Vernon Davis is overrated

[kmac]

After reading the Vernon Davis lovefest that Z2C has polluted about 10 threads with, I feel the need to rant and rave about why Vernon Davis is probably the most overhyped prospect that this draft has seen over the last couple of years.

First of all, at 6'3", Davis is undersized for the TE position in the NFL. Gates, Shockey, Heap, and Gonzolez are all bigger.

Sure, Davis has a great 40 time for a TE, but he won't even be able to use that speed when he's getting jammed at the line by Mike Brown and Lance Briggs. If you can't even get off the line, your 40 time means nothing.

Had any of you heard of Vernon Davis before his combine showing? I had, but I didn't know much about him other than he was a TE from Maryland and the 3rd best TE prospect in the draft pre-combine.

If Vernon Davis is such a red-zone machine, why did he only have 9 touchdowns over 3 seasons? Both Pope and Lewis beat that.

So what if the guy can make athletic plays and blocks on a highlight tape? I've seen highlight tapes of Jamal Reynolds making athletic sacks. I've seen highlight tapes of Ryan Leaf making spectacular throws. I've seen highlight tapes of Curtis Enis making incredible breakaway runs. The truth is, a highlight of Davis making a spectacular catch or a spectacular block means a whole lot of nothing. Of all of the player Davis had to block this season, 1 or 2 may someday start in the NFL.

Being undersized and athletic for a TE, and having great size but being a little slow for WR, Vernon Davis will make a career as a great slot WR or H-Back. Neither position can be the difference maker that leads a team to a super bowl.

As Public Enemy once said, DDDDDDDDDON'T BELIEVE THE HYPE!

 

[Toronto_Cheesehead]

If I can find the article I'll post it, but I've read that Davis also has trouble catching the ball. He's risen this high because he is a freak of an athlete, and as fans (myself included) we too often get caught up in the hype of 40 times and want to see potentially the next great gamebreaker lining up of your roster. With that said, lets draft Hawk and enjoy the '06 Rookie of the Year

 

[hoos]

I have to agree. As a UVa alum I saw Davis play a few times and didn't come away impressed. He's a freak of an athlete, but didn't really perform that well in college. I'd shy away from VD.

 

[Popcynical]

I'd rather have Hawk or Williams, but I wouldn't be mad if we drafted Davis. NFL scouts don't rate players based on highlights. If he wasn't good, the NFL wouldn't have bothered inviting him to the draft (they only invite the top 5 or 6 players).

 

[mattresell]

The same thing could've been said about a number of players that ended up being busts.

 

[Packnic]

im not scared to admit it.... i got all up in the hype of VD...

but now im shying away from him even though i wouldnt be really really pissed if we drafted him, cause an athlete like that can be used SOMEHOW

but now id rather see Hawk and if you still want a big athletic tight end draft pope in the second, but id prefer to use bubba and lee now and go with maurice stovall

 

[hoos]

It's this simple to me Packnic, as a (c)hokie fan what TE did you fear the most in the past 4 years? I doubt it was Davis. IMO Heath Miller was a far better TE in college.

 

[kmac]

Well, it looks like the Texans are leaning towards Bush and the Saints are leaning towards Hawk. This makes Davis a very real possibility.

Crap.

 

[Packnic]

oh bodefinetly, heath miller was way more of a factor in college, but hes not in this draft now is he. and also as much as it pains me UVA was a much bigger threat to us. Maryland was garbage with a garbage QB

SO i agree he isnt spectacular. but hes number 3 on my short list of talent we need to get with the number 5 pick....

its 1 hawk 2 williams 3 davis, and im just not sure after that would probally wanna trade down if thats the case.

maybe even trade down if davis is all thats left....

like 1 bush 2 hawk 3 leinart 4 williams happens theres 3 high profile athletes that would get us a very nice trade here. young cutler and davis

 

[Gopackgo82]

Personally, I'm all caught up in the hype and I'm not going to change my opinion on him because of this thread. I'll be happy if we get Mario (not likely), Hawk (most probable), or Davis.

His 40 time was among the very best for not just TE's, but WRs as well. His vertical was up among the best too, and his bench was up there with some O-Linemen. I don't see him getting jammed at the line very often with his strength and athleticism.

I've only heard two knocks on him: his size and his blocking. The size does matter, but so does leaping ability and speed. He can always improve his blocking.

Say what you want about Vernon Davis, but I think he's going to be the next elite TE.

 

[DePack]

I want football players...not athletes or workout freaks. I live 60 miles from Terpland and never heard of this guy til the combine. Not that I'm a terp fan but you'd think you would have heard of someone rated a top 5 pick.

