Najeh Davenport

In 2007, Najeh Davenport did nothing but impress in his second season as a Steeler.    Davenport utilized his power rushing attack to compliment All-Pro running back Willie Parker.  He led the Steelers with five rushing touchdown and amassed over 650 yards of total offense.   Davenport and Parker combined for an effective backfield that racked up the 3rd most rushing yards in the NFL.

Najeh Davenport found a new home in the NFL in 2006 when he signed with the 2005 Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers.  Najeh was a key component to one of the NFL's elite rushing arsenals that gained over 1,900 rushing yards. He made a favorable impression early in his tenure with the Steelers as he rushed for 78 yards and scored a touchdown in just his second game with the team.

Despite missing most of 2005 with injuries Najeh did have his share of highlights as a Green Bay Packer. In his first start in week 5 against the New Orleans Saints, he was well on his way to his best game as a pro.  He ran for 54 yards and 2 touchdowns by only the second quarter before going down with a season ending ankle injury.

In 2004 Najeh proved himself to the rest of the NFL by averaging 5.1 yards per carry. Najeh had a breakout game against the St. Louis Rams on Monday Night Football, rushing for 178 yards. “I don't think he's even scratched the surface of what he's capable of. He's still developing his style and what he's capable of doing,” says former Green Bay Packer running back coach Sylvester Croom. Davenport finished the 2004 season with 71 carries for 359 yards and two touchdowns.

As one of Green Bay's 2002 draft picks, Davenport saw playing time with the Packers as a running back, fullback and kick returner. Davenport graduated in 2002 with a B.A. in Theatre and a minor in education. He put his undergraduate degree to use in the offseason when he spent one week in Los Angeles as an actor in the movie Blood Money, starring Busta Rhymes and 50 Cent.

While attending the University of Miami, Najeh became one of the team's most respected leaders. He earned the team's Unsung Hero Award in recognition of his sacrifices and willingness to put the team's success ahead of individual goals. Other awards received during his college career included a 2001 All-American second-team selection as a fullback by the National Sports Bureau and the 2000 Miami's Jessie Armstead Comeback Player of the Year Award.

Davenport tries to be as much a leader off the field as well. He volunteered extensively while in Green Bay and in continues to do so in Miami, where he especially enjoys speaking to the children at his mother's school about the importance of an education.

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