In early 2017, Fred Davis II’s cornerback career took off after one big play.
Up until Trinity Christian Academy’s 2017 spring game, Davis had largely considered himself a quarterback. He started as the signal-caller but shifted to corner partway through that matchup, taking some defensive reps at the suggestion of one of his coaches.
During one rep, Davis seized an opportunity to utilize his knowledge of quarterback tendencies. The offense ran a screen, and he blew it up perfectly, making a huge tackle
and forcing a fumble. The crowd exploded, and from then on, his coaches focused primarily on his cornerback development.
“They just liked my versatility, being an athlete,” Davis said of his high school coaching staff.
Fueled by a dominant high school career, Davis committed to Clemson in April 2019 as 247 Sports’ No. 3-ranked corner at the time. During college, his NFL aspirations were challenged as he bounced between four different schools and battled injuries. Nonetheless, he caught the attention of multiple NFL teams after a stout 2025 season at Northwestern, signing with the Washington Commanders as an undrafted free agent in his quest to go pro.
Davis likely has more work to do at training camp, but given his past perseverance, making Washington’s 53-man roster or practice squad isn’t out of the question.
“Just asking for a fair shot to show what I can do,” Davis said.
Davis actually began his athletic career as a golfer.
“I was begging my dad to put me in football,” Davis said. “Saw my cousins and my friends playing football, so it started from there, and then I fell in love with it. I just knew I wanted to pursue my dream and go to the NFL at a very young age.”
At around seven or eight years old, Davis switched from golf to football, and before his 10th grade season at Trinity Christian Academy in Jacksonville, Florida, he shifted from quarterback to cornerback. From there, he became a dominant man coverage corner, rapidly gaining attention from top college programs. He got his first collegiate offer from Alabama, eventually turning down the Crimson Tide, Ohio State, Miami, Florida, Auburn and others to join Clemson in 2020.
Davis’ college career began with success, as he played 11 games during the 2020 season and recorded two pass breakups, both of which came in the ACC Championship against Notre Dame. Over the next two years, his time at Clemson became much more turbulent. He battled a number of injuries and also faced a lawsuit stemming from a July 2021 car crash, which was settled in 2024.
Davis’ injuries included a slightly fractured fibula and torn ligaments in his ankle, and he missed three games in 2021 and six in 2022 as a result. As the issues persisted, his frustration with the situation grew.
“Not to blame anybody, but it was a lot of miscommunication,” Davis said. “I felt like that prolonged everything because I’d be feeling good, I’d get pushed out there, and then boom, I’m reinjured. So that kept happening along those years of my time at Clemson.”
After the Tigers’ 2022 ACC Championship victory over North Carolina, Davis announced his intention to enter the transfer portal. He ended up landing with UCF, where he took a redshirt year and played in just two games. Still, his time with the Knights allowed him to meet Nate Keller, the personal trainer he continues to work with today.
A former linebacker who attended Seahawks rookie minicamp in 2013, Keller is a performance trainer and Instagram content creator who specializes in strength, power and speed development for clients of various skill levels. At the time of Davis’ arrival to UCF, Keller was training the majority of the team’s football players. The two quickly formed a strong bond.
“We got results pretty quick when it came to Fred,” Keller said. “He’s a twitchy and high-level, elite athlete. There’s a reason why he was a 5-star in high school, so all I did was just put the science to work and some of the knowledge that I’d gained over the years when it comes to training for football.”
Keller said Davis put on 10-15 pounds of lean muscle mass in six months, improving his strength and explosiveness as a result. Keller also prioritized Davis’ injury resiliency, elevating his ability to complete a full season above all else.
Davis said Keller focused heavily on making sure his training process and ramp-up periods were health-oriented.
“He was always asking me how I feel,” Davis said of Keller. “He’d tell me, ‘Man, I’m here for you, we’re not going to rush into this process. We’re going to take things slow and make sure your body is right and prepared.’”
With his new training regimen in place, Davis transferred to Jacksonville State and saw significant playing time in 2024. He played in all 14 games and accumulated 18 tackles and four passes defensed, displaying his blanket coverage ability by heavily limiting targets to his assigned receivers.
Davis’ season in the FCS allowed him to reestablish himself on the college scene. It also caught the attention of the Northwestern Wildcats’ coaching staff, who landed Davis’ transfer commitment in January 2025 and sought to elevate his game even more.
