Multiple schools have extended offers to senior football player Ellis Davis, but receiving his first offer is a memory that stands out. But, this memory wasn’t made on the field, rather he received his first D1 offer in a hospital bed, with a former player and friend by his side.

“Blake (Marsh) and I immediately became close,” Davis said of the freshman player, who passed away from cancer this past summer. “It’s hard not to love him. I sort of became a mentor and older brother to him in football and life, teaching him to survive high school,” Davis said. “We started spending every weekend together, which started to become every weekday, in the hospital. I got my first offer at the hospital with Blake. He instantly started bragging and acting like he was best friends with Trent Williams.”

After Davis quit baseball, he found his passion on a different field — the football field. At the age 7, Davis found his love for football and started playing as a tackle.

Davis played as a right tackle on the Prosper Eagle Football team, which practiced from 7 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. every morning. He and his teammates helped Prosper make it into the playoffs this season with a winning record of 11-2.

“My family supported me in football since day one,” Davis said. “They believed in me long before I ever did. They’ve given me countless advice, many pep talks, and unconditional support through everything.”

Davis plans to continue his football journey after graduation. He committed to Texas Tech University, located in Lubbock.

“I committed to Texas Tech because I believe in the coaches, players and program just as much as they believe in me. I never felt that at any other school,” Davis said. “It’s just a family of hard-working people who want to win on the field and in life. I feel like that’s the environment that I’ll thrive in, so I chose to commit.”

Being recognized for his athletic ability, Davis was scouted to play for the Under Armour All-America football game, which allows seniors and underclassmen to play on a team and go against each other.

“I still can’t believe that I’ll be playing in the All-American game,” Davis said. “I would like to say thank you to my coaches, team, and family for helping me earn that spot. Prosper Football is different — I wouldn’t be anywhere near where I am today if I went somewhere else. Our coaches put countless hours into us, during and after the season.”

According to Davis, he couldn’t have accomplished everything he has without his teammates.

“(My announcement) could’ve been a pep rally or a team dinner, but I didn’t want to take away from the team event and make it a huge deal,” Davis said. “I think after winning the first round of playoffs was a great time to share the experience of my team and celebrate everyone.”

Davis said his goals and achievements wouldn’t be possible without the support from his family, coaches and teammates. Head freshman football coach John Hutti said Davis was an asset to the team.

“He is a great athlete who uses his intelligence as well as athleticism to put him in the right spot on the field,” Hutti said. “Off the field, he is a great young man who works hard to attain his goals, always studying film to make himself better.”

Hutti said Davis provided a model for others to follow.

“He has done a great job of leading by example and supporting his teammates on and off the field,” Hutti said. “As for us coaches, it is great to coach a young man like Ellis. He is hard-working and genuinely wants to get better at his position every day.”

Defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator, Devin Lemons said Davis’ impact on the team extends beyond the present.

“Ellis has made a lasting impact on our program with his work ethic, approach to the game and attention to detail,” Lemons said. “He obviously has been a tremendous player for us and will no doubt continue to have a fantastic career. We are all very proud to have played a small part in it.”

Playing a role in Davis’ legacy, Lemons said he looks forward to becoming a Raider ‘brother’ with him soon.

“I’ve gotten a chance to get to know Ellis on a different level, as well,” Lemons said. “With him deciding to go to Texas Tech, he has gone from being a player of mine to becoming a brother of mine, soon. We will share the experiences of playing in Jones Stadium, and that will be something that we can share forever — not many people get to say that.”

Alongside his family and coaches, teammates and friends support Davis as an athlete and peer.

“Ellis is a great teammate in all aspects from the locker room and carrying onto the field,” senior safety, Nate White said. “He’s a great friend, who’s always there to pick up the phone when you need it.”

Left guard No. 71, junior Logan Cahill is another one of Davis’ supporters, alongside him on the offensive line for the Eagles.

“Ellis was an amazing teammate, he was always there and putting in the work,” Cahill said. “He’s going to do big things in the future.”

During his senior season, Davis wore jersey No. 72 in honor of former teammate Blake Marsh, during district play, who played a major part in Davis’ success, even though he couldn’t be on the field to support him this season. They retired the number during pre-game at the round one playoffs hosted at the Children’s Health Stadium, he continued to wear No. 77 for the remainder of the season.

This story was originally published on Eagle Nation Online on December 13, 2023.