Junior Day nets commitment from Texas QB Avery Davis

Notre Dame’s coaching staff found their quarterback for the 2017 recruiting class. Texas dual-threat signal-caller Avery Davis committed to the Irish on Saturday, making the announcement via social media after arriving in South Bend.

“After endless prayer, talking to my family and my coaches I have decided to officially verbally commit to The University of Notre Dame!” Davis wrote. “I would like to thank all for the colleges who took a chance and recruited me to play for their school & I’d also like to thank all of the colleges who chose not to. All of the glory is to God because without him I am nothing! #goirish”

God is truly great #blessup 🙏☘ pic.twitter.com/VrWB7x2bso

— ad (@realaverydavis) March 19, 2016

Undersized but highly athletic, Davis broke onto the seen as a sophomore on the 5A state champions in Texas, moonlighting as a runner and receiver before starting at quarterback last season. He threw for over 2,000 yards with 25 touchdown passes and only four interceptions. He also ran for 13 scores and nearly 900 yards.

It’s interesting to note Davis’ comments, particularly thanking the schools that didn’t offer him. That’s mostly the major Texas programs, with many of the in-state teams targeting a different quarterback in the 2017 recruiting cycle. Davis was candid about those slights when talking to 247Sports’ Steve Wiltfong:

“That was a big thing that drove me,” Davis told 247Sports. “Seeing the other guys get those offers, I was saying to myself I can play too, I can do what they do, I can do it better if you ask me. It made me work harder and it’s working out now.”

Davis was hardly an afterthought for the Irish coaching staff and particularly Mike Sanford. Notre Dame’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach had long had Davis a priority, especially after Indiana native Hunter Johnson committed to Tennessee.

A high school sprinter, expect the running part of the game to come easily to Davis. His evolution as a passer continues, only one year into his starting career after playing behind LSU recruit Justin McMillan as a sophomore.

Davis is the fifth member of the 2017 recruiting class. He might be joined by another pledge as early as Monday, with another junior day visitor, defensive tackle Kurt Hinnish, set to announce after school tomorrow.