Davis, "Willie" (William D.)
Football
b. July 24, 1934, Lisbon, LA
The first player from Grambling College to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Davis was presented by his college coach, Eddie Robinson, who said of him, "For ten years, Willie was the standard of excellence by which defensive ends were judged."
The 6-foot-3, 245-pound Davis started his professional career with the Cleveland Browns in 1958. The Browns didn't quite know where to use him; he played defensive end, defensive tackle, and linebacker at one time or another, without ever becoming a starter.
The Green Bay Packers needed help at defensive end, and Vince Lombardi decided that Davis was the answer. The Packers traded for him before the 1960 season and he immediately became a starter.
Fast and agile, Davis was an outstanding pass rusher and was also a strong defender against the run. He was named to the All-Pro team in 1962 and from 1964 through 1967. He played 162 games without ever missing one before retiring after the 1969 season with 21 fumble recoveries, one less than the league record.