CHARLOTTE – Thomas Davis is one of the most outspoken and passionate University of Georgia products in the NFL.
This you know.
But did you know Davis came close to being overlooked by the Bulldogs? And that he was preparing to play his college ball at Grambling State, the only school to offer him?
It's true. Davis wasn't a highly touted recruit and it was tough for the Shellman, Ga., native to get a serious look from UGA. But Mark Richt's arrival changed some things, and Davis realized Georgia was genuinely interested in signing him after they came to one of his basketball practices.
It was very late in the game, but not too late. Davis signed with Georgia and never looked back, becoming an All-American legend at his home-state school before being drafted by the Panthers in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft.
A few weeks ago, when the Panthers played at Washington, Davis chatted with former Redskins quarterback Doug Williams, who was the head coach at Grambling State when Davis came oh so close to playing there.
"We almost had you!" Williams told Davis during pregame warmups.
Grambling State's loss was Georgia's gain. Oddly enough, the two programs have the same logo with different colors.
"I was going to wear the 'G' on my helmet one way or another," Davis joked.
