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Michigan State Football: Could Felton Davis III be Mark Dantonio’s best WR?

By Connor Muldowney

SAN DIEGO, CA - DECEMBER 28: Felton Davis III #18 of the Michigan State Spartans runs in a touchdown on a pass play against the Washington State Cougars during the first half of the SDCCU Holiday Bowl at SDCCU Stadium on December 28, 2017 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
SAN DIEGO, CA - DECEMBER 28: Felton Davis III #18 of the Michigan State Spartans runs in a touchdown on a pass play against the Washington State Cougars during the first half of the SDCCU Holiday Bowl at SDCCU Stadium on December 28, 2017 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /
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Michigan State football has one of the best receivers in the Big Ten heading into 2018, but can he be Mark Dantonio’s best?

As the final seconds ticked off the clock in the final game of 2016, Michigan State players looked defeated. They had just finished off the worst season in the Mark Dantonio era and one of the ugliest in school history. The locker room chemistry was off, few leaders stepped up and both sides of the ball were in complete disarray.

Must Read: 5 reasons Brian Lewerke’s will be Mark Dantonio’s best QB

Players who were expected to break out had average, at best, seasons, including former three-star wide out Felton Davis III.

After a quiet freshman season, he was expected to have a much larger role in 2016, but he caught just 12 passes for 150 yards and a touchdown. Through two seasons in East Lansing, he had just 14 catches for 200 yards. He was facing the most important offseason of his young career.

Ahead of his junior season, Davis III hit the weight room harder and began to watch more film — something he hadn’t taken as seriously before his freshman and sophomore years.

In 2017, the offseason of hard work paid off. He broke out for 776 yards and nine touchdowns to accompany his 55 receptions. He became one of the Big Ten’s best receivers and looked like a future early-round NFL draft selection.

Davis III decided to return for his senior season to mature as a player and put up even better numbers — his lofty goal is 100 receptions for 1,000-plus yards in 2018.

If Davis III can reach that 1,000-yard mark, he would join an exclusive club at Michigan State under Mark Dantonio.

Can he become Dantonio’s best wide out yet, though?

Let’s put it this way, Davis III has the highest ceiling of any former wide out Dantonio has ever coached at Michigan State, he just needs to apply himself. We saw what happened when he came out of his shell as a junior and took film sessions and workout seriously — he became a top-tier wide out in the Big Ten.

What would he need to do to surpass the best seasons of any former MSU wide out under Dantonio? Let’s take a look at the numbers of Dantonio’s past receivers in their best years:

  • Devin Thomas (2007): 79 receptions for 1,260 yards, 8 touchdowns
  • BJ Cunningham (2011): 79 receptions for 1,306 yards, 12 touchdowns
  • Tony Lippett (2014): 65 receptions for 1,198 yards, 11 touchdowns
  • Aaron Burbridge (2015): 85 receptions for 1,258 yards, 7 touchdowns

Davis III is a more explosive player than each of those guys, outside of maybe Thomas, but he has better hands and a bigger frame.

The 6-4, 195-pound receiver from Virginia can surely approach the 80-85 receptions mark and 1,000 yards is definitely possible. It’ll all depend on how much work he’s willing to put in, but he’s already set those lofty goals and not many people are ready to doubt him.

Moreover, none of those listed above had as impressive junior seasons, outside of Thomas again.

Next: MSU Football: Post-spring 2018 game-by-game predictions

In a few years when we’re talking about the best receivers to play under Dantonio, Davis III may be the first to come to mind.

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