Reggie Bush, the three QBs, Mario Williams, D’Brickashaw Ferguson, A.J. Hawk … I think that by now we’re all acquainted with the players projected to the top five of the draft, you know, the usual suspects. Allow me, please, to introduce another name, someone who’s putting on a late sprint as we head for the far turn. His name hasn’t been widely mentioned, but a lot of personnel people are re-thinking their first impressions.
Vernon Davis, TE, Maryland. No, I can’t tell you which team told me he might be its first pick, and that would be way up high. That would be scooping myself, since once again I’ll be doing that pre-draft handicapping box. But the guy I talked to said, “Every time I look at him, he gets better and better.”
Oh sure, it’s nice to have a good active linebacker or quick-footed offensive tackle, but we’ve all seen what a keynote tight end can do for an offense—Antonio Gates, for instance, or Jeremy Shockey when he’s healthy. Davis, who is 6-foot-2 1/2, 250, runs a 4.38, a freak number for sure for such a big guy.
Well, I heard one scout say he’s not really 250. He’s a pumped up 230-235. Who cares, if he can split a seam with that speed? I’ve heard that he needs work on his blocking, and I have to laugh at that one. There are no great blocking tight ends. OK, I’ll amend that, there are no great pass-catching tight ends who worry the defense with their blocking. Guys like Kyle Brady or the Chiefs’ Jason Dunn can block, and so can H-backs such as the Vikings’ Jim Kleinsasser and the Redskins’ Mike Sellers, but you won’t see them catching any 30-yard TDs. Just keep it in mind—Vernon Davis, TE, Maryland.
Draft’s Hidden Gem [Dr. Z]
Christ the Terp? [Klackner]
