Charlotte 49ers four-year starting offensive lineman Nate Davis will be headed to the NFL Combine, Feb. 26 to March 4. Davis, who earned all-Conference USA recognition for each of the last three years, participated in the Reese’s Senior Bowl in January and has been earning strong reviews from NFL teams.
“Going to the Senior Bowl was definitely a blessing,” Davis said. “To go against great competition and learn some tools. It wasn’t just drills and practice but also interviews and meetings. That should help me at the Combine to be ready for the rigors.”
Davis is the second 49er to have participated in the Senior Bowl and to have been invited to the NFL Combine. In 2017, four-year starter Larry Ogunjobi, the team’s first all-Conference USA first team selection, went to both events. The defensive lineman was taken in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns and started all 16 games this past season.
“(My NFL goals) kind of grew as time went on,” said Davis, who received his NFL Combine invitation in December. “I didn’t really expect all this. I just wanted to play, because I love to play. In my second year, when I was named honorable mention all-Conference USA, I realized I had a shot to do this. Ever since then, that has been my goal—to get to the Combine and the Senior Bowl and to get to a team sometime.
Ogunjobi’s success definitely played a role, said Davis. “Being able to see a guy from a brand-new team, someone that I shared a locker room with, make it to the biggest stage—that’s cool to see and makes you want to grind harder.”
He credits the 49ers program for helping push him toward his NFL goals.
“Having teammates that supported you no matter what. Obviously, the coaching staff that cared about you on and off the field and pushed you to be the best you can,” said Davis, who was named second team all-Conference USA by the league’s coaches this year.
Phil Steele named him to his 2018 all-Conference USA First Team. He was an honorable mention all-C-USA choice in 2016 and 2017. A member of the 49ers third recruiting class, Davis made 37 career starts during his four-year, 40-game career. He anchored offensive lines that helped produce second team all-C-USA running backs Kalif Phillips (2015) and Benny LeMay (2018). The 49ers running game ranked fifth in the league in 2018 and sixth in 2016.