Robert Davis is now on the brink of breaking the all-time receptions record of 175 receptions. The current leader is former Georgia State wide receiver Albert Wilson, who is currently on the Kansas City Chiefs active roster. Davis is thrilled to have the opportunity to break the current record as they face sun belt rival Appalachian State Oct. 1 in Boone, NC.
His 6-foot-3 220-pound athletic frame is considered to be a prototypical size at the receiver position in the NFL. However, what stands out is his ability to catch any ball thrown in his direction. Despite the fact that he was not very productive in high school, due to a run-heavy offensive scheme, Davis was still able to provide a spark for his team.
His time at Georgia State has been far more intriguing, putting up phenomenal numbers since his freshman year. It is an anomalous situation because players who did not necessarily have a star-studded career throughout high school are not likely to thrive on a collegiate level. However, for Davis, it all began with having a positive mindset.
“Really, to be honest with you, my mindset was to come out here and do whatever I could to help the team out,” Davis said. “I did not have a lot of production in high school because of the school [Northside High school] I went to, so my mindset was just to come out here and compete and to be able to help the team out in any way I could.”
Moreover, he did just that. Competed like his life depended on it.
With his freshman year full of exuberance, Davis had the potential to embark on an exciting career with the Georgia State Panthers. However, to fulfill such greatness on the gridiron, he knew his high-level of play had to be sustainable. Every year he has made improvements to sharpening his game- realizing that when every season ends, there is at minimum one element that could use a little bit of refinement- even if that means developing more chemistry with his teammates.
“Making sure that I am always on the same page as everybody else on the offense. So with me being on the same page as Conner Manning, the starting quarterback, that is huge for me because I want to be able to say, ‘Okay, I know exactly what he is thinking.’ I know exactly where I need to get for us to be successful as a team,”he said. “The one thing that I always have really focused on throughout my career is my preparation and being on the same page with my quarterback.”
This attribute is what ultimately makes Davis more reliable than your average football player.
By now, it is no secret to any opponent or teammate that Davis is a stud on the field. Also, while there are some aspects of his game he is going to look to improve on during his final season with the Panthers, he acknowledged the fact that his route running ability has augmented over the years.
“Physically I have to say my route running [has improved in college], because I am getting to the point now to where I can really get separation from defenders,” Davis said. “The most important thing was my mental approach.”
