watermock
05-02-2006, 08:41 PM
Yeah, I know...but this is an interesting article. Man was he ever emotional when drafted.
http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/sports/story.html?id=c5d084eb-43d4-4cec-b5cd-f0e3ece27a81&k=4870.
49ers' top draft pick already a marked man
NFL rookie vows to revolutionize tight-end position
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Font: * * * * Eric Gilmore, Contra Costa Times
Published: Tuesday, May 02, 2006
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - So much for 49ers draft choice Vernon Davis sneaking up on the rest of the NFL as a rookie.
Davis completely blew his cover at the NFL scouting combine when the tight end dazzled scouts and coaches with a freakish display of speed and strength.
Just in case anyone missed that Superman-meets-the-Incredible-Hulk performance, Davis has been busy revealing a few modest goals that might catch, say, Ray Lewis' attention.
For starters, Davis said he wants to "revolutionize" the tight end position, to consistently "take over" games in ways no NFL tight end has done before.
While he's blazing that revolutionary trail, he'd also like to become the "best tight end in the NFL." That translates into surpassing Antonio Gates, Tony Gonzalez, Jeremy Shockey, to name just three of the league's top tight ends.
Davis, drafted No. 6 overall in the first round Saturday, posed for pictures Sunday at team headquarters holding his new No. 85 49ers jersey.
Instead of wearing No. 85, he might as well have an "X" on his back. Because even though he hasn't taken a snap in the NFL, Davis is already a marked man.
That's just the way he likes it.
"That's cool," Davis said Sunday. "I'm ready for that. I'm a very confident guy. That's what I like. I like somebody to come and be competitive with me. That's how it was at the University of Maryland."
If you're a 49ers fan, you've got to love this rookie. He brings supreme confidence and swagger to a 4-12 49ers team desperate for both, along with a dose of humility.
When Davis gets pushed, as he surely will, his rookie season, he's going to push back hard.
San Diego Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman, the reigning NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, could vouch for that.
When Davis arrived at Maryland as a freshman, he lined up against Merriman, then a sophomore, every day in practice.
"As a freshman he kicked my butt," Davis said. "I'm going to give it to him. By the time the end of the season approached, we were in a bowl game. We were about to play in the Gator Bowl. That last practice, that's when I saw how great I was getting ready to be because I started kicking his butt.
"Sophomore year came along, I was stronger than him, faster than him. I just started outdoing him. He had to keep up with me now. We just competed. Him getting drafted as high as he did inspired me to go even higher."
Merriman went No. 12 in the first round last year. Davis went six spots higher this year.
Davis might want to send Merriman a thank you note. Their practice battles surely helped prepare him for the NFL.
"They were intense," Davis said. "Every practice. Every time we stepped up in front of each other. I mean, every time. There was no taking off plays because either you're going to kill or be killed. That's what it was."
Sometimes these battles became overheated. Like the time Davis knocked Merriman to the ground even though they weren't wearing shoulder pads.
"I had to bring it to him one time," Davis said. "He thought we were going soft. So I hit him hard."
http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/sports/story.html?id=c5d084eb-43d4-4cec-b5cd-f0e3ece27a81&k=4870.
49ers' top draft pick already a marked man
NFL rookie vows to revolutionize tight-end position
Article Tools
Printer friendly
Font: * * * * Eric Gilmore, Contra Costa Times
Published: Tuesday, May 02, 2006
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - So much for 49ers draft choice Vernon Davis sneaking up on the rest of the NFL as a rookie.
Davis completely blew his cover at the NFL scouting combine when the tight end dazzled scouts and coaches with a freakish display of speed and strength.
Just in case anyone missed that Superman-meets-the-Incredible-Hulk performance, Davis has been busy revealing a few modest goals that might catch, say, Ray Lewis' attention.
For starters, Davis said he wants to "revolutionize" the tight end position, to consistently "take over" games in ways no NFL tight end has done before.
While he's blazing that revolutionary trail, he'd also like to become the "best tight end in the NFL." That translates into surpassing Antonio Gates, Tony Gonzalez, Jeremy Shockey, to name just three of the league's top tight ends.
Davis, drafted No. 6 overall in the first round Saturday, posed for pictures Sunday at team headquarters holding his new No. 85 49ers jersey.
Instead of wearing No. 85, he might as well have an "X" on his back. Because even though he hasn't taken a snap in the NFL, Davis is already a marked man.
That's just the way he likes it.
"That's cool," Davis said Sunday. "I'm ready for that. I'm a very confident guy. That's what I like. I like somebody to come and be competitive with me. That's how it was at the University of Maryland."
If you're a 49ers fan, you've got to love this rookie. He brings supreme confidence and swagger to a 4-12 49ers team desperate for both, along with a dose of humility.
When Davis gets pushed, as he surely will, his rookie season, he's going to push back hard.
San Diego Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman, the reigning NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, could vouch for that.
When Davis arrived at Maryland as a freshman, he lined up against Merriman, then a sophomore, every day in practice.
"As a freshman he kicked my butt," Davis said. "I'm going to give it to him. By the time the end of the season approached, we were in a bowl game. We were about to play in the Gator Bowl. That last practice, that's when I saw how great I was getting ready to be because I started kicking his butt.
"Sophomore year came along, I was stronger than him, faster than him. I just started outdoing him. He had to keep up with me now. We just competed. Him getting drafted as high as he did inspired me to go even higher."
Merriman went No. 12 in the first round last year. Davis went six spots higher this year.
Davis might want to send Merriman a thank you note. Their practice battles surely helped prepare him for the NFL.
"They were intense," Davis said. "Every practice. Every time we stepped up in front of each other. I mean, every time. There was no taking off plays because either you're going to kill or be killed. That's what it was."
Sometimes these battles became overheated. Like the time Davis knocked Merriman to the ground even though they weren't wearing shoulder pads.
"I had to bring it to him one time," Davis said. "He thought we were going soft. So I hit him hard."