By Ryder Bradley

Davis under the lights versus Douglas Freeman High School on Sept. 14. Photo credit: @balloutvisuals on instagram.

Collegiate Junior Xavier “Xay” Davis (‘25) is one of the top football athletes in the state of Virginia. Davis, a Collegiate lifer, had a significant impact on Cougar varsity football this year. The 2023 season was electric for Davis. Davis carried the ball 72 times for 412 yards. He is also an elite slot receiver, hauling in 50 receptions for 500 yards. 

Davis participated in his summer workouts, which helped translate to game-like situations this season. He said,“I want to give a huge thanks to Coach Bullet (Daniel Jenkins). He has really helped take my game to the next level.” Davis’ flow helps him in games, because he is extremely speedy and shifty. When asked what his main goal had been heading into the ‘23 season, Davis proclaimed he wanted to put on more muscle mass, like the NFL Giants’ Saquon Barkley.

In the off-season, Davis received two scholarship offers, from the University of Virginia and Old Dominion University. Those two offers are hopefully just the beginning of Davis’ recruiting moving forward. When asked how Davis impacted the team this year, classmate and teammate Menelik Reid (‘25) said, “Xay has impacted the team immensely. He has become our guy on the offensive side of the ball and brings a good dynamic to the team.”

Davis’ character also makes him a strong teammate. Davis is always uplifting, and you can always find a smile on his face. When asked about how Davis has contributed to the team this year, teammate Rhodes Sinnott (‘24) shared that “Xavier is a great, fierce leader on and off the field. He’s always leading by example and doing the right thing.” Davis upholds the Collegiate standard and is always looking for ways to improve. 

Over the course of the season, Davis claims the most challenging thing the team had to battle was overcoming adversity as a team. Davis strongly believes in the Cougar football family and the standard that has been set. One of head coach Collin McConaghy’s main points of emphasis this year was finding your “Why”—why you want to come out to practice and battle adversity daily. When asked what his “Why” is, Davis responded by saying, “The game of football helps give you different perspectives on life and makes you into a better individual.” McConaghy is a great mentor who knows how to push a player to his fullest potential. Davis said that the key aspect that has helped the team this year is the concept of family. Davis expressed how this year everybody on the team is close with each other, and the team works together to find success in the classroom and on the field. 

In an interview in October, before the end of the football season, Davis stated how he wanted to keep strengthening his leadership role finishing up the season. As the season was wrapping up, Davis said, “I want to end the season on a good note and play the game to my best ability while being together with my guys.” As Davis looks forward to his Senior season in the fall of 2024, he hopes to continue to improve as an athlete.