Tayon

Fleet-Davis

Fleet-Davis (6'0"/217) excelled in his senior season as he took over the starting role with 1,026 yards from scrimmage and nine total touchdowns. With his ability to catch the ball, he can provide great value as the running back in third and long situations.

Fleet-Davis reached pay dirt twice in the second half, turning a 26-16 contest into a 40-16 rout. He racked up 152 yards on 18 carries, including a long of 43 yards, and added 33 yards on two receptions. Fleet-Davis finished the 2021 regular season with bookend standout efforts, having also rushed for 123 yards in the season-opener against West Virginia but failing to gain more than 71 yards in the subsequent 10 games. Maryland’s game against Rutgers was essentially a play-in game for the postseason, as the Terrapins will now head to their first bowl since the 2016 season.

This is a brutal development for both Jones (6'1/185) and the Terps, who see a talented receiver go down with a serious leg injury for the second straight game. The redshirt sophomore started Saturday’s game in place of Dontay Demus, who was injured during last Friday’s home loss to Iowa. With Jones and Demus out, Maryland will look to Tayon Fleet-Davis for more big plays on the outside.

Fleet-Davis (6'0"/217) didn’t touch the ball much, with the Terps dominating quickly and Taulia Tagovailoa passing it well, but the touches he got were high quality and he made them count. He punched in the third touchdown on a three yard run. He got stopped right, reversed to the left and was probably stopped short but the score was upheld by the refs. Fleet-Davis then iced the game in the third quarter, making the score 30-9. It was his best run of the day, getting to the edge and literally tip-toeing as close to the line as one can get before regaining his balance and walking in untouched. Fleet-Davis and this Terrapins offense is rolling right now, and they’ll need to do more of the same against Iowa next Friday.

With Funk off to the professional ranks, Maryland has a sizable hole to fill in its backfield ahead of the 2021 season. The expectation is that Fleet-Davis (6'0/217) will be “the man,” thanks in large part to his ability to contribute in multiple areas. “The expectation is he is the guy,” Maryland HC Mike Locksley said of Fleet-Davis. “He is a triple threat as a runner, a pass catcher and as a protector for our quarterback. Because of his experience, we hope we get the same results that we got out of another veteran a year ago in Jake Funk.” Fleet-Davis only played in one game last season, as he was suspended due to a legal issue that has since been resolved. In 2019 he rushed for 265 yards and two touchdowns with an average of 4.2 yards per carry, while also catching 15 passes for 181 yards and two more scores.

Funk (5'10/205) has been sidelined since Maryland’s win over Penn State on November 7, when he rushed for 80 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries. Getting the redshirt senior back improves Maryland’s depth at running back, while also giving the team its best ball-carrier. Freshman Peny Boone and senior Tayon Fleet-Davis are listed as Funk’s backups on the depth chart.

Washington Post beat writer Emily Giambalvo indicated Fleet-Davis (6'0/217) is still uncertain to play due to disciplinary reasons stemming from a late-November arrest. The senior running back was booked on six driving-related charges, including driving a vehicle while impaired by a controlled dangerous substance and reckless driving a vehicle in wanton and willful disregard for safety of persons and property. He appeared in ten games last year, rushing for 265 yards and two touchdowns on 63 carries, while catching 15 passes for 181 yards and two touchdowns.

There’s been no word as to why Fleet-Davis (6'0/220) did not make the trip west, but the Terrapins will be down a backup running back as a result. Jake Funk will be the starter, with freshman Isaiah Jacobs serving as his backup. Fleet-Davis appeared in ten games last season, rushing for 265 yards and two touchdowns on 63 carries and catching 15 passes for another 181 yards and two touchdowns.

Fleet-Davis (6'0/217) was booked on six driving-related charges early Saturday morning, including driving a vehicle while impaired by a controlled dangerous substance and reckless driving a vehicle in wanton and willful disregard for safety of persons and property. For that reason HC Mike Locksley decided to hold the junior running back out of Saturday’s loss, and no decision has been made regarding Fleet-Davis’ ability for the season finale next weekend at Michigan State.