CLEVELAND, Ohio (May 1, 2021) – Former Central Missouri Mule
Zach Davidson gets to live out his dreams of playing in the National Football League. Davidson was drafted with the 24th pick of the fifth round, number 168 overall by the Minnesota Vikings. Davidson becomes the 12
th Mule to be drafted in the NFL and the first since Delanie Walker in 2006.
Davidson at UCM
Davidson came to UCM in 2016 spending five years in Warrensburg. After a red-shirt season in 2016, Davidson saw his most action in 2017 as the Mules punter. That first season he made the All-MIAA Second Team and Don Hanson Third Team All-American as a punter getting off 47 kicks for a UCM record average 44.3 yards per kick. Davidson's offensive role expanded in 2018 where he caught 11 passes in 11 games for 239 yards and three touchdowns. He had another outstanding year on special teams leading the MIAA with a 42.8 average punt. The 2019 season was his biggest though exploding for 40 catches and 894 yards with 15 touchdowns, averaging 22.4 yards per catch. He was a First Team All-American by five publications as a tight end and picked up another All-MIAA award as a punter.
In 2019: Became the premier tight end in Division II earning five First Team All-American awards ... He finished in the NCAA top-10 in both receiving touchdowns (15) and yards-per-reception (22.35) ... Set a Mules record for tight ends with 15 touchdown passes, second most in a single-season by any Mule ... Finished the year with 40 catches for 894 yards ... Tied a Mules record with four touchdown receptions in a Mules win at Missouri Southern (Oct. 5) ... Caught at least one touchdown pass in nine of the Mules 13 games ... Went over 100 receiving yards three times ... Caught five passes for 225 yards in the Mules win at Missouri Western (Sept. 21), the most yards in a single-game by a tight end in Mules history and the fourth most receiving yards in a single game in team history ... Continued to be one of the top punters in the NCAA as well with 48 kicks averaging 40.3 yards ... Downed 19 punts inside the opponents 20 with nine traveling 50+ yards and a long of 67 ... In addition to his five All-American awards, made two All-Region teams and was on the MIAA First Team as both a tight end and a punter.
In 2018: Had another outstanding season punting, leading the MIAA with a 42.8 average ... He downed 15 punts inside the 20 and drilled nine 50+ yards ... His 42.8 average per punt is second in Mules history, behind only his 2017 season ... In eight of 11 games averaged at least 40 yards per kick ... Hit a long of 64 at Pittsburg State (Oct. 20) ... Had another 60+ yard punt in the Mules regular season finale against Northwest Missouri (Nov. 10), connecting for a 61-yarder ... Was a D2CCA Second Team All-Central Region punter, as well as being named to the All-MIAA team ... Also was the Mules No. 2 tight end, catching 11 passes for 239 yards, an average of 21.7 yards per catch ... Scored three times, with his first coming against Missouri Western (Sept. 15) ... Caught two passes for a season-high 87 yards and a score at Pittsburg State (Oct. 20).
In 2017: In his first season with the Mules, set a new team record averaging 44.3 yards per punt which was second in the country … Davidson kicked 47 times and totaled 2,082 yards … He connected for 11 kicks of 50 or more yards and had a long of 66 at Fort Hays State (Sept. 7) … In the Mules regular season finale, Davidson averaged 55.7 yards per punt on three kicks with a long of 65 yards … He landed 14 of his 47 punts inside the 20 with seven touchbacks and 11 fair catches … He was selected as a Don Hanson Third Team All-American and was a Second Team All-MIAA selection.
In 2016: Did not appear in any games while redshirting.
In High School: Was a First Team All-Conference, All-District and All-State selection for head coach John Roderique at Webb City High School … helped lead his team to three conference championships, three district titles and two state championships
Personal: Sport Management major ... Son of Dustin Davidson and Staci Davidson.
Career Stats
RECEIVING G Rec Yds TD Lg Rec/G Avg/C Avg/G
2016 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0
2017 12 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0
2018 11 11 239 3 64 1.0 21.7 21.7
2019 13 40 894 15 80 3.1 22.4 68.8
TOTAL 36 51 1133 18 80 1.4 22.2 31.5
RUSHING G Att Yds TD Lg Avg/C Avg/G
2016 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.0
2017 12 1 16 0 16 16.0 1.3
2018 11 1 15 0 15 15.0 1.4
2019 13 5 34 0 22 6.8 2.6
TOTAL 36 7 65 0 22 9.3 1.8
TOTAL OFFENSE G Rush Pass Total Avg/G
2016 0 0 0 0 0.0
2017 12 16 6 22 1.8
2018 11 15 0 15 1.4
2019 13 34 0 34 2.6
TOTAL 36 65 6 71 2.0
SCORING G TD Rush Pass Retn PAT 2PAT FG Total Avg/G
2016 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.0
2017 12 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.0
2018 11 3 0 3 0 0 0 0 18 1.6
2019 13 15 0 15 0 0 0 0 90 6.9
TOTAL 36 18 0 18 0 0 0 0 108 3.0
ALL PURPOSE G Rush Rec PR KR IR Total Avg/G
2016 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.0
2017 12 16 0 0 0 0 16 1.3
2018 11 15 239 0 9 0 263 23.9
2019 13 34 894 0 0 0 928 71.4
TOTAL 36 65 1133 0 9 0 1207 33.5
PUNTING G No. Yards Lg Avg
2016 0 0 0 0 0.0
2017 12 47 2082 66 44.3
2018 11 42 1796 64 42.8
2019 13 48 1934 67 40.3
TOTAL 36 137 5812 67 42.4
Mules NFL Draft History
Zach Davidson becomes the 12
th Mule to be drafted into the NFL. He is also the 67
th to sign a professional contract. Prior to Davidson, the last Mule to be drafted in the NFL was Delanie Walker by the San Francisco 49ers in 2006. Davidson is the second Mule to be drafted in the fifth round and the second highest in Mules history behind Roderick Green who was picked number 153 overall.
Keith Browne, selected by the Green Bay Packers in 1966 was the first Mule ever to be drafted in the NFL. The Mules had a player drafted for five straight years from 1966-70.
Year Player Position Round Team
1966 Keith Browne WR 13th round Green Bay Packers
1967 Mike St. Louis OT 13th round Washington Redskins
1968 John Mack RB 17th round Green Bay Packers
1969 Larry Roberts RB 13th round Cleveland Browns
1970 Eddie Coates WR 15th round Detroit Lions
1972 Walter Rhone DB 14th round Los Angeles Rams
1977 Henry Mason WR 11th round Baltimore Colts
1987 Jeff Wright NG 8th round Buffalo Bills
1999 Colston Weatherington DE 7th round Dallas Cowboys
2004 Roderick Green DE 5th round Baltimore Ravens
2006 Delanie Walker TE 6th round San Francisco 49ers
2021
Zach Davidson TE/P 5th round Minnesota Vikings
