Former Idaho Vandal puts farm work aside for second chance in the NFL

Former University of Idaho football player Jesse Davis was featured in a PalmBeachPost.com story Tuesday.

Davis is projected to start at left guard for the Miami Dolphins in their NFL preseason game Thursday at the Philadelphia Eagles (5 p.m. MT on NFL Network).

But the 6-foot-6, 309-pound undrafted free agent nearly gave up on an NFL career.

He was cut by the Seattle Seahawks in 2015 during his first NFL training camp, and an entire season went by without any interest from another team.

Needing to support a family, Davis got a job as a service technician for an agriculture and fertilization company.

“It was a good job,” Davis told PalmBeachPost.com. “I would fix the anhydrous ammonia machines, like those rippers that you use to fertilize the ground. Fixed those. And talked to the farmers and got chemical for them.”

With the encouragement of his fiance, Davis accepted an offer to attend the New York Jets’ training camp in 2016. He was signed by the Jets and later waived, signed again to the practice squad and later released a second time.

Davis joined the Dolphins’ practice squad at the end of last season.

With injuries to the two players ahead of him on the depth chart, Davis has the opportunity for a more long-term role with the Dolphins.

“I think he has just put his head down and kept working,” Miami coach Adam Gase told PalmBeachPost.com. “We were actually talking about it probably about two weeks ago about how he has really improved in the weight room. His knowledge of the offense is as good as anybody else. It doesn’t seem too big for him.”

Teammates are liking what they’ve seen from Davis, too.

“I like Jesse,” center Mike Pouncey said. “Jesse’s a strong football player at the point. He’s a smart guy. He really plays the game at a speed you’re supposed to play, and I think he’s done a lot of great things for offense to deserve those first-team reps.”

Anthony Steen and Jake Brendel are also in line to see snaps at left guard during the preseason, PalmBeachPost.com reported.

“I just keep grinding out here,” Davis said. “The preseason is still a long ways away (from being) over, so (I) just keep doing what I’ve been coached to do. I’ve just been fortunate enough to get the opportunity to play.”

This story was originally published August 24, 2017 at 1:12 PM with the headline "Former Idaho Vandal puts farm work aside for second chance in the NFL."