Thomas Davis

[turningpoint]

http://sports.ign.com/articles/595/595048p1.html

Thomas Davis: Draft Diary

The hardest hitter in this year's draft.

March 10, 2005 - As told to Jon Robinson

Nobody in this draft hits harder than me. It's just how I feel. I'm a guy who plays with high intensity, always playing fast, always playing hard.

Coming out of the combine, though, some teams are looking at me as a safety, others as a linebacker. I definitely prefer to play safety, but I'm willing to meet any team's needs. It's funny, because growing up, I didn't even want to play defense.

I wanted to score some touchdowns.

As a kid, I always played running back, but as I got older, I realized I liked hitting people better than getting hit. I never took too hard of a hit as a runner, I always delivered the blow to end the play. We used to play street football every day. There wasn't any Pop Warner or recreational league where I grew up, so I really learned how to play out on the streets. I remember this one time I got tackled into a sticker-briarpatch. You get tackled into a briarpatch, and it makes you want to play defense really quick.

The Combine

I was pretty nervous heading into the combine. The fact that I'm a junior and getting asked all of these questions, it took me a while to relax. Some of these teams give you these personality tests to see what kind of person you are. See if you're worth all of that money they're ready to invest in you. They don't want any of those guys who are going to go out and do something crazy like commit a crime, so they ask you a bunch of weird questions. The strangest question to me was: How are a coat and a dress alike? It's one of those things where you're looking for deeper meaning in your answer than the obvious, but maybe they just want you to write that they're both types of clothing. Who knows.

But it's not just the tests that are crazy, as the different team doctors are pulling and poking at you from every direction. You might have one team doctor pulling on your right leg, next thing you know, another team doctor is pulling on your left leg. It just felt really funny being placed in that situation. That's what people don't realize about the combine. Sure, they clock your 40 and you run through all the drills, but the tests and physicals they give you can be just as draining.

I actually met with 25 teams while I was out there. It was exciting to meet with all of the teams, but me being a Georgia boy, it was cool to meet Jim Mora Jr. from the Falcons. It was nice to meet all of the different NFL coaches who were there. I've sat down and watched all of these guys coach on TV, and now there they were, in the stands watching every move. Getting a chance to meet some of these guys was a thrill for me. It's crazy to think that all of your potential future coaches are watching you.

I just wish there was a way to measure the impact of every hit.

I remember my hardest hit in college came against Arkansas. This receiver named Decori Birmingham was running down the sidelines trying to score, and I don't know if he saw me or not, or if he just thought he could do what he wanted on his way to the end zone, but I just nailed him. And when you hit somebody like that, you have to say something. I talk all the time when I'm out on the field. Sometimes when you smack someone good, you don't really need to say anything because you can see it in their eyes, you can tell in their mannerisms when they get up…you got him. But in that Arkansas game, I just had to let him know, this wasn't a one time thing.

"This is what you're going to get all night."

I think I'm definitely going to miss the camaraderie of college, though. The atmosphere in Athens, Georgia, there's nothing like it. We played in front of 92,000 fans who were true and loyal to us, and I loved every minute of it.

I'm reliving some of those moments right now, playing NCAA Football 2005. I love playing video games in my spare time. I can't wait to finally see myself in Madden this year. I just want to get the opportunity to play as myself, where my name is actually in the game.

But I want to tell the people of EA Sports right now, before they create my character, that it's highly unlikely that I'm going to miss many tackles this year, so bump up my ratings. Speed is everything in Madden, so I hope I'm fast, but in the end, the Hit Stick is a feature that was made for players like me.

Like I said, nobody in this year's draft hits any harder, and the same goes for the video game.

-- Thomas Davis

[ArmyBengal]

And since we aren't privy to the questions the Bengals staff asks these potentials or the answers given by them, it's anyones guess in which direction the Bengals go in the draft.

The answer to the dress/coat question is... Neither have to be taken off to have a good time !!!

[cHaD711Johnson]

Im seeing alot of mocks with Thomas Dvis to NO at 16...I really want us to get him do you think he will make it to 17?

