eight different contests…Named the C-USA Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 23 after recording a career-high-tying 11 stops, 3.5 tackle for loss and two sacks and returning a fumble 34 yards for a touchdown in a 20-7 win against Rice…Posted eight tackles, four tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks for a loss of 24 yards and one forced fumble against North Texas…Turned in six stops, 2.5 tackles for loss and a sack in the 44-14 victory at Texas State…Tenth among all Football Bowl Subdivision players in tackles for loss per game (1.5) and 14th in sacks per contest (0.77)…Started all 11 games for a defense that led the conference in seven different statistical categories and ranked in the top 10 in the FBS in five. 2016 – Named second-team All-Conference USA … played in all 13 games (12 starts)…Led the squad’s defensive linemen with 68 tackles (31 solo), including ten for loss, and also had team-leading marks of 6.5 sacks and a program-record eight quarterback hurries…Finished the season strong by posting 38 stops, seven tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks in the last six outings…Racked up a career-high 11 tackles at #22 Texas A&M (Nov. 19) and added 1.5 tackles for loss, one sack and a fumble recovery…Had seven stops, including two sacks, at Louisiana Tech (Nov. 12) and recorded two quarterback takedowns in opener vs. Alabama State (Sept. 3). 2015 – Earned honorable mention All-Conference USA honors…Started 11 contests but missed the September 26 Colorado State tilt due to an injury…Recorded 49 tackles (30 solo) and ranked second on team with 7.5 TFLs and four sacks…Also racked up four QB hurries, three pass breakups and two forced fumbles…Had career day against Rice (Nov. 21) with 10 stops, three TFLs and two sacks…Posted six stops and a sack at Charlotte (Nov. 14) and added five tackles and a sack in opener against #22 Arizona (Sept. 3)…Also accumulated five tackles, including 1.5 behind the line of scrimmage, against Louisiana Tech (Oct. 10). 2014 – Saw action in the first 11 games, but missed Nov. 29 season finale against North Texas due to injury…Registered 14 tackles and three sacks…His top outing came at Rice (Oct. 8) when he racked up a six stops, including a sack…Opened his college career at Houston (Aug. 29) with two tackles and a sack…Added another sack at Florida Atlantic (Sept. 27).
PERSONAL – Graduated with a degree in multidisciplinary studies…First-team All-District 27-5A performer at John Paul Stevens (San Antonio, Texas) HS, where he recorded 73 tackles, including ten stops for loss, six sacks and six passes defensed as a senior in 2013…Earned second-team All-District as a junior in 2012 after racking up 42 stops…Also an area qualifier in the 1,600m relay and shot put in track and field along with playing for the basketball team…A native of San Antonio, Davenport has multiple family members from New Orleans including father, Ron and grandfather Dr. Artis Davenport II, a member of the Allstate Sugar Bowl’s Greater New Orleans Sports Hall of Fame for a legendary career as head coach of Southern University of New Orleans’ track and field team…Dr. Davenport’s a member of the inaugural SUNO Athletic Hall of Fame class, where his men’s outdoor teams won NCAA Division III national championships three times, as well as NAIA Division I women’s indoor and outdoor championships in 1995 and 1997…Dr. Davenport also coached at Dillard and Alcorn State and served in the U.S. Army as an infantry officer…His father also served in the Air Force.
