Ace Matherton
04-26-2006, 01:18 PM
http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ap-draftnotebook&prov=ap&type=lgns
Davis hopes a Pro Bowl berth is in his near future
April 26, 2006
Vernon Davis doesn't lack talent. Or confidence.
The All-America tight end from Maryland, projected as a top 10 pick in Saturday's NFL draft, has his sights set on Hawaii in February.
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"After my first NFL season, I want to get through that season knowing I have a chance to be one of the best tight ends in the league and maybe go to the Pro Bowl. I am ready for it," he said Wednesday.
But Davis would have to beat out the likes of Antonio Gates and Tony Gonzalez in the AFC, Alge Crumpler and Jeremy Shockey in the NFC.
"They are men just like me," he said with a laugh. "There aren't too many things they can do I can't do."
Scouts say the same thing. Davis, a 6-foot-3 1/4 , 254 pound junior, is a terrific athlete with good hands. He regularly beat man coverage with the Terrapins, who played a pro-style offense under coach Ralph Friedgen -- a former NFL offensive coordinator.
"Being coached by Ralph Friedgen, it gives me a jump on a lot of guys," Davis said. "Our passing trees are similar to the NFL teams'. I went there because the system was good for me."
Davis also went to the Athlete's Performance camp in Tempe, Ariz., to prepare for the NFL combine. It was there that he got himself in peak shape thanks, he said, to a steady diet of supplemental drinks and bars from EAS, which is a partner in the Tempe camp. At Maryland, Davis didn't use supplements, and he sounds sorry he didn't discover them earlier.
"That made me feel stronger and healthy and confident about my body," Davis said. "You come in the next day after a workout and your muscles are not sore and you feel energized. I know the supplements had a big part in keeping myself together; it's all about staying healthy for the next day."
Tight end has become a more significant part of NFL offenses in recent seasons, and Davis immediately could help such teams as the 49ers, Lions and Cardinals, all of whom pick in the first 10 slots. Does he have a preference?
"I went to visit seven teams," he said. "I would like an offense that best utilizes my talents, which is just making plays, play after play."
NINE-MAN GREENWAY: Iowa's Chad Greenway, projected as a first-round pick Saturday, played nine-man football in high school.
His school in Mount Vernon, S.D., a town of 477, was too small to field the full 11-man contingent. That led Greenway to expect he'd be a Division I-AA or Division II player.
Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz thought otherwise, saying he liked "the energy in his face," and offered Greenway a scholarship.
"I wasn't on the radar, I wasn't on the screen," Greenway said. "I was on the ground.
"My situation was a little more unique, coming from where I came from. I had no clue how to play with 11 guys on the field. I had no idea. I had never played in an 11-man football game in my life."
The adjustment wasn't too difficult: Greenway was a second-team All-American this season.
ORPHANED YOUTH: Alabama quarterback Brodie Croyle grew up in an orphanage -- with his parents.
Croyle's father, former Alabama defensive end John Croyle, who played under Bear Bryant, founded the Big Oak Ranch for boys in Rainbow City, Ala., in 1974. Brodie lived at the orphanage, and learned to appreciate the life he had.
"Growing up there made me anything and everything I am today," he said. "The kids who come to the ranch, you could see the hatred in their eyes. And to see them become good people and really love life and realize bad things are going to happen, but you can overlook them -- I wouldn't trade that for the world."
Croyle's family remains close and his father drives two hours every Friday to Tuscaloosa for breakfast with his son.
"He's my best friend," the younger Croyle said.
GOING MOBILE: Not able to find a television set to watch the draft? Fear not.
Sprint will carry live TV coverage of the NFL Network's coverage of the proceedings on its wireless service. Also available on demand will be personality profiles of top picks and highlights of those players' college careers.
"This is original and exclusive content delivered directly to the third screen on the one device they carry every day, their wireless phone," said Steve Gaffney, Sprint's director of sports marketing.
Ohio State linebacker A.J. Hawk, projected as a top 10 pick, is providing a diary.
ALASKAN PROSPECTS: In the last 36 years, only nine NFL players were born or reared in Alaska. Two more could get chosen this weekend.
Boise State's Daryn Colledge, who listed the North Pole as his hometown, and Chris Kuper of North Dakota and Anchorage, are offensive line prospects who figure to be selected on Sunday. Colledge was a very productive pass blocker for the prolific Boise State offense. Kuper is one of the top blockers coming out of Division II.
"It puts a little more pride on it," Colledge said of representing the 49th state. "You need to put forth a little more effort because the whole state is watching. You don't have 900 guys coming out of your cities or state. You have two guys. The whole state is watching us."
Probably the best Alaskan player in the NFL since the merger was offensive lineman Mark Schlereth, who won Super Bowls with the Redskins and the Broncos.
