Kalia Davis Bio
Kalia Davis is an American professional football defensive tackle who entered the National Football League as a sixth-round draft pick in 2022. He played college football for the UCF Knights and signed a four-year rookie contract with the San Francisco 49ers; Davis has overcome injuries and shown growing impact on the interior defensive line, including a first career interception in a game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Early Life and Background
Kalia Davis was born on October 2, 1998, in Pensacola, Florida. He is the son of Kenneth Davis II and Antoinette Rivera and is the third of six siblings; his early family environment in Pensacola provided the support network that accompanied his athletic development.
Davis attended West Florida Tech High School in Pensacola where he earned recognition as a three-star recruit and was ranked among the nation’s linebackers as a senior. His high school play drew attention from college programs and set the stage for his move to the University of Central Florida, where he continued his development on the defensive line.
Path to American Football
Davis enrolled at the University of Central Florida and played for the UCF Knights from 2017 through 2021, a period that included UCF’s 2017 Colley Matrix recognition as a national champion. At UCF he transitioned into a consistent role on the interior line, refining techniques for gap control and run defense while gaining experience against high-level collegiate competition.
During his time at UCF, Davis built a resume as a dependable interior defender whose size and leverage created matchup problems for opposing offensive lines. His collegiate performance positioned him for evaluation by NFL scouts and ultimately led to his selection in the 2022 NFL draft.
Kalia Davis Career
Early Career (2017–2021)
Kalia Davis’s formative football years were spent at UCF, where he developed as a two-gapping interior lineman and earned playing time across multiple seasons. His tenure at UCF allowed him to work against Power Five and Group of Five opponents, building the tape that NFL teams reviewed during the draft process.
Across his college career Davis demonstrated physical traits sought at the next level, including size, hand placement and the ability to anchor in the run game. Those attributes, together with game experience and coaching at UCF, led to his invitation to pre-draft evaluations and eventual selection by an NFL club in 2022.
San Francisco 49ers Breakthrough (2022–Present)
The San Francisco 49ers selected Kalia Davis in the sixth round, 220th overall, of the 2022 NFL draft. He signed his rookie contract on June 2, 2022, agreeing to a four-year deal reported at roughly $3.8 million in total value, and entered NFL training camp competing for snaps on the 49ers defensive front.
Davis encountered an early roster setback in 2022 when he was placed on the reserve/non-football injury list in August. He has since navigated injuries and activations while contributing in rotational duty on the interior, using his size and leverage to support the 49ers defensive front in run defense and situational pass rush packages.
San Francisco 49ers Era (2022–Present)
During his time with the San Francisco 49ers, Davis worked within a defensive system known for generating interior pressure and disciplined gap control. He has been used in multiple downs and sub-packages, allowing him to show versatility as both a run defender and a player able to drop or engage on passing downs when called upon.
Davis underwent knee surgery in August 2024 that sidelined him for a portion of that season; he was placed on injured reserve later that month and returned to the active roster in October. After activation he recorded his first career interception in Week 7 against the Kansas City Chiefs, illustrating his awareness and playmaking ability when the ball crowded the line of scrimmage.
Playing Style and Strengths
Kalia Davis plays with the leverage and lower-body strength typical of an effective defensive tackle, emphasizing gap integrity and the ability to hold ground against double teams. His strengths include run defense, interior push on short-yardage downs and situational awareness in traffic, which has allowed him to produce tackles for loss and disrupt passing lanes on occasion.
Notable Events and Milestones
Major milestones in Davis’s early professional career include his 2022 selection by the San Francisco 49ers and his first career interception against the Kansas City Chiefs following a midseason return from injured reserve. His rookie contract signed in 2022 established him on a multi-year deal through the 2025 season under the original signing terms.
Kalia Davis Career Wins
While defensive tackles are not evaluated by wins in the same way as team records, Davis’s verified professional milestones and statistical contributions through 2025 document his on-field impact. As a rotational interior player he recorded tackles, quarterback pressures and a game-changing interception that reflect his development at the NFL level.
NFL Highlights
As of the 2025 season, verified NFL statistics for Kalia Davis list 41 total tackles, 1.5 sacks, one interception and four pass deflections. His first career interception was returned for two yards during a regular-season game against the Kansas City Chiefs, a notable individual play that stands out on his early professional résumé.
Davis’s rookie signing and subsequent return from injury to produce a turnover are among the most visible early-career highlights. Those moments provide a foundation for further playing time and a larger role as he continues to earn trust in the defensive rotation.
Other Wins & Perfromances
Before turning professional, Davis was part of university-level achievements that include UCF’s recognition in the 2017 Colley Matrix as a national champion. His college performances contributed to UCF’s competitive profile and helped elevate his draft prospects entering the 2022 NFL draft.
Kalia Davis Family
Family Background and Football Lineage
Kalia Davis was raised in Pensacola, Florida, by parents Kenneth Davis II and Antoinette Rivera. He is one of six children and developed his early football foundation close to home, advancing from high school competition at West Florida Tech to collegiate play at UCF.
Personal Life
Publicly available information about Davis’s personal life focuses on his family and football journey; there are no verified public reports of a spouse or children. His high school and college roots remain central to his background and identity as a player from Pensacola who advanced to the NFL.
2025 Season Performance
In the 2025 season frame, Kalia Davis entered the year as a rotational interior defender with the San Francisco 49ers under the terms of his rookie contract signed in 2022. Verified cumulative statistics through 2025 show 41 tackles, 1.5 sacks, one interception and four pass deflections, indicating steady contributions when on the field and growth in his ability to affect the passing game in addition to run defense.
Davis’s 2024 knee surgery and subsequent activation in October demonstrated resilience in returning to game form and producing a turnover in a nationally prominent matchup. Entering 2025, his outlook centers on remaining healthy, expanding snap counts in rotation, and converting situational opportunities into consistent production for the 49ers interior defensive front.
Kalia Davis remains under the rookie contract structure that began in 2022, providing roster stability while he continues to develop technique, strength and play recognition at the professional level. His trajectory through 2025 places him among young defensive linemen carving roles as dependable rotational pieces with upside for increased responsibility.