Thomas Davis (American football)

Thomas Davis (born March 22, 1983 in Shellman, Georgia) is an American football linebacker in the National Football League for the Carolina Panthers.

College football
Davis attended Randolph-Clay Middle/High School in southwestern Georgia with a total student population of 471. The small size of his school made his chances for exposure very low. He was not highly recruited out of high school and was only offered a scholarship to one Division I school. The University of Georgia offered him a scholarship after a coach saw him play a basketball game. He was voted a consensus All-American free safety after his junior season in 2004. In 39 career games, he was effective as both a rush linebacker and a free safety, recording 272 tackles, 18 for a loss, 10.5 sacks, 3 interceptions, 6 forced fumbles and 9 fumble recoveries. Even though he was drafted as a safety in the 2005 NFL Draft, he was converted to linebacker during his rookie year. He majored in consumer economics.

Carolina Panthers
Davis was selected in the first round (14th overall) in the 2005 NFL Draft out of the University of Georgia. In his debut season he played in 16 games making one start. He recorded 38 tackles and 1.5 sacks.

In the 2006 season, he started in all 14 games that he played in recording 88 tackles and 1.5 sacks.

The following season in 07 he started all 16 games for the first time in his career. He finished the season with 88 tackles and three sacks.

In the 2008 season Davis had a career year. He started in all 16 games for the second year in a row, but this time he recorded 113 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and forced 2 fumbles.

Davis was placed on the reserve/physically unable to perform list with an injured right knee on October 31, 2010.