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Gideon Davidson is not sure when it clicked for him, when the Clemson signee and Lynchburg (Va.) Liberty Christian running back knew football could be his path.
The No. 3 running back and No. 107 player in the nation remembers how much fun he had in middle school, and how it turned much more serious when he started having a lot of success at the high school level.
The 6-foot, 193-pound Davidson was recently honored with his Navy All-American Bowl jersey, and it is something he shared with his teammates.
"It was real cool," Davidson said. "The first time I opened the jersey was around my teammates. It was exciting. I did a video and they all cheered. It was pretty cool."
The game is Jan. 11 at 1 p.m. (NBC) in San Antonio, and Davidson said he is eager to get there and showcase his skills after working hard to get to that level.
"It's kind of cool it's become a reality," he said. "I really enjoyed the journey and the process."
He puts the finishing touches on a wildly successful and prolific high school career Saturday when Liberty Christian plays Nokesville (Va.) Kettle Run in the Class 3A state title game.
He has 2,165 rushing yards and 34 touchdowns on 242 carries to go with 13 receptions for 160 yards and three touchdowns. It comes after he ran for 2,716 yards and 43 touchdowns as a junior.
"My o-line works so hard," he said. "They deserve all the accolades and praise just as much as the next man. It was just really fun getting to run behind the o-line and playing with teammates."
Davidson committed to the Tigers 18 months before he could sign, and he never wavered in his decision.
He is eager to watch the Tigers in the college football playoff, and to work with running backs coach CJ Spiller.
"I am just really excited to learn and get developed by CJ Spiller," Davidson said. "He was a really good player at Clemson, and he was a really good player in the NFL and I heard and saw from the running back room how good he can coach. He is a really chill dude, which is really kind of like my guy. I just really enjoy his vibe and his coaching skills."