Who is Commanders rookie CB Fred Davis II?

Who is Fred Davis II?

The Washington Commanders signed Davis, a cornerback out of Northwestern, as an undrafted free agent. Davis participated in the Commanders' rookie minicamp this weekend.

The first thought for several on X (formerly Twitter), for those old enough to remember, arose as Washington fans asked whether this Fred Davis II is the son of former Redskins tight end Fred Davis. The elder Davis played for the Redskins from 2008-2013. The Patriots signed him in May 2015, before releasing him in June, ending his NFL career. That Fred Davis had been drafted by the Redskins in 2008, No. 48 overall out of USC, as a 6-3, 250-pound tight end. He caught 162 passes (13 touchdowns) in his 72 games for the Redskins, averaging 12.6 yards per reception.

The current Fred Davis II, though also named Fred Davis, is not the son of the former Redskins tight end. Davis is listed at 6-0, 190 pounds, trying to make the Commanders at cornerback. Davis first put on the pads for Clemson (2020-22), having signed as a 5-star recruit.

However, things did not work out for Davis as he would have liked, and he chose to search for his happiness at UCF (2023), Jacksonville State (2024) and Northwestern (2025). Davis found his most success in college, his final season at Northwestern, starting in 11 of the 12 games he played. He recorded 32 tackles, defended six passes and recovered a fumble. He was also invited to the 2026 Senior Bowl.

Davis being undrafted is not letting that stop him, as he told Donna Hopkins, Friday, after rookie minicamp practice. "I've learned I can grasp on to whatever my environment is. I can grasp onto anything quick. We had some install going on, and I caught on real fast," expressed Davis.

"I am going to bring just being a great teammate, just put a step forward every day, bring competition into the room. I am a great athlete, but also a technician. I am looking to bring a whole complete package to the Washington Commanders' cornerback room."

Being an undrafted rookie is certainly not easy. Sure, there is the Joe Jacoby story, but that is the exception. The norm is that nine out of ten undrafted rookies do not make the active 53-man roster of an NFL team. Hopefully, the young man can stay healthy, enabling him to give it his best shot this summer and then in training camp.