Central Missouri TE Zach Davidson Becomes 1st NFL Draft Prospect with NFT

Central Missouri tight end Zach Davidson, a 2021 NFL draft prospect, is the latest athlete to enter the NFT space with a limited-edition set of collectible artwork cards available starting Tuesday.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network provided the full announcement:

With NFTs, which stands for non-fungible tokens, booming in popularity in recent months, numerous athletes from across the sports spectrum have capitalized with drops of their own.

Davidson is a unique prospect, one CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora described as the draft's "best-kept secret."

The 6'7'', 245-pound Missouri native has the size and athleticism to succeed as an NFL tight end, but he's also a punter who's trying to cover all his bases to ensure a long football career. In addition, he's training as a long snapper and a holder to further increase his options, per La Canfora.

It's not a long-shot gimmick, either. In 2019, the most recent season he played because the Mules' 2020 campaign was pushed to spring amid the coronavirus pandemic, he caught 15 touchdowns as a tight end and averaged 40.3 yards per punt with a long of 67.

"It's been a helluva ride so far," Davidson told La Canfora. "And I know my road is not done yet."

Davidson should come off the board somewhere in the mid-to-late rounds and, while the sole focus early in his career will be tight end, has created a path to an extended career with multiple fallback options.

His NFT release, which is available for 48 hours through the first day of the draft next Thursday, is highlighted by a one-of-one "Legendary Gold" artwork card.