Vernon Davis attended Dunbar High School in Washington, D.C. He was a three sport athlete, as a member of the football, basketball, and track teams. Vernon was the DCIAA champion in the high jump as a senior. In football he primarily played tight end and safety but he also saw action at receiver, kick returner, linebacker, and defensive end. He helped Dunbar to two city championships in his three years as a starter. As a junior, Vernon caught 35 passes for 385 yards and scored 11 touchdowns. As a senior he had 21 receptions for 511 yards and 5 touchdowns. He was invited to play in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl which consists of the best high school players in the nation. He was considered to be a top five tight end and top ten overall player in the country and was highly recruited by many schools including Florida, Virginia, Purdue, and Miami. He opted to accept a scholarship to the University of Maryland where he made an instant impact. Vernon was the only true freshman to see action in the season opener in 2003. He saw action in all 13 games at tight end and on special teams, totaling 5 receptions for 59 yards on the year. He saw action in all 11 games as a sophomore, receiving six starts at H-back, lining up at tight end, fullback and receiver. He finished the season with 27 receptions for 441 yards and 3 touchdowns. In the spring of 2005, Vernon set school records for tight ends in bench press (460), power clean (355), vertical jump (40 inches), index (797), squat (685) and 40-yard dash time (4.41). He emerged as one of the top tight ends in the nation as a junior, totaling 51 receptions for 871 yards and 6 touchdowns.

Vernon Davis is an outstanding athlete at the tight end position. He combines the speed of a receiver with the strength of an offensive lineman. He was timed at 4.41 in the spring of 2005 and broke multiple school strength records for the tight end position. His speed allows him to stretch the field. He runs good routes, catches the ball away from his body, and has soft hands. Once he has the ball he does a good job of getting yards after the catch. He is an extremely hard worker both on the field and in the weight room. Vernon is a versatile player who has lined up at tight end, receiver, and fullback during his time at Maryland. He lacks ideal height for the position but makes up for it with his 40 inch vertical leap. He needs to continue to improve his blocking to become a more complete tight end at the professional level. Vernon Davis is an awesome athlete with tons of upside. He could have a combine performance similar to the one Ben Watson had that made him a first round pick two years ago. Vernon is a sure first round pick and has a chance to be the first tight end selected in the 2006 NFL draft.