Listed Measurements: 5-foot-11, 185 pounds
2017-18 year, eligibility: Freshman with four years of eligibility remaining including the 2017 season.
Depth chart: Davis joins Notre Dame as the fourth quarterback behind junior Brandon Wimbush, sophomore Ian Book and senior Montgomery VanGorder. While Irish coach Brian Kelly once had to turn to his fifth-string quarterback when at Cincinnati, the ability to reach that far down the depth chart in times of need is not one Kelly would be eager to display again.
Recruiting: Davis filled the annual spot for a quarterback in each Irish recruiting class with a commitment back in March, more than 10 months before National Signing Day. A rivals.com three-star prospect, Davis chose Notre Dame over a number of Texas-based schools such as Baylor, Texas Tech and Houston. The Under Armour All-American also received offers from a smattering of Power Five-conference schools across the country, including Colorado, Purdue, Utah and Virginia. Rivals rated him the No. 19 dual-threat quarterback in the country and the No. 80 prospect in Texas.
QUOTE(S)
As much as Kelly has long preferred quarterbacks who could run well enough to complement their abilities to throw, he espoused another of Davis’ virtues when discussing the quarterback on National Signing Day.
“What we love about Avery is that he’s played for championships,” Kelly said. ‘That’s what Cedar Hill [High School; Cedar Hill, Texas] does at the highest level. So he has that pedigree, he’s used to playing in big games. He doesn’t shy away from competition. He plays his best in the biggest of games. This year against DeSoto he was outstanding in a shootout against the eventual state champ.
“Love his pedigree, love the fact that he played in big games and he was always at his best when his best was needed. He’ll come in and obviously be counted on in our rotation immediately. An extremely athletic quarterback that can come in and do some things right away for us.”
WHAT WE SAID WHEN DAVIS’ NATIONAL LETTER OF INTENT ARRIVED
“In theory, Davis could easily pick up where presumed-2017 starter Brandon Wimbush leaves off. Davis has both a strong arm and agile feet, allowing him to improvise seemingly at will. If Irish coach Brian Kelly and new offensive coordinator Chip Long do indeed speed up the pace of the offense as Kelly insisted was the plan this week, Davis may be an ideal fit to press the gas pedal in the future.”
2017 OUTLOOK
Barring multiple injuries to Notre Dame quarterbacks, there is absolutely no reason for Davis not to preserve a year of eligibility this fall. He can spend the time adjusting to a collegiate workload, adding a bit of heft and getting in plenty of reps while leading the Irish scout team.
DOWN THE ROAD
Much of Davis’ future will hinge on Wimbush’s success. If Wimbush were to have a transcendent season, perhaps Davis and Book are suddenly competing for the right to start 2018’s season-opener after Wimbush heads to the NFL. If Wimbush’s rise is more gradual, that position battle may be put off a year, at which point current 2018 commit Phil Jurkovec could join the fray having spent his nearly-requisite year preserving eligibility. Maybe Wimbush does not yet trust his pro potential at that point, returns for a fifth year and suddenly Book is down to one year of eligibility and gets first crack at the starting job in 2020 with Davis breathing down his neck.
Prior to this past spring, it would have made some sense to think Davis could quickly jump Book once ready for action, but the latter performed ably in the spring practice, cementing himself as Wimbush’s backup over VanGorder.
These uncertainties are, in their own right, certain when discussing a position where only one player is expected to play per season. Obviously — as much of Notre Dame’s recent past illustrates — injuries do occur, but they are never presumed, making the pecking order at quarterback even more important than it is at any other position.
2017’s Notre Dame 99-to-2
Friday at 4: Goodbye A-to-Z, hello 99-to-2 (May 12)
No. 99: Jerry Tillery, defensive tackle
No. 98: Andrew Trumbetti, defensive end
No. 97: Micah Dew-Treadway, defensive tackle
No. 96: Pete Mokwuah, defensive tackle
No. 95: Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa, defensive tackle (originally theorized as No. 92)
No. 94: Darnell Ewell, defensive tackle (originally theorized as No. 95)
No. 93: Jay Hayes, defensive end
No. 92: Jonathon MacCollister; defensive end (originally theorized as No. 46)
No. 91: Ade Ogundeji, defensive end
No. 89: Brock Wright, tight end
No. 88: Javon McKinley, receiver
No. 87: Michael Young, receiver (originally theorized as No. 84)
No. 86: Alizé Mack, tight end
No. 85: Tyler Newsome, punter
No. 84: Cole Kmet, tight end (originally theorized as No. 90)
No. 83: Chase Claypool, receiver
No. 82: Nic Weishar, tight end
No. 81: Miles Boykin, receiver
No. 80: Durham Smythe, tight end
No. 78: Tommy Kraemer, right tackle
No. 77: Brandon Tiassum, defensive tackle
No. 76: Dillan Gibbons, offensive lineman (originally theorized as No. 65)
No. 75: Josh Lugg, offensive tackle (originally theorized as No. 73)
No. 75: Daniel Cage, defensive tackle
No. 74: Liam Eichenberg, right tackle
No. 72: Robert Hainsey, offensive tackle
No. 71: Alex Bars, offensive lineman
No. 70: Hunter Bivin, offensive lineman
No. 69: Aaron Banks, offensive lineman
No. 68: Mike McGlinchey, left tackle
No. 67: Jimmy Byrne, offensive lineman
No. 58: Elijah Taylor, defensive tackle
No. 57: Trevor Ruhland, offensive lineman
No. 56: Quenton Nelson, left guard
No. 55: Jonathan Bonner, defensive lineman
No. 54: John Shannon, long snapper
No. 53: Sam Mustipher, center
No. 53: Khalid Kareem, defensive lineman
No. 48: Greer Martini, inside linebacker
No. 47: Kofi Wardlow, defensive end
No. 45: Jonathan Jones, inside linebacker
No. 44: Jamir Jones, linebacker/defensive lineman
No. 42: Julian Okwara, defensive end
No. 41: Kurt Hinish, defensive tackle (originally theorized as No. 94)
No. 40: Drew White, linebacker
No. 39: Jonathan Doerer, kicker (originally theorized as No. 52)
No. 38: Deon McIntosh, running back/receiver
No. 35: David Adams, linebacker
No. 34: Tony Jones, Jr., running back
No. 33: Josh Adams, running back
No. 32: D.J. Morgan, safety
No. 30: Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, rover
No. 29: Kevin Stepherson, receiver
No. 28: Nicco Fertitta, safety
No. 27: Julian Love, cornerback
No. 26: Ashton White, safety
No. 25: Jafar Armstrong, receiver (originally theorized as No. 87)
No. 24: Nick Coleman, safety
No. 23: Drue Tranquill, rover
No. 22: Asmar Bilal, rover
No. 21: Jalen Elliott, safety
No. 19: Justin Yoon, kicker
No. 18: Troy Pride, cornerback
No. 17: Isaiah Robertson, safety
No. 16: Cameron Smith, receiver
No. 15: C.J. Holmes, running back
No. 14: Devin Studstill, safety
TRANSFERS
No. 66: Tristen Hoge, offensive lineman, transfers to BYU
No. 50: Parker Boudreaux, offensive lineman
No. 30: Josh Barajas, linebacker, to transfer to Illinois State
INJURIES
No. 13: Tyler Luatua, tight end, career ended by medical hardship