With the Wildcats, Davis faced plenty of initial competition for playing time.
“It was definitely a situation where we had some guys returning,” Northwestern defensive backs coach and former NFL safety LaMarcus Hicks said. “We went into the portal and got Fred because we just wanted to make sure we had enough guys who could help us out and play.”
Hicks praised Davis’ competitiveness, which allowed him to earn a starting role despite a crowded cornerback group that included Josh Fussell, Ore Adeyi, Braden Turner and others. Playing across from Fussell in 2025, Davis flourished. He played in 12 of the Wildcats’ 13 games, recording 32 tackles, six passes defensed and one fumble recovery.
Davis said Northwestern’s pro-style program and experienced coaching staff were major factors in his decision to join the ‘Cats. Upon arrival, the work he put in with the coaches allowed him to expand his skillset. Always a good press cornerback, Davis grew significantly in off-man and zone coverages, and he said that experience helped mold him into a better player overall.
As a group, the Wildcats’ various cornerbacks were willing to compete, but they also helped each other improve.
“These guys, they teach each other,” Hicks said. “When Fred Davis came in, Ore and Josh Fussell were two of the guys that taught him outside of the things that I was teaching. They would go and spend time together after they leave here, and they were just giving him the same information again that I just talked about and just making sure that he learned it.”
Davis’ season at Northwestern helped him garner more NFL attention, and although he did not get selected in the 2026 NFL Draft, he received interest from multiple teams afterward. After consulting with Keller, his parents and his agent, he opted to sign with the Commanders due to their need for cornerback depth. With that, Davis moved one step closer to fulfilling his professional dream.
At training camp in Ashburn, Virginia, Davis has adopted a new daily routine. He arrives at the practice facility at 6 a.m. every morning, beginning each day with tissue and activation work. After that, it’s practice, meetings, film study and recovery until 8 or 9 p.m., when he finally heads home.
“I feel like I’m growing and getting better because I have the access to all of the stuff that I need,” Davis said. “Deep-tissue massages, tissue work, stretching, you name it, and that’s elevating my game in itself.”
Life in the NFL brings new training and self-care services that extend beyond what’s available in college. Davis said he feels the best he ever has, emphasizing the importance of his newfound care given the injuries he has dealt with over the years.
Throughout his time with the Commanders so far, Davis has built a number of relationships with various players on the roster. He has learned from the team’s cornerback leaders in Mike Sainristil, Amik Robertson and Trey Amos, and he has also forged a bond with wide receiver Van Jefferson, whom he competes with every day in practice.
During scrimmages, Davis has flashed big-play ability. He drew attention for an Aug. 7 interception of backup quarterback Marcus Mariota on a pass intended for tight end Colson Yankoff. The defense was playing in quarters at the time, and Davis followed Yankoff’s pre-snap motion and jumped his comeback route to secure the pick.
Davis also got playing time in the Commanders’ 20-7 preseason win over the Miami Dolphins on Friday, recording two tackles in the game. In the second half, he initially seemed to have suffered another injury when he went down grabbing at his left leg and got carted off the field. As it turned out, he was merely dealing with a full-body cramp, according to Commanders beat reporter Ben Standig.
As of now, Davis’ path to the 53-man roster is challenging, but an opportunity is still in sight. Sainristil, Robertson and Amos should all see significant playing time, with veteran corner Rasul Douglas competing for snaps as well. Beyond that, the fifth cornerback spot seems unresolved, with Davis likely battling Fabian Moreau, Antonio Hamilton Sr. and Car’lin Vigers for that initial role.
“If he makes that team, I’m going to be the biggest Commanders fan out there,” Hicks said of Davis.
For Hicks, Davis’ man coverage ability is a major boost to his professional stock. For Keller, it’s Davis’ confidence and swagger that stand out alongside his elite athleticism.
Although making an NFL roster is difficult, Keller said he believes Davis is ready for the opportunity.
“I think his hunger for greatness and always wanting to be better and do better has ultimately gotten him to where he is now,” Keller said of Davis. “He’s never satisfied, and sometimes it’s a double-edged sword, but in this industry, you have to be hungry at all times in order to make a team and to have a long career.”
For most undrafted free agents, getting a 53-man roster spot is a long shot. But as Davis has proven in the past, perseverance can make anything possible.
