Ernie Davis

Ernie Davis
	Davis with the Cleveland Browns in 1962
No. 45
Position	Halfback
Personal information
Born	December 14, 1939; New Salem, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Died	May 18, 1963 (aged 23); Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
Listed height	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Listed weight	210 lb (95 kg)
Career information
High school	Elmira Free (Elmira, New York)
College	Syracuse (1959–1961)
NFL draft	1962: 1st round, 1st overall pick
AFL draft	1962: 1st round, 4th overall pick
Career history
	Cleveland Browns (1962)*;
	* Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Awards and highlights
	Cleveland Browns No. 45 retired; National champion (1959); Heisman Trophy (1961); Chic Harley Award (1961); Unanimous All-American (1961); Consensus All-American (1960); Second-team All-American (1959); 2× First-team All-Eastern (1960, 1961); Syracuse Orange No. 44 retired;
	College Football Hall of Fame

Ernest R. Davis (December 14, 1939 – May 18, 1963) was an American college football player who was a halfback for the Syracuse Orangemen and won the Heisman Trophy in 1961. He was the award's first black recipient. Davis was selected first overall by the Washington Redskins in the 1962 NFL draft but was almost immediately traded to the Cleveland Browns. He was diagnosed with leukemia that same year, and died shortly after at age 23 without ever playing in a professional game. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1979 and was the subject of the 2008 film The Express: The Ernie Davis Story.