Khalil Davis drafted by Buccaneers, ending NU's NFL Draft drought

A year after being shut out of the NFL Draft for the first time in 57 years a year ago, Nebraska finally began a new streak when defensive lineman Khalil Davis was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the sixth round of the 2020 NFL Draft.

Davis was taken 194th overall on Saturday, becoming the first Husker to be drafted since Tanner Lee was NU’s lone pick in the sixth round (203rd overall) in 2018.

Few players elevated their draft stock at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis more than Davis.

After measuring in at 6-1, 308, Davis recorded a blazing time of 4.75 seconds in the 40-yard dash, which ranked sixth among defensive linemen at the combine. Even better, his time was the fastest by a 300-pounder at his position since 2006, per ESPN.

Davis also put up 32 reps of 225 pounds in the bench press to tie for second among d-linemen.

That proved to be more than enough to compliment a strong senior season in Lincoln, where he started 11 of 12 games (missing one due to suspension) and finished with a career-high 45 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, and 8.0 sacks.

The Blue Springs, Mo., native was a third-team All-Big Ten selection by the league’s coaches and earned Nebraska’s Defensive Lineman of the Year honors for the second straight season.

Khalil Davis, who played his senior season as a graduate student, started every game but one as a senior, missing the Northwestern game due to a Big Ten suspension. Davis finished with a career-high 45 tackles - the most among NU's defensive linemen - and he led Nebraska with 8.0 sacks and 12 TFLs.

He ended his NU career as an eight-time letterwinner, earning four each in football and track as a thrower.

"What we had seen on tape was backed up at the Combine when he ran a 4.75 at 308 pounds," Buccaneers Director of Player Personnel John Spytek told local media on Saturday. "He's a unique defensive lineman physically – 4.75, quick and explosive. He can play a lot of spots for us."