Jackson State has been hot on the recruiting trail since the end of the 2021 season, in which the Tigers finished 11-2 and won their 1st SWAC Championship since 2007. The Tigers have landed three commitments in the last five days, including former Fresno State DL Julius Lewis and MEAC All-American Sy’veon Wilkerson.
The Tigers continued their positive momentum when former Dodge City Community College defensive tackle Jelani Davis announced his commitment to Jackson State tonight on Instagram.
Davis committed to Missouri State in December of 2019, but opted to attend Dodge City C.C. in February of 2020. Davis was a staple along the Dodge City defensive line, in which he racked up 14 tackles and 4 tackles for loss in the 2021 season. Davis has been highly recruited throughout this recruiting cycle; taking visits to Illinois, Missouri, & Michigan over the past few months.
After taking multiple visits to Columbia; Davis announced his commitment to Missouri in March and planned to be a walk-on for the Tigers in the 2022 season. Jackson State officially offered Davis on May 22nd, which was enough to convince Davis to commit to Jackson State instead. Davis also held offers from Delaware State, Southern, Bethune-Cookman, & Arkansas Pine-Bluff.
The Tigers had a hole on the defensive line after multiple DL departures this offseason, including Coynis Miller, James Houston IV, & Antwan Owens. DeVonta Davis & Katron Evans return at the defensive tackle spot, while Tru Thompson transfers in from Florida State for the 2022 season. Davis looks to find his spot in the DL rotation for the Tigers in 2022 and could be an important piece for this Jackson State defensive line.