A decade ago, when former Texas head coach Charlie Strong was still running the program, defensive back Davante Davis stepped onto campus to play four seasons for the Longhorns.
Now, seven years after leaving Austin for the big leagues, Davis returned to campus, but it wasn't to step back onto the field at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium; it was to finish a different kind of business.
Davis, 10 years after starting his freshman season with the Longhorns, earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Texas and celebrated with his family as he deemed the degree worth a few wins.
"Light the tower, this worth a few W’s where I’m from!" Davis wrote on social media. "Thankful you got at witness this with me baby boy. Forever grateful!"
Light the tower, this worth a few W’s where I’m from! Thankful you got at witness this with me baby boy. Forever grateful! 🤘🏾#TheStandard pic.twitter.com/UuCZ2f7UqF
— Davante Davis (@_vtay) May 12, 2025
Davis didn't become a consistent starter for the Horns until his senior season at Texas, playing in 47 games and starting in 21 of those appearances.
Davante Davis college career stats
- 118 total tackles (102 solo)
- 11 pass deflections
- 4 interceptions (17 yards)
- 3 forced fumbles
Following his collegiate career, Davis went undrafted during the 2019 NFL Draft but was later signed by the Seattle Seahawks as a free agent before being waived. In 2022, the former Texas defensive back played a season with the former USFL team, the Tampa Bay Bandits.
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Davis played under Strong in 2015 and 2016 before Tom Herman was hired in 2017. Strong went on to coach at South Florida and various other collegiate programs before accepting his current role as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' defensive line coach.