Vandy running back Raymond Davis transfers to UK and has shown he can be productive against SEC defenses

Raymond Davis had three 100-yard rushing games against SEC defenses, including Kentucky, last year. (UK Athletics Photo)

Raymond Davis beat Kentucky late in the 2022 season but now he’s hoping to help lead Kentucky to a lot of victories in 2023.

The Vanderbilt running back announced Tuesday he was transferring to Kentucky, which loses star running back Chris Rodriguez to the NFL.

He posted on Twitter that “We Love Our New Home Best Visit We ever Had” and then praised new running backs coach Jay Boulware as “world class.”

The 5-foot-9 running back ran for  129 yards — averaging five yards per carry that included a 45-yard touchdown run in Vanderbilt’s stunning upset win over the Cats in November in Lexington.

Davis, a New Jersey native like North Carolina State quarterback Devin Leary who also committed to UK Tuesday, started his collegiate career at Temple. He was not highly recruited as he picked Temple over Purdue, Sacred Heart, Towson, Kent State, Maine and Albany.

However, as a true freshman in 2019 he was named a first team freshman All-American by Pro Football Focus after rushing for 936 yards and eight touchdowns and making 15 catches for 181 yards and two scores. He played only four games in the 2020 COVID season but ran for 323 yards and had 12 catches for 62 yards.

Davis transferred to Vanderbilt and ran for 238 yards and a touchdown in 2021 before going out with a season-ending knee injury in the third game. But last season he was fourth in the SEC with 1,042 yards rushing and five touchdowns while averaging 4.5 yards per game. He also had 29 catches for 169 yards and three scores — and will be the kind of dual threat running back that Liam Coen likes to have in his offense.

Davis had a season-high 167 yards against South Carolina and also had 122 against Florida to go with his 100-yard game against Kentucky.

The Cats return running backs JuTahn McClain and La’Vell Wright and most expect Ramon Jefferson to ask for a medical redshirt season so he can play in 2023.