Honors & Awards
» Third-Team All-Big Ten (2019, Coaches)
» Honorable-Mention All-Big Ten (2019, Media; 2018, Media)
» Nebraska Defensive Lineman of the Year (2018, 2019)
» NCAA Track & Field Honorable-Mention All-American (2019, Discus)
» Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll (Spring 2017)
» Brook Berringer Citizenship Team (2016, 2017, 2018)
» Tom Osborne Citizenship Team (2016, 2017, 2018)
2019 (Senior)
Khalil Davis, who played his senior season as a graduate student, started every game but one as a senior, missing the Northwestern game due to a Big Ten suspension. Davis finished with a career-high 45 tackles - the most among NU's defensive linemen - and he led Nebraska with 8.0 sacks and 12 TFLs. He had a nine-yard sack in the season opener against South Alabama and had five solo tackles and a pair of TFLs at Colorado. Davis made one tackle in the win against Northern Illinois before totaling three tackles, including a four-yard sack at Illinois. Against No. 5 Ohio State, Davis had five tackles and tied his career high with two TFLs, including an eight-yard sack. After missing the Northwestern game, Davis returned to total four tackles at Minnesota, and he recorded his fourth sack of the year against Indiana. Davis had a career-high eight tackles the next week at Purdue, including 1.5 sacks and the first pass breakup of his career. Against No. 15 Wisconsin, Davis registered six tackles. He had a big game in Nebraska's win at Maryland, recording a career-high 2.5 sacks. Davis closed his Husker career with a four-tackle performance against Iowa that included one TFL.
For his efforts, Davis earned third-team All-Big Ten accolades from the conference coaches and honorable-mention recognition from the league media.
Davis was an eight-time letterwinner at Nebraska (four each in football and track). He and his twin brother Carlos were the first Huskers in more than 50 years to be eight-time letterwinners and just the ninth and 10th eight-time letterwinners in the history of Nebraska Athletics.
2018 (Junior)
Davis was a key member of the Husker defensive line while appearing in all 12 games as a junior. Although he did not start a game, Davis earned honorable-mention All-Big Ten recognition after leading the Husker defensive line with a career-high 41 tackles, more than doubling his career total entering the year. Davis also posted career highs with eight TFLs, 3.0 sacks and four quarterback hurries. He had multiple tackles in 10 of 12 games, including four games with four or more tackles.
Davis began his junior season on a strong note, setting then-career highs in tackles, tackles for loss and sacks against Colorado. Davis led all Husker defensive linemen with six tackles against the Buffaloes and he registered 2.0 sacks, matching his career total in that category. He added two more tackles against Troy and made three tackles at No. 19 Michigan. Against Purdue, Davis had a career-high seven tackles and had a tackle for a seven-yard loss. Davis added four tackles at No. 16 Wisconsin. The next week, Davis totaled a career-high five solo tackles at Northwestern, and he added one tackle in the Huskers’ win over Minnesota.
Davis had three tackles and one TFL vs. Bethune-Cookman, his fourth tackle for loss of the season. He was big in Nebraska’s win over Illinois, recording three tackles, including a pair of tackles for loss and a three-yard sack. He then totaled four tackles in the Huskers’ win over Michigan State. In the season finale at Iowa, Davis tied his career high with a pair of TFLs, his third game of the year with multiple tackles for loss.
In the spring, Davis completed his career as a four-year letterwinner for the Husker track and field program. He finished eighth in the discus at the 2019 Big Ten Outdoor Championships with a throw of 173-7 and qualified for the NCAA West Regional for the fourth time in his career. Davis finished 10th at the West Regional to qualify for his first NCAA Championships, where he placed 23rd and earned honorable-mention All-America accolades.
2017 (Sophomore)
Davis was a key contributor on the defensive line, appearing in all 12 games and totaling a career-high 15 tackles, tripling his total from his redshirt freshman season. Davis also set career highs with four tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks. Against Northern Illinois, Davis had a career-high three tackles and recorded his first career sack, forced fumble and pass breakup, while recording a career-best two TFLs. He also had three tackles and a sack at both Illinois and Purdue. Davis concluded his season by posting two tackles against Iowa in the season finale, marking his fourth multi-tackle effort of the year.
In the spring of 2018, Davis placed sixth in the discus at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships with a personal-best throw of 188-4 (57.41m). Davis finished 15th at the NCAA West Preliminary Round, narrowly missing qualifying for the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
2016 (Redshirt Freshman)
Davis was a reserve defensive tackle and played in 12 games. He made five tackles, including four solo stops and two tackles for loss, totaling four yards. He had a season-high two tackles against Wyoming, with both tackles behind the line of scrimmage.
2015 (Redshirt)
Davis sat out his first season in Lincoln as a redshirt and was impressive on the Husker scout team defense.
Before Nebraska (Blue Springs HS)
Davis came to Lincoln from Blue Springs High School, one of the top prep programs in Missouri. He battled through injuries during his senior season, but tallied 60 tackles, including 26 for loss, and had 9.5 sacks. Davis also doubled as an offensive lineman in the second half of the season, helping Coach Kelly Donohoe's team to an 8-4 record and a trip to the second round of the Class 6 state playoffs.
For his play in 2014, Davis was a first-team Class 6 all-state selection by the Missouri High School Coaches Association and earned All-Metro honors from the Kansas City Star.
As a junior, Davis played a key role in helping Blue Springs to a perfect 14-0 record and a Class 6 state title. Davis had 62 tackles, including 26 tackles for loss, and added four sacks. He also forced a fumble, recovered two others and had a pass breakup. Davis' play in 2014 netted him Class 6 all-state honors, as well as an All-Metro selection.
Davis saw action for a 13-1 state championship Blue Springs team as a sophomore in 2012, making four solo tackles for the Wildcats.
Davis ran an impressive 4.63 40-yard dash and had a 33-inch vertical jump at the U.S. Army National Combine. He chose Nebraska over Missouri and had numerous other offers, including TCU, Oregon, Arkansas and Kansas State to name a few.
Davis was ranked as the No. 3 player in Missouri by Rivals.com, while 247Sports ranked him as the No. 6 prospect in the state. Davis was listed among the nation's top 25 defensive tackles by both Rivals and 247Sports.
Also a track and field star, Davis helped lead Blue Springs to a 2015 Class 5 Missouri State Championship title. He garnered second-place finishes in shot put and discus at the state championship finals, losing only to his brother.
Personal
Khalil is the son of Carl and Tracy Davis. He was born on Aug. 22, 1996, and is the younger of the Davis twins by five minutes. A child, youth and family studies major, Davis has volunteered his time with the FCA, the Nebraska Football Road Race, a Mother/Son event, Souper Bowl of Caring and school and hospital outreach visits.