RD #7

Ray Davis

Running Back · Kentucky

A bruising short-yardage back who reinvented himself into the NFL's most explosive kick returner in 2025.

Ray Davis carved out a role in the Buffalo backfield as a physical between-the-tackles runner, but with James Cook III entrenched as the workhorse, Davis found a new way to impact games. In 2025 he turned kickoff returns into his signature weapon, topping the league in return average and forcing his way onto the All-Pro team.

★ 2025 First-Team All-Pro kick returner

★ Led the NFL in kickoff return average (30.4 yards) in 2025

★ First-team All-SEC at Kentucky in 2023

★ Set a Bills franchise record for kickoff return average

Path to the league

Davis took a winding college road, starting at Temple in 2019 before transferring to Vanderbilt and finally Kentucky for his final season. At Kentucky in 2023 he rushed for 1,129 yards and 14 touchdowns, including a career-high 280-yard, four-touchdown outburst against Florida, earning first-team All-SEC honors. Buffalo drafted him in the fourth round, 128th overall, in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Career highlights

As a rookie in 2024, Davis rushed for 442 yards and 3 touchdowns on 113 carries while adding 189 receiving yards and 3 receiving scores out of the backfield. He also flashed as a return man that year, hinting at the role that would define his following season.

2025 season recap

With Cook winning the NFL rushing title, Davis saw his carries cut but reinvented his value on special teams, leading the league with a 30.4-yard kickoff return average on 31 returns for 943 yards, including a 97-yard touchdown against Houston in Week 12. He finished the year with 275 rushing yards and 86 receiving yards, and was named First-Team All-Pro as a kick returner, the first Bills player honored at that position.