‘This kid is massive’

One year after strapping on a football helmet for the very first time, Zack Davis found himself participating in Winnipeg Blue Bombers training camp.

“I don’t want to say I didn’t have a goal, but I didn’t expect to be here, for sure,” said Davis, a defensive lineman with the Winnipeg Rifles who is in his second year as a territorial junior with the Bombers. He can practice with his hometown CFL club and not count towards the roster before joining the Rifles later this summer for the upcoming Canadian Junior Football League season.

The 21-year-old Davis, who certainly looks the part as he’s 6-5 and weighs 285 pounds, might not have years of experience chasing down quarterbacks, but he does have an impressive athletic background.

He was previously an intimidating junior hockey defenceman before he made the switch to the gridiron game in 2023. Selected in the 10th round of the 2018 WHL Draft by the Swift Current Broncos, Davis suited up in the MJHL for the Steinbach Pistons and the Thunder Bay North Stars of the SIJHL.

He loved hockey, and still does, but he left it behind to return home for family reasons.

“I came home, and at the time, I felt like I couldn’t quit playing sports,” said Davis. “If I wasn’t going to play hockey, I had to play something else. So, I decided on football.”

Rifles head coach Geordie Wilson is thrilled he did. He heard about Davis through a mutual connection and the rest is history.

“He walked in, and I was like ‘Whoah, this kid is massive,’” said Wilson, recalling the first time he met Davis.

“I had him start training with our guys in the winter, and then as we went through our winter and spring on-field stuff, it was like ‘Holy crap, man. This kid doesn’t know what he’s doing yet but once he gets coached up, he’s going to be dynamite.’”

Relying solely on his athleticism and physicality, Davis finished the 2023 campaign with the Rifles with three quarterback sacks, 18 total tackles, and a blocked kick.

Wilson believed if Davis could get better at the technique side of things the sky would be the limit for the young prospect. So, he called Bombers general manager Kyle Walters and head coach Mike O’Shea to schedule an in-person meeting.

“I bring him down, we’re sitting in Kyle’s office, and O’Shea walks in and goes ‘Holy Mackerel, this kid has a huge head.’ He was joking around, and then wanted to talk him about his whole hockey career so they went off for about half an hour jabbering away. And I was talking to Kyle about him and said ‘Look, this kid is as green as grass, but if we can get him into camp with you guys, learns some skills then plays with us, in a couple years, I think this kid could play in the CFL,’” said Wilson.

“They were obviously impressed.”

An injury cost Davis his 2024 season with the Rifles, but he rejoined the Bombers at this year’s camp.

“His progression from when he first started with us to now is phenomenal and just terrific. I couldn’t be happier for him,” said O’Shea.

“I think he’s having fun doing it, I think he understands it better. I mean, his pass rush skills from this year to last year have gone through the roof. I’m really pleased for Zack, he’s an awesome teammate and a good guy all around.”

Don’t get it twisted, O’Shea made it clear that Rifles aren’t welcomed just as a way to help develop the local football community.

“I hope they get to a point where they are CFL football players. That’s what I hope,” said O’Shea.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re a Rifle or if you’ve come from whatever the best school is in the NCAA… You’re gonna learn stuff from all the vets… So, it doesn’t matter if you come from the Rifles or not, you better be learning from all those guys and I hope for all of them that they realize their dream.”

Unlike last year, Davis saw action in both preseason contests this time around and managed to stick out with a few tackles.

“This is so special to be out here. As a Winnipeg kid, I always looked at the stadium and the players and they were a huge role model for me and a lot of Winnipeg, too,” said Davis.

“Now, getting to learn from guys like Willie Jefferson and Jake Thomas, they’re so special because they’ve been in the league for so long. So, any small things or big things that they tell me, I’m a sponge towards them.”

As unorthodox as his journey may be, he might one day soon find himself with a professional contract. If he continues to play for the Rifles, the Bombers will automatically own his rights.

“He’s got a good story and there’s some good things coming ahead for that young fella, for sure,” said Wilson.

The Bombers are on a Week 1 bye and will open the season June 12 at home against the B.C. Lions.

taylor.allen@freepress.mb.ca