Stampeding Through the 2025 USF Football Roster: #25 RB Nykahi Davenport
It's time for our first DOUBLE NUMBER DAY.
PLAYER: Nykahi Davenport
POSITION: Running back
YEAR: Redshirt freshman
HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6'0", 216 lbs.
HOW DID HE GET HERE? A mid three-star prospect from Roswell High School just north of Atlanta, Davenport was a tremendously productive running back in high school and racked up a long offer sheet including Indiana, NC State, Cincinnati and a number of G5 programs. He committed to USF in November 2023, pretty quickly after they offered. He signed on early signing day in December and enrolled in the fall.
HOW WAS HIS 2024 SEASON? It was an old-school redshirt year for Davenport - he didn’t see any action in 2024 as he battled injuries.
WHAT SHOULD WE EXPECT IN 2025? We don’t have any college tape on Davenport yet, but I’m excited to see him play. He’s a big back and looked promising in the spring game in April. The departure of Kelley Joiner, Nay’Quan Wright and Ta’Ron Keith leaves a huge void in the USF backfield, and while the Bulls brought in a couple promising transfers in Cartevious Norton (Charlotte) and Sam Franklin (Oklahoma) who should lead the way, there’s still room in the rotation for one of the young underclassmen to step up and earn some carries.
Some additional context: Golesh briefly discussed Davenport in his first press conference of fall camp, mentioning that the young back was banged up for most of his freshman season but ended the spring well and is pushing for playing time. I don’t think Davenport is the bettor’s favorite to fill the spot next to Norton and Franklin - we’ll get to that player later on - but the opportunity is there for the taking. He’s trending in the right direction, in any event.