Vikings running back prospect No. 5
Isaiah Davis, South Dakota State
Minnesota may be fortunate enough in the mid-to-late rounds to find Isaiah Davis available. Davis comes from a small school but he has big-time talent. He played four years at the University of South Dakota and put up huge numbers in 2022 and 2023.
After 1,519 total yards and 17 touchdowns in 2020 and 2021, Davis exploded for 1,451 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2022. That brought him first-team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference honors. In the Jackrabbits’ blowout victory over North Dakota State in the 2023 FCS national title game, Davis had 119 rushing yards and a touchdown. He was also the recipient of the program’s Jim Langer Award as team MVP for 2022.
Then, to top of his college career, in 2023 the team captain rushed for 1,578 yards and 18 scores. South Dakota State and Davis marched to yet another national title game, winning their second in a row over the Montana Grizzlies, 23-3. During the contest, Davis had 87 yards and one touchdown. He was named a first-team FCS All-American for the year.
The 6’1, 220-pound Davis is a bulldozer who loves contact between the tackles. In 677 total carries as a Jackrabbit, he fumbled just three times. NFL scouts love Davis’s size but have concerns over his ability to pass protect as well as run the ball to the outside.