Lake Oconee Academy’s Reid Davis has put together a strong senior season and is now gaining the attention of college programs.
Davis, a 6-foot-1, 205-pound tight-end and linebacker, has been a bright spot for the Titans this season.
Davis received his first offer from Berry College in early October, and he described it as an “amazing feeling.”
“I would’ve never thought I’d be playing college ball, so it’s special to me,” Davis told the Lake Oconee News. “It’s something that I’ve been working towards for, you know, a long time.”
Davis has always wanted to play football at the next level, and his hard work has almost paid off.
“I was always smaller and never thought I’d get to that level,” Davis said. “I put in a ton of work, and it just makes me proud to see all that work go to something, get results, and be noticed.”
Lake Oconee Academy football head coach Patrick Stewart described him as one of the team’s best leaders, and Davis takes pride in that. The senior always puts the team first over himself.
“I love to lead by example,” Davis said. “You just got to be the guy that goes out there and does it, and people start to follow you.”
He is important to the team because he plays on both sides of the ball.
Through nine games, Davis is the Titans’ leading pass catcher. He’s caught 21 passes for 250 yards and two touchdowns. He’s proven time and time again why quarterback Ike O’Neal can depend on him.
“When I have playmakers like that, the job is easy,” O’Neal said before the season. “As a quarterback, it makes me feel good to know I have athletes around me like that. So when I mess up, they can make a play. They always have my back. … Reid is one the guys I can rely on.”
Defensively, Reid, a 6-foot-1, 205-pound prospect, has a team-high 60 tackles with 40 solo stops. As a senior, he also has 8.0 tackles for loss, an interception, and four fumble recoveries this year.
Playing both ways is challenging, but LOA’s summer conditioning has helped Davis do it.
“Our summer conditioning every day is tough,” Davis said. “We run all the time and lift hard, so I would say that helps the most.”
Stewart had strong words for the senior linebacker and tight end, with his work ethic at the top.
“He works his tail off in the offseason, so he’s in shape,” Stewart said. “He probably plays 85 snaps every Friday and never gets tired.”
Davis’s stock continues to rise as his senior season comes to an end. However, with college opportunities ahead, his career is just starting, and he’s ready to take the next step on the gridiron.
“He’s a special player for sure,” Stewart said. “He’s one of those that you want on your squad.”