FAYETTEVILLE — Even though Coppell, Texas, junior kicker Caden Davis made a 56-yard field goal during Saturday’s Arkansas Specialists Camp, he walked away a little disappointed.
That’s because Davis (6-1, 186) - who has made a 63-yard kick in practice before - missed on ones from 58 and 60. Still he walked away with a tie for the field goal title at the event.
Davis, who also won the kickoff competition on Saturday, is regarded as the second-best 2019 field goal prospect by Kohl’s Kicking.
“I think I hit it pretty well during the field goal and kickoff portion,” Davis said. “I didn’t start out with my best (in practice), but stepped it up and was able to win kickoff and field competition.”
Davis established himself as a name for the future by going 15-of-20 with a long of 51 during his sophomore season and hitting all 51 of his extra point attempts.
“Last year was my first season on varsity,” Davis said. “I started out pretty strong. I think I started out 8 for 8. The next couple I think I was lacking some mental focus, which is big part of it.
“After the season, I was pretty happy with the result, but definitely there were some technical things I wanted to refine to have some better statistics and help my team.”
Davis believes the mental portion of kicking is a major part of success as a kicker.
“Definitely your technique and strength is really important, but if you don’t have the mental focus you are not going to be successful at all,” Davis said.
Davis went from not being contacted before April to being a hot property the following two months.
“For me, I hadn’t heard from anybody in March, but since April and May a bunch of schools have talked to me,” Davis said. “It’s been really fun and just a blessing to be able to talk to all those schools in the first place.
“More seriously I have talked to TCU, (Texas) A&M, Oklahoma State and talked to some other schools, but less serious.”
Davis gave Arkansas high marks.
“I was really amazed today,” Davis said. “I didn’t realize everything was so nice here. The campus is really cool and all the facilities are really nice. It is definitely a place that I could see myself.”
He’s now visited five schools.
“I have checked out TCU, A&M, Oklahoma State and OU so far and now Arkansas,” Davis said.