(Video by Victor Tan, Adrian J. Hernandez / New Day Review)
ORLANDO, Fla. – Wide receiver Gabriel Davis is just a true freshman, but his teammates at the University of Central Florida would never have known that based off the way he carries himself. The 6-foot-3 Sanford, Florida, native has impressed both players and coaches alike, most lauding Davis for his veteran-like preparation in the film room and his work on the field.
“Gabe’s Mr. Steady, man. It seems like he’s been here two or three years because he knows the offense,” offensive coordinator and wide-receivers coach Troy Walters said after practice on Aug. 29. “He does exactly what you ask him to do, what you coach him to do. He’s coachable. He wants to be great, he wants to learn, and I can’t wait to see him on Thursday night.”
Said sophomore running back and the Knights’ leading rusher from 2016 Jawon Hamilton on Davis: “Gabe is not a freshman. I don’t know. He’s like a freshman [in a] junior body. Gabe comes out there like he’s been here. Plays his heart out, you know, every play. He doesn’t take a day off.”
Though unproven at the collegiate level, Davis showed out in high school for Seminole High School. In his senior year, Davis recorded 1,347 yards and 17 touchdowns on 69 receptions. Across most recruiting sites, Davis earned three stars.
Now, Thursday will provide an opportunity for Davis to live up to the hype he has, perhaps, unintentionally attracted. The Knights will host the FIU Panthers for the first time since 2015, and Davis will find himself a chance to see the field. He was listed as one of four true freshmen who will join veteran receivers Tre’Quan Smith, Cam Stewart and Dredrick Snelson.
For Davis, he has already taken a step in the right direction by impressing and developing a relationship with second-year starting quarterback McKenzie Milton. In the Knights’ 53-14 victory over the Panthers in Miami last season, Milton threw for a touchdown and 173 yards while rushing for a touchdown and 28 yards, too.
“He’s a work-ethic guy. Since he’s got here in the summer…he’s been a dog,” Milton said after practice on Aug. 29. “Like, he’s been in front of almost every sprint, every lift, everything like that, and it’s not ‘cause he’s just trying to show off, it’s just how he is. He’s really a dog, and he’s a heck of a player, too. And I love his work ethic. He’s picked up the offense extremely fast for a freshman, and he never gets too high. He never gets too low. He’s an even-keel guy, and that’s somebody you want out there.”
Davis enters the season looking to help a passing offense that saw some inconsistency at the quarterback position in 2016 and ranked just 89th in the nation with 209.7 passing yards per game. It’ll start with a season-opening home bout against the Panthers on Thursday at 6 p.m.
For more on the Knights, as they take on the Panthers in their season-opener, follow Victor Tan on Twitter at @NDR_VictorTan.