Davis hopes a Pro Bowl berth is in his near future
April 26, 2006
Vernon Davis doesn't lack talent. Or confidence.
The All-America tight end from Maryland, projected as a top 10 pick in Saturday's NFL draft, has his sights set on Hawaii in February.
ADVERTISEMENT
"After my first NFL season, I want to get through that season knowing I have a chance to be one of the best tight ends in the league and maybe go to the Pro Bowl. I am ready for it," he said Wednesday.
But Davis would have to beat out the likes of Antonio Gates and Tony Gonzalez in the AFC, Alge Crumpler and Jeremy Shockey in the NFC.
"They are men just like me," he said with a laugh. "There aren't too many things they can do I can't do."
Scouts say the same thing. Davis, a 6-foot-3 1/4 , 254 pound junior, is a terrific athlete with good hands. He regularly beat man coverage with the Terrapins, who played a pro-style offense under coach Ralph Friedgen -- a former NFL offensive coordinator.
"Being coached by Ralph Friedgen, it gives me a jump on a lot of guys," Davis said. "Our passing trees are similar to the NFL teams'. I went there because the system was good for me."
Davis also went to the Athlete's Performance camp in Tempe, Ariz., to prepare for the NFL combine. It was there that he got himself in peak shape thanks, he said, to a steady diet of supplemental drinks and bars from EAS, which is a partner in the Tempe camp. At Maryland, Davis didn't use supplements, and he sounds sorry he didn't discover them earlier.
"That made me feel stronger and healthy and confident about my body," Davis said. "You come in the next day after a workout and your muscles are not sore and you feel energized. I know the supplements had a big part in keeping myself together; it's all about staying healthy for the next day."
Tight end has become a more significant part of NFL offenses in recent seasons, and Davis immediately could help such teams as the 49ers, Lions and Cardinals, all of whom pick in the first 10 slots. Does he have a preference?
"I went to visit seven teams," he said. "I would like an offense that best utilizes my talents, which is just making plays, play after play."
NINE-MAN GREENWAY: Iowa's Chad Greenway, projected as a first-round pick Saturday, played nine-man football in high school.
His school in Mount Vernon, S.D., a town of 477, was too small to field the full 11-man contingent. That led Greenway to expect he'd be a Division I-AA or Division II player.
Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz thought otherwise, saying he liked "the energy in his face," and offered Greenway a scholarship.
"I wasn't on the radar, I wasn't on the screen," Greenway said. "I was on the ground.
"My situation was a little more unique, coming from where I came from. I had no clue how to play with 11 guys on the field. I had no idea. I had never played in an 11-man football game in my life."
The adjustment wasn't too difficult: Greenway was a second-team All-American this season.
ORPHANED YOUTH: Alabama quarterback Brodie Croyle grew up in an orphanage -- with his parents.
Croyle's father, former Alabama defensive end John Croyle, who played under Bear Bryant, founded the Big Oak Ranch for boys in Rainbow City, Ala., in 1974. Brodie lived at the orphanage, and learned to appreciate the life he had.
"Growing up there made me anything and everything I am today," he said. "The kids who come to the ranch, you could see the hatred in their eyes. And to see them become good people and really love life and realize bad things are going to happen, but you can overlook them -- I wouldn't trade that for the world."
Croyle's family remains close and his father drives two hours every Friday to Tuscaloosa for breakfast with his son.
"He's my best friend," the younger Croyle said.
GOING MOBILE: Not able to find a television set to watch the draft? Fear not.
Sprint will carry live TV coverage of the NFL Network's coverage of the proceedings on its wireless service. Also available on demand will be personality profiles of top picks and highlights of those players' college careers.
"This is original and exclusive content delivered directly to the third screen on the one device they carry every day, their wireless phone," said Steve Gaffney, Sprint's director of sports marketing.
Ohio State linebacker A.J. Hawk, projected as a top 10 pick, is providing a diary.
ALASKAN PROSPECTS: In the last 36 years, only nine NFL players were born or reared in Alaska. Two more could get chosen this weekend.
Boise State's Daryn Colledge, who listed the North Pole as his hometown, and Chris Kuper of North Dakota and Anchorage, are offensive line prospects who figure to be selected on Sunday. Colledge was a very productive pass blocker for the prolific Boise State offense. Kuper is one of the top blockers coming out of Division II.
"It puts a little more pride on it," Colledge said of representing the 49th state. "You need to put forth a little more effort because the whole state is watching. You don't have 900 guys coming out of your cities or state. You have two guys. The whole state is watching us."
Probably the best Alaskan player in the NFL since the merger was offensive lineman Mark Schlereth, who won Super Bowls with the Redskins and the Broncos.