Age: 23 (Dec.
22)
1st
season in pro football
College: Louisville
Height: 6’2” Weight: 225
Prelude:
In college,
Davenport rushed for 1477 yards on 369 carries (4.0 avg.) and caught 55 passes
for another 532 and scored a total of 18 touchdowns. He was chosen by the
Dolphins in the sixth round of the 1985 NFL draft and proved to be an
outstanding short-yardage runner near the goal line and in third down
situations.
1985 Season Summary
Appeared in all
16 games
[Bracketed
numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]
Rushing
Attempts – 98
Most
attempts, game – 12 (for 49 yds.) vs. Indianapolis 9/15, (for 55 yds.) vs.
Kansas City 9/22
Yards – 370
Most yards,
game – 57 yards (on 6 carries) vs. Buffalo 12/22
Average gain
– 3.8
TDs – 11 [3,
tied with Marcus Allen, 1st in AFC]
Pass
Receiving
Receptions – 13
Most
receptions, game – 4 (for 23 yds.) at Buffalo 11/24
Yards – 74
Most yards,
game – 23 (on 4 catches) at Buffalo 11/24
Average gain
– 5.7
TDs – 2
Scoring
TDs – 13 [5,
tied with Daryl Turner]
Points – 78
Postseason: 2 G
Rushing
attempts – 9
Most rushing
attempts, game – 6 vs. Cleveland, AFC Divisional playoff
Rushing yards
– 54
Most rushing
yards, game – 48 vs. Cleveland, AFC Divisional playoff
Average gain rushing
– 6.0
Rushing TDs –
2
Pass
receptions – 3
Most pass
receptions, game – 3 vs. New England, AFC Championship
Pass
receiving yards – 23
Most pass
receiving yards, game – 23 vs. New England, AFC Championship
Average yards
per reception – 7.7
Pass Receiving
TDs – 0
Dolphins went
12-4 to finish first in the AFC East. Won AFC Divisional playoff over Cleveland
Browns (24-21). Lost AFC Championship to New England Patriots (31-14).
Aftermath:
Davenport
spent another four seasons with the Dolphins, but his first remained his most
productive. He ran for 314 yards in 1986 but with no rushing TDs and scored
just two more in the remainder of his time with the club. He was utilized more
as a receiver out of the backfield and achieved career highs with 30 receptions
for 282 yards in 1988. Competing with FB Woody Bennett, a better pass blocker,
and effective in spurts, Davenport was also inconsistent. Overall, he rushed
for 1127 yards on 374 attempts (4.1 avg.), caught 93 passes for 801 yards, and
scored 17 touchdowns.
--
Highlighted Years features players who were consensus
first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the
following statistical categories:
Rushing:
Yards, TDs (min. 10)
Passing:
Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating
Receiving:
Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)
Scoring: TDs,
Points, Field Goals (min. 5)
All-Purpose:
Total Yards
Defense:
Interceptions, Sacks
Kickoff
Returns: Average
Punt Returns:
Average
Punting:
Average
*Leagues
include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL
(1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)
**NFC/AFC
since 1970