[HoosierCat]

Everyone's favorite local draft guru does...

http://www.drugstorelist.com/news.shtml

[jjakq27]

http://www.nfl.com/draft/story/8313773

Pop Quiz: Thomas Davis

By Bob Elliott

NFL.com

Think the prospects heading for the NFL are done taking their exams? Think again! NFL.com has put together this standardized "quiz" for many of the players entering the 2005 NFL Draft. And while it's not the Wonderlic exam, it's certainly a good way to find out more about your favorite future NFL stars.

Full name and position: Thomas Antonio Davis, strong safety

Date and location of birth: March 22, 1983, Columbus, Ga.

College and major: Georgia, consumer economics

1. What is the one thing you will miss the most about college?

Davis: Just all of my teammates, really. Just being with them and being out there in that atmosphere with 92,000 people watching.

2. What is your favorite night-before-the-game meal?

Davis: A ham sandwich.

3. Who is the toughest player you faced in college?

Davis: Ronnie Brown out of Auburn -- just all the different things he can bring to the game. He runs very hard out of the backfield. He has so many dimensions to his game.

4. What other position do you wish you could play?

Davis: Running back. I like to have the ball in my hands. My senior year in high school, in eight games I had 1,100 yards in 85 carries. I was considering going to a black college or another small school to play running back.

5. Who were your idols as a child?

Davis: I used to look up to guys like Deion Sanders, Ronnie Lott and Lawrence Taylor. In basketball, it was Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen.

6. Whose throwback jersey do you most want (or already have) in your closet?

Brown: I have quite a few actually. The one I value the most is Ronnie Lott. I have a few from basketball and football, like Lawrence Taylor, Barry Sanders, O.J. Simpson, Jim Brown.

7. What is your favorite thing to do in your spare time?

Davis: Spending time with my son: Denim Antonio Davis. He's 15 months old

8. Finish this sentence: The first thing I will buy after signing an NFL contract will be ...

Davis: I'll get my mother a house.

9. Name the most important thing you learned in college.

Davis: Never take a play off.

10. Pick one: Fame or fortune.

Davis: Fame, because Todd France is my agent (from France Athlete Management Enterprises -- FAME) ... and the fortune will follow.

11. Do you have any superstitions?

Davis: I never wore any lotion, because it seemed like I played better without it.

12. Let's say you got to host NFL Total Access for one day. Who would your guests be?

Davis: Ray Lewis, Brian Dawkins and Michael Vick. I just love the way Lewis plays the game. I think I can learn a lot from all of them.

13. Which NFL stadium are you most looking forward to playing in?

Davis: Georgia Dome.

14. Name a question that you think would stump a fellow 2005 draft prospect.

Davis: How many Div. I offers do you think Georgia safety Thomas Davis had coming out of high school?

15. From Alex Smith's Pop Quiz: Explain the theory of relativity.

Davis: (No response.)

16. It's 100 years from now. How are people going to remember you?

Davis: As a guy that almost didn't get the opportunity, but definitely made the most of the opportunity when it was presented to him.

[BengalsDieHard1]

The next Fulcher??!?!!?!?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?!?!?!??!

[BengalsDieHard1]

***edited until this issue is resolved by administrator/moderators. Then it will be re-posted.

BengalsDieHard1, please check your private messages and respond at your earliest convienience.

Edited April 12, 2005 by billybroome

[Section 310]

Below is a link to Rich Gosselin's mock draft from the Dallas Morning News. According to the mock draft scores (link posted elsewhere) Gosselin is among

the best draftniks out there. He has the Bengals taking Davis at #17. Of interest is the fact that Castillo, Babineux, Cody and Johnson are all gone in round 1. I thought a guy like Castillo may slide. If not, you have to think the Bengals go Center in Round 2. Lewis is not going to grab warm bodied DT when a top quality LB, C or TE is still available in Round 2. We better hope Askew, Geathers and Moore are ready to step up to the plate.

Of further interest is the fact that all of the Offensive Tackles are still on the board at #17. I would bet that this would allow the Bengals to trade out of that slot and grab an extra 3rd round pick from someone like the Eagles who are stacked.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dw...mockdraft1.html