If we were to ask random BYU football fans who also follow former Cougars in the NFL to name the four current BYU players in the NFL who have played in more than 100 career games, they could probably rattle off three: Kyle Van Noy (173), Fred Warner (121), and Taysom Hill (118).
But there's a fourth who often goes overlooked.
And that's veteran cornerback Michael Davis and the impressive 133 career NFL games he has played, including 76 starts. With Davis' career at a crossroads, it's time to give the former Cougar star some love.
Michael Davis shined at BYU
From 2013 through 2016, rangy cornerback Michael Davis excelled at BYU.
The 6-foot-2, 196-pound cornerback had size, reach, speed, and technique that got him on the field as a freshman. In five games in his first season in Provo he racked up 17 tackles. He broke out in his 2014 sophomore season with 43 tackles and six passes defended over 13 games. Between his junior and senior seasons he registered 50 additional tackles and intercepted his first and only pass at BYU. Davis began his senior season named to the Reese's Senior Bowl Watch List which often highlights players with NFL potential.
Michael Davis finished his BYU career with 110 tackles and 16 passes defended over 43 games.
And his career in Provo was important. BYU has struggled for years to recruit and retain talented cornerbacks, and this was especially true during the independence era in which Davis played. He brought skill, size, and speed that was rare in Provo over his outstanding four-year BYU career.
Becoming a nine-year NFL veteran
Despite his success at BYU, Michael Davis went undrafted in 2017.
He quickly signed as an undrafted free agent with the then-San Diego Chargers, and just as quickly established himself as a key contributor on the team. Davis not only defied the odds to make the 53-man roster as a rookie, he appeared in 15 games with 18 tackles, playing mostly special teams.
The odds are stacked against undrafted free agents. Every year somewhere between 400 and 500 undrafted players sign with NFL teams to participate in training camp and preseason games. The vast majority of them are released at roster cutdowns as teams get to their 53-man rosters. Some of the fortunate ones land on practice squads. Very few undrafted players make the 53-man roster as rookies, and only a fraction of them go on to appear in 15 games in their first NFL season.
Michael Davis overcame the odds from the first day he put on an NFL jersey.
Earlier this year he was profiled by BYU's Deep Blue series talking about his story of overcoming trials throughout both his career and in his life, and it's worth a watch.
He broke out in 2018, his second NFL season, when he started nine of 16 games and recorded 50 tackles with eight passes defended. That led to a seven-year stint with the Chargers in which he appeared in 107 games with 74 starts, registering 349 tackles, eight interceptions, and 69 passes defended.
In 2024 he left the Chargers and signed with the Washington Commanders, but things didn't play out as he had hoped they would in his new home. That year he appeared in 15 games with two starts, 14 tackles, and one pass defended. His coverage skills had either declined or didn't fit Washington's scheme very well and he was often targeted in pass coverage. His role in the Commanders secondary was quickly minimized.
Entering 2025 it looked like Davis's NFL career might be over. He went unsigned as a free agent as the season kicked off. But he eventually signed with the New Orleans Saints and made his season debut in Week 6, playing mostly special teams. In all this season he appeared in 11 games with four tackles, playing 114 special teams snaps and nine defensive snaps.
With the Saints rebuilding they may not be looking to bring back a 31-year-old special teamer next year. It will be interesting to see if Davis can land with another team next season that needs a veteran cornerback who can also contribute on special teams.
Next year will take care of itself. For now, let's just celebrate the solid career Michael Davis has put together, representing BYU exceptionally well over the last nine NFL seasons and 133 games.