Sport: Football
Born: October 11, 1989
Town: Piscataway, New Jersey
Anthony Davis was born October 11, 1989 in Piscataway. Anthony played organized football and basketball as a boy in the town’s youth sports programs. He he was big, quick, strong and aggressive. Although Anthony possessed the skills of a defensive lineman, he preferred to play on the other side of the ball. He longed to play in the NFL, and was especially envious of the offensive linemen who got to play in the Super Bowl.
As a freshman at Piscataway High School, Anthony was a member of the Chiefs’ state championship team. He became a starter the following season, teaming with future NFL players Malcolm Jenkins and Kyle Wilson to lead Piscataway to an undefeated record and another state title. At 6’5” and 300 pounds, Anthony had little trouble pancaking his high-school opponents. He was also a handful on the hardwood for PHS, bringing a Charles Barkley-like presence to the basketball court. He once shattered a backboard with one of his thunderous dunks.
As a senior, Anthony was named a first-team Prep All-American by USA Today, rated the top overall player in New Jersey, and regarded among the Top 10 offensive line prospects in the country. Ohio State recruited Anthony very aggressively, but he chose to remain in-state, becoming Greg Schiano’s first #1 recruit, in 2007. The Scarlet Knights had been talking to Anthony since his freshman year.
Anthony won the starting right guard job midway through his freshman year as Rutgers went 8–5 and scored a big victory over #2 nationally ranked South Florida. The Scarlet Knights played in the International Bowl and demolished Ball State, 52–30. Anthony was honored as a Freshman All-American.
Anthony moved to left tackle and played two seasons at the position. He earned All-Big East honors both years and was a second-team All-American as a junior in 2009. Rutgers concluded each of these seasons with a bowl victory.
Anthony decided to skip his senior year and go into the NFL Draft after being projected as a first-round pick. The San Francisco 49ers took him with the 11th overall selection after trading up to get him. He stepped right in to the starting right tackle slot and did not miss a game in his first three NFL seasons. In 2012, Anthony got to live his childhood dream of playing in the Super Bowl. Unfortunately, the 49ers fell to the Ravens, 34–31.
In 2014, Anthony sat out 9 games due to various inuries, and the San Francisco ground game suffered. Frank Gore put up robust numbers when Anthony was on the field, but Gore’s production plummeted when his replacement was in the lineup. It marked the first time as a pro Anthony missed significant playing time.
Prior to training camp in 2015, Anthony shocked NFL fans by announcing his temporary retirement. A head injury suffered during the previous season spooked him, and he decided to let his mind and body heal before making any final career decisions. Coupled with the retirement of 24-year-old linebacker Chris Borland over similar concerns, Anthony’s absence contributed to a disappointing 5–11 season.
In 2016, Anthony returned to the 49ers and made the team out of camp. He played three downs in a September win over the Rams and decided retirement had been the right decision. Leaving football behind was not as easy as Anthony expected. Three years later, he applied for reinstatement and tested the free-agent waters, but was unable to catch on with an NFL club.