Follow UC Davis: Twitter  |  Facebook  |  Instagram

Do Not Miss Another Historic Year, Purchase Football Season Tickets Today!


DAVIS, Calif.. – Growing up in Alameda, California, Keelan Doss lived near Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum (the home of the Oakland Raiders) and rooted for the Silver and Black. After signing with the Raiders as an undrafted free agent, Doss will now enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to compete for his hometown team.

"He is off the charts," said UC Davis head coach Dan Hawkins, regarding Doss as a player and person. "Keelan could walk into anyone's business right now and be a pro. He happens to be a professional football player.

"People want to play professional football, but can you be professional? Keelan is. He comes in early, leaves late. He studies the playbook, is dependable, takes care of business and is committed to being great."

No UC Davis player in program history has more career receptions (312), receiving yards (4,069) or 100-yard games (19) than Doss, who also holds Division I program-high figures in total touchdowns (29), receiving touchdowns (28) and all-purpose yards (4,218).

Joining the Raiders is the latest highlight of a busy off-season for Doss, which began shortly after he led the Aggies to a quarterfinal berth in the NCAA Division I Football Championship and graduated from the fifth-ranked university in the country with a degree in sociology — organizational studies.

Prior to becoming UC Davis' first D-I football student-athlete to receive an invitation to the NFL Draft Combine, Doss took full advantage of his opportunity to compete in this year's Reese's Senior Bowl. By leading all receivers on his team with a 13.8 yards per reception average (min. 2 catches), Oakland head coach Jon Gruden — he and his staff coached the North team — slapped two Raiders stickers on Doss' helmet (and other individuals who made key plays) as a way of recognizing his phenomenal performance that afternoon.

Doss first caught the country's attention as a sophomore when he finished No. 19 in receiving touchdowns (10), No. 21 in receptions per game (6.0) and No. 30 in receiving yards per game (82.8) among all FCS players. That season led to his inaugural All-Big Sky honor and set the stage for a historic year that etched his place on college football's national landscape as one of the most talented players in the country.

In 2017, Doss led all players at the FBS and FCS levels in receiving yards (1,499), receiving yards per game (136.3) and receptions per game (10.5) when the Aggies' season ended. Those numbers, combined with his athleticism, leadership skills and ability to step up in clutch situations are the reasons why he was a national finalist for the Walter Payton Award — an honor presented to the most outstanding offensive player in the nation.

Doss singlehandedly set the tone for the Aggies' 2018 season last spring when he chose to return to UC Davis, to help the team pursue its inaugural Big Sky championship and FCS playoff berth in program history, instead of entering the NFL Draft.

Even with opponents spending an inordinate amount of time organizing game plans designed to minimize Doss' impact, he still found ways to post attention-grabbing stats and help the Aggies set new D-I program records for the most overall wins in a single season (10), conference wins in a single season (7) and post first undefeated home record.

Against No. 9 Stanford, Doss finished with 106 yards, on 13 catches and showcased his NFL-caliber skill set in this nationally televised game. Two months later when UC Davis needed a win to become league champions for the first time in program history, his 16 receptions for 205 yards, and two touchdowns, enabled the Aggies to celebrate their first Big Sky title, which ultimately led to a first round bye as the No. 6 seed in the 2018 FCS playoffs.

 
KEELAN DOSS NOTABLES

Honors & Awards
• 2017, 2018 Consensus All-American
• 2017, 2018 Walter Payton Award Watch List (most outstanding FCS offensive player)
• 2017, 2018 All-Big Sky First Team
• 2018 Phil Steele All-Big Sky First Team
• 2018 Big Sky Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
• 2017, 2018 Preseason All-Big Sky Team
• 2018 College Football Performance Awards National Performer of the Year Watch List
• 2018 Phil Steele Preseason All-Big Sky Team
• 2017 Walter Payton Award National Finalist
• 2017 Big Sky Conference Offensive Player of the Year
• 2017 Jerry Norris Award (program's most valuable and inspirational player)
• 2017 Ken O'Brien Award (program's outstanding offensive player)
• 2016 All-Big Sky Conference Second Team
• 2016 HERO Sports Sophomore All-American
• 2014 Mike Wise Award (program's outstanding freshman)
 
All-Time Career Records
• Receptions – 312
• Receiving Yards – 4,069
• 100-Receiving-Yard Games – 19
 
Division I-Era Career Records
• All-Purpose Yards – 4,218
• Receiving Touchdowns – 28
• Receptions per Game – 7.30
• Total Touchdowns – 29
 
All-Time Single-Season Records
• Receptions – 118 as a senior
• Receiving Touchdowns – 10 as a sophomore
• Receiving Yards – 1,499 as a junior
• 100-Receiving-Yard Games – 9 as a junior
 
Division I-Era Single-Season Record
• Receptions per Game – 10.45 as a junior
 
All-Time Single-Game Records
• Total Touchdowns – 4

Division I-Era Single-Game Records
• Points Scored – 24
• Receiving Touchdowns – 4
• Receiving Yards – 208
• Receptions – 16
 
• 2018: Ranked No. 3 in the nation in receptions per game (9.1), No. 4 in receiving yards (1,334), No. 12 in receiving yards per game (102.6) and No. 26 in receiving TDs (9)
• 2018: Led all Big Sky players in receptions per game and 100-receiving-yard games (7)
• 2018: Of the four 200-receiving-yard games recorded throughout the Aggies' Division I era, Doss is responsible for three
• 2018:  No Aggie wide receiver has more games with two or more receiving touchdowns, throughout the program's D-I era, than Doss and his five
• 2017: No player at the FBS or FCS levels held higher figures in receiving yards (1,499), receiving yards per game (136.3) and receptions per game (10.5) when the Aggies' season ended than Doss
• 2017: Led the Big Sky in receptions per game and receiving yards per game
• 2017: Became the eighth Aggie receiver in program history, and the first since 2005, to record 1,000 or more receiving yards in a single season
• 2016: Ranked No. 19 in receiving TDs (10), No. 21 in receptions per game (6.0), No. 30 in receiving yards per game (82.8), No. 33 in receiving yards (911), No. 55 in total touchdowns (10) among all FCS players
 
 
AGGIE EVO
Established during the 2017-18 academic year, the Aggie EVO System is UC Davis Athletics' investment in the primary mission of preparing student-athletes for a successful "launch" after graduation.
 
Thanks to a collaboration of alumni, university resources, corporate partners, coaches and Student-Athlete Outcomes staff, all Aggies are guided over four years to acquire the skills, knowledge, opportunities and tools to better know and navigate the "World of Work" after graduating from UC Davis. Follow the Aggie EVO system on Twitter and Instagram at @AggieEVO.
 
ABOUT UC DAVIS
Providing a small-town community feel while providing a world-class academic experience, UC Davis is home to more than 37,000 students and centrally located between San Francisco, Lake Tahoe, and the Napa Valley.
 
The No. 5-ranked public university in the nation, according to the Wall Street Journal and Times Higher Education, offers nearly 100 graduate programs and more than 100 academic majors across four colleges and six professional schools, ranking among the world and nation's best in numerous disciplines, including veterinary science, agriculture, and plant and animal programs.