Kentucky running back Ray Davis is the most underrated transfer in college football

When former Vanderbilt running back Ray Davis committed to Kentucky as a transfer on Dec. 20 of last year, he didn't generate as much national buzz as did Devin Leary or even returning offensive coordinator Liam Coen. Within the SEC, everyone knew the Wildcats and coach Mark Stoops snagged a quality player. But few realized how significant Davis' addition would be. Davis ranked as the 11th-best running back in the transfer portal — good, but not elite.

One month in to the college football season, Davis has emerged as the SEC's top running back and arguably the most undervalued transfer from this past offseason. Davis ranks among the nation's leading rushers with 594 yards (No. 4) and eight touchdowns (No. 4) on 7.8 yards per carry (No. 15) behind an underwhelming offensive line, and he nearly broke an SEC single-game record with 280 yards against Florida on Saturday. 

"He was special today," Stoops said of Davis after the game. "He has been special. To get those type of explosive runs against the Gators — with the way he runs it and the receiving yards, he deserves a lot of credit. ... He's a baller."

Bringing in a quality quarterback in Leary raised the ceiling for Kentucky's offense. And bringing back Coen raised the floor. But Davis might be the All-SEC weapon that Kentucky needed to push its team into the top 25 — the Wildcats are 5-0 and play in an SEC East division that looks surprisingly wide-open. 

As Stoops mentioned, Davis was one of the SEC's better receivers out of the backfield at Vanderbilt and if anything has built on that status even further in Lexington. Davis already has 11 receptions for 146 yards and three touchdowns less than halfway through the season, putting him on pace to rack up 1,776 yards of total offense. Those types of numbers would put Davis in the mix to win the Doak Walker Award as the nation's top tailback. The competition, of course, continues to stiffen in the SEC as Kentucky hits the road to face Georgia this weekend.

Davis could have entered the 2023 NFL Draft — and likely would have gone undrafted — but his decision to spend another year in college football looks fruitful. Although Davis likely won't blow away scouts with his time in the 40-yard dash, his 2023 tape will. Davis might be the best back in the country when it comes to using his vision and patience to find the right crease.

It's well-documented at this point that Davis was homeless as a 12-year-old in San Francisco, and he picked himself up by his bootstraps. After starting his college career at Temple, Davis already has a degree from Vanderbilt to show for it and figures to make plenty of money in the NFL.

Davis and Kentucky will arrive in Athens, Ga., as heavy underdogs even as Georgia has underwhelmed at times this season. But Davis, at least, has overcome bigger hurdles in his life.

"We know Georgia is a very tough team, defending national champions," Davis said Saturday. "We know they're gonna bring all they've got. So we've gotta be able to match that intensity, match their physical-ness and we've gotta go out there and play our game and focus on us, not anybody else."