Clemson DB Dexter Davis (1988-1990) was a monster on the field. Off the field, he is yet another outstanding representative of Clemson.
While at Clemson:
According to Sports Illustrated, Dexter Davis registered the following stats at Clemson:
“Davis tallied 127 tackles and 10 interceptions (one returned for a touchdown) through his career as a Tiger. He received All-ACC honors in 1989 and 1990. In 1990, Davis led the ACC in interceptions with six in addition to 36 stops on the year. He went on to play six years in the NFL.”
https://www.si.com/college/clemson/football/clemsons-10-best-top-defensive-backs-in-program-history
ClemsonTigers.com added the following stats for Davis:
“Davis was a starter on Clemson’s great defenses between 1988-90, when the Tigers had a 10-2 record and finished in the top 12 of the AP poll each year. The 1988 team won the ACC championship, as Davis became the first Tiger first-year freshman to start at cornerback under Head Coach Danny Ford.
A first-team freshman All-American by Sporting News, his final pass breakup of the season was a game-saver in the endzone that clinched Clemson’s 13-6 win over Oklahoma in the Citrus Bowl.
In 1989, Davis started all 12 games and was named second-team All-ACC by UPI. He accumulated 55 tackles, three interceptions and 16 pass breakups. As a junior in the 1990 season, Davis had a career-high 85 tackles and led the ACC in interceptions (6). That 1990 defense was Clemson’s first to lead the nation in total defense.”
https://clemsontigers.com/dexter-davis/
According to Sports-Reference.com, Dexter Davis also returned 30 punts for 202 yards (6.7 average).
https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/dexter-davis-2.htmlc
After Clemson:
The Phoenix Cardinals selected Dexter Davis with the 86th pick (4th Round) of the 1991 NFL Draft. He played five NFL seasons for three different teams (although four cities): Phoenix Cardinals, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Los Angeles Rams - St. Louis Rams. According to Pro-Football-Reference.com, Davis registered the following stats during those five seasons:
Dexter Davis (1991-1995):
- 59 NFL Games
- 58 Tackles
- 2 Interceptions Returned for 27 Yards (13.5 Average)
- 4 Fumble Recoveries Returned for 7 Yards (1.75 Average)
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/D/DaviDe20.htm
After his NFL career, Dexter Davis has consistently given back to others. In 2022, Davis was the recipient of the 2022 Brian Dawkins Lifetime Achievement Award. ClemsonTigers.com explains how the award recipient is chosen:
Since 2013, Head Coach Dabo Swinney has presented the Brian Dawkins Lifetime Achievement Award to a former Clemson player who has consistently demonstrated the qualities of leadership, community service and other high qualities that are consistent with excellence since graduating from the Tiger program.
“Receiving the Brian Dawkins Lifetime Achievement Award is a great honor,” said the former Tiger standout. “It was a memorable evening in January when I received the award at the football banquet.”
https://clemsontigers.com/dexter-davis/
The same article quoted Davis after receiving the award:
“Coach Hatfield always talked to us about being more than just a football player.”
That was the center point of Davis’ message when he received the award on Jan. 15.
“My message to the audience tied Jesus as the carpenter to being so much more…be more than just a football player. What do people know about you other than being a football player? What experiences do you give people over your life?”
https://clemsontigers.com/dexter-davis/
It is easy to see why Dexter Davis won this award. Staying with that ClemsonTigers.com article:
“At the conclusion of his playing career, Davis began a coaching career as an assistant at Morgan State on the staff of his good friend, Stump Mitchell. He finished his degree requirements while serving as the defensive backs coach. One of his players at Morgan State was Daronte Jones, who was LSU’s defensive coordinator during the 2021 season.
Davis went into high school coaching at Battery Creek High School in Beaufort, S.C. He later started the program at Southside Christian School in Simpsonville, S.C. Between 2005-07, at the urging of his former coach, NFL legend Jim Johnson, Davis coached in NFL Europe for the Hamburg Sea Devils. Davis prided himself in the development of undersized All-Pro cornerback Brent Grimes.
Davis is currently the president and CEO of Eagle Universal Services, a company that provides unique engineering and construction contracting services. The company’s customers include the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Navy, U.S. Marines, NFL and Bank of America.
Davis has been a long-time member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and has worked with Atlanta-based programs at Georgia State, Morris Brown and Morehouse. He also has worked for the Atlanta Falcons as a “character coach” and has been director of football ministries in Brazil, Hungary and East Africa.
Davis serves on the board of the Kenya Project, serving students in East Africa. He also serves as the vice chair of the Liberty STEAM Charter School in Sumter.
Davis was named to the city of Sumter Hall of Fame and Sumter High School Hall of Fame. In 1996, he was named to Clemson’s Centennial Football Team.”
https://clemsontigers.com/dexter-davis/
And, according to The Item:
In recent years, Davis has become more active locally through serving on the board of directors for Sumter's first public charter school - Liberty STEAM Charter School - and in January, he was appointed to the South Carolina Public Charter School District Board of Trustees to help carry the vision of Liberty STEAM forward to the state level.
…
"Education has allowed me to be more than just a football player," he said. "I have been able to create these new pathways because I chose to get immersed in different academics. I did not know anything about running a business until I went to an entrepreneurship program, and that was like another certification for me. I had to go learn how to start a company and so forth.
He knows how to be an asset to his community as an entrepreneur because he has done it himself, Davis said.
"You cannot tell me that is not possible because I have done it," he said. "And nothing gives me the platform to do it more than simply I chose to. This is America, and if you choose to apply yourself, then you can create a pathway to be an asset in your community if you want to. It is as simple as that."
