Raekwon Davis had one of the most straight forward, honest visits to the Alabama media room back in August.

The hulk of a defensive lineman flat out said he didn’t plan on playing his senior year in Tuscaloosa because he expected to be in the NFL. He admitted to getting caught up in the media hype and draft projections only to have a disappointing junior season.

Almost four months later, Davis walked into the same interview room in a crimson Alabama letterman’s jacket (Size 4XL) with a different message. He graduated from college Saturday, something he couldn’t have done on the same schedule if the Meridian, Mississippi product was playing pro every Sunday.

“It was the best experience of my life,” he said.

It gave him perspective.

“Nobody can take that away from me,” Davis said. “Football can end at any time, but you’ll still have one thing you can fall back on. You spend three and a half years to get it, nobody can take it away, and you can do whatever you want with it.”

The 6-foot-7, 312-pound defensive lineman also feels good about his future in football before he falls back on the exercise science degree. After saying he didn’t “do my job and I ain’t helped this team” as a junior last fall, Davis was happier with his performance in the unplanned senior campaign.

“It went well,” Davis said. “I felt like I improved on a lot of things. Some people have their own opinion, but I think I did great.”

Davis had 45 tackles -- three of which went for a loss with four quarterback hurries. The American Football Coaches Association picked him to their second-team All-American.

Coming off a sprained ankle suffered two weeks earlier at Mississippi State, Davis tied for a team-best eight tackles in the Iron Bowl loss at Auburn. The disappointment was clear when he spoke Friday about not finishing the way this team wanted while noting the adversity faced in terms of injuries.

“I wish I had another season,” Davis said. “I’d come back and do it again. “There are going to be hard times. I’ve got to make sure the guys are going to work hard over the summer and they’ll get better.”

He’ll leave Alabama after the Citrus Bowl with a message for the young defensive front that took its share of criticism. A number of true freshmen were forced into prime roles including Byron Young, Justin Eboigbe and D.J. Dale.

“It’s going to be hard, but you’ve got to keep pushing forward, just keep going,” Davis said. “It’s going to feel like it’s a waste of time here and there, but it’s a great opportunity to change your life. I mean a degree. Football doesn’t last long.”

And that’s why his degree means so much to him.

Davis’ long-range planning hasn’t mapped out his exact move after his football-playing days end.

“Wherever God takes me,” he said.

But there’s pride in hanging that diploma where ever he lands.

“Where I’m from,” Davis said, “most people don’t graduate, don’t even see a D-1 school.”

Michael Casagrande is an Alabama beat writer for the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @ByCasagrande or on Facebook.