 

[spardo62]

Say what you will, but none of us are professional scouts or NFL personnel men - nor do we have the access to the film, college coaches, etc. that the aforementioned types have. Our opinions are limited to the little game action and highlight films we can see, as well as reading the opinions of others(many of whom are also not professionals, or have an agenda to give disinformation).

That being said, I do not think GB can be faulted for selecting any of the consensus top 5-6 players.

However, some offer more sure thing, solid NFL potential and others in this group offer sky high potential. The trick is seperating the chaff from the Wheat. It seems that Tony Mandarich was a prototype OT and failed, while others like Steve Smith do not fit the size or speed or other mold and turn out to be stars.

I believe Vernon Davis has more superstar potential than Hawk, but could live with either pick and respect others opinions(as noted - none of us are professionals at this game).

 

[kmac]

Very well said spardo

 

[Zero2Cool]

Vernon Davis
Height / Weight
6-3 / 263 lbs
(3.46 lbs per inch)

Antonio Gates
Height / Weight
6-4 / 260 lbs
(3.42 lbs per inch)

Jeremy Shockey
Height / Weight
6-5 / 253 lbs
(3.28 lbs per inch)

Todd Heap
Height / Weight
6-5 / 252 lbs
(3.27 lbs per inch)

Anthony Gonzalez
Height / Weight
6-5 / 251 lbs
(3.25 lbs per inch)

He gives up an inch or two and weighs more than each you mentioned.
That inch or two is a concern though.

I haven't found anything in regards to him having poor hands.

You must be logged in to see this image or video!

Vernon Davis
Height: 6-3 3/4
Weight: 263
40-Time: 4.38

Official Bio

Strengths:
An amazing natural athlete with rare ability...Has tremendous speed and can get downfield...A major weapon in the passing game...Has great hands...Runs well after the catch...An outstanding leaper with great body control...Has a knack for getting open...Extremely strong...Versatile player who also has experience lining up at fullback and wide receiver...Productive and led the ACC with 871 receiving yards as a junior...Got better each year and still has a lot of upside and potential.

Weaknesses:
Does not have the height you look at the position...Improving as a blocker and is adequate right now but can still get better in that area...Still a little raw and needs to round out the rough edges and master the nuances of the game...Is somewhat of a wide receiver trapped in a tight ends body and will play like it.

Notes:
Owns school strength records for a tight end in bench (460), power clean (355), vertical jump (40 inches), index (797), squat (685) and 40-yard dash time (4.41), all of which were recorded in the spring of 2005...Probably one of the best tight end prospects to come along in some time and his final grade will likely be close to that of Tony Gonzalez and Kellen Winslow II when they were coming out.

 

[arrowgargantuan]

I'd shy away from VD.

indeed...stock up on penicillin brother!!

 

[Zero2Cool]

I'd shy away from VD.

indeed...stock up on penicillin brother!!

lmao

 

[pyledriver80]

I think he is getting WAY to much hype, or at least as a possible pick of the Packers

 

[bozz_2006]

i can't help but think that the talk of the saints snatching hawk are perpetuated to get teams to trade picks with them. either that, or they will pick hawk and then trade him for the first and second round picks. i am pretty confident we'll end up with hawk

 

[Zero2Cool]

I think he is getting WAY to much hype, or at least as a possible pick of the Packers

Not to be a hypocrite, but I think he could be overhyped too.

He has the potential to give us what we had in 95 / 96 and I find that very intriguing. More so than a LB at the fifth spot when the draft is filled with talented LB.

My priority would be.
Mario
Reggie (i think he is over hyped too but only as a full time RB)
Vernon

 

[dhpackr]

nice pic of robert johnson

sorry, but i believe the hype, but still want GB to select Hawk

 

[kmac]

nice pic of robert johnson

sorry, but i believe the hype, but still want GB to select Hawk

YES! Someone knew who was in my avatar!

 

[bozz_2006]

for the record, i knew too. what do i win? does anyone know who's in my avatar?

 

[Zero2Cool]

for the record, i knew too. what do i win? does anyone know who's in my avatar?

3blindMice?

 

[bozz_2006]

winner!

 

[hoos]

Here's the reason why I wouldn't draft Davis. To me Davis is a lot like Marvin Williams who went #2 in the NBA draft last year. Like Williams, Davis is a physical specimen with all of the updside in the world.

The problem is that this is the most attractive thing about Davis, he has a lot of upside. I watching him in college and the guy didn't impress or scare me. He was a solid player but not the kind of guy that you would scheme your defense around. I also don't think that Ralph Friedgen is a bad coach, so I don't attribute that to a bad gameplan.

Couple his history of underachieving (with his athleticism) with the fact that the #5 pick gets gobs of money in signing bonus and salary and I would prefer to just stay away from this one.

Just my two cents.