The Redskins had the first shot at Ernie in the draft but they passed because their GM didn't want a black athlete so Cleveland snagged him up. Could you imagine Jim Brown and Ernie Davis in the same backfield?!
Unfortunately, Ernie never got to play in the NFL as he became extremely ill and doctors figured out he had leukemia. He died at the age of 23. From what I've read he was such an outstanding young man. I wrote this article to help his story live on…he deserves it.