TheCardFan
Things have changed.
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http://www.nfldraftcountdown.com/interviews/busterdavis/busterdavis.html
Buster Davis Interview
March 8, 2007
If there is one thing guys like Sam Mills and Zach Thomas have taught us it's that you don't necessarily need to have that prototypical size to become one of the best linebackers in the game. The next guy who is going to try and follow in their footsteps is Buster Davis from Florida St., who is one of the premier prospects at his position this year. With the '07 Draft quickly approaching Scott Wright of NFLDC had the opportunity to talk with Buster.
Scott Wright: You aren't as big as most linebackers so how are you able to overcome that lack of size?
Buster Davis: Instincts. Speed. Quickness. Intangibles that you can’t teach.
Scott Wright: You have experience at both middle and outside linebacker. Which do you prefer and where are most teams projecting you?
Buster Davis: I can play inside or outside, it doesn’t really matter to me I just want to get on the field. Some teams are interested in me at inside linebacker and some teams are interested in me at outside linebacker but it doesn’t bother me, I just want to play.
Scott Wright: At the Senior Bowl you were coached by Hall of Fame linebacker Mike Singletary. What was that like and what is the main thing you learned from him?
Buster Davis: Just to be coached by somebody of that caliber, arguably the best to ever play the position… You watch him growing up and honestly don’t really think you’ll ever meet a person like that in your life and I got coached by him for a whole week. I just learned that you’re never going to be as good as you want to be, there will always be room for improvement. You can always get better. I kind of knew that but to get it from him makes you want to work even harder.
Scott Wright: What would you say is your greatest strength as a football player and what area do you need to work on?
Buster Davis: I don’t have any weaknesses. My strengths are my ability to adapt to any position, instincts, football smarts, speed to the ball. What separates me from other players in the draft this year is I have the ability to play all three downs and finding a ‘backer than can do that is very rare these days.
Scott Wright: What is your greatest football moment to date?
Buster Davis: I’d probably have to say when we played the Hurricanes this year and beat Miami in Miami.
Scott Wright: Who is the best player you have faced during your career?
Buster Davis: Philip Rivers for another team. On my team I’ll say Anquan Boldin and Greg Jones before he got hurt.
Scott Wright: Is there one younger player at Florida St. that you see developing into a star, either at the college or pro level?
Buster Davis: There are several. I hate to be bias to my position but the two linebackers you’re going to have to worry about in upcoming years are Geno Hayes and Marcus Ball. Derek Nicholson too. That’s going to be the next great trio at Florida St. Those three have the ability to be what myself, Ernie (Sims) and A.J. (Nicholson) were a couple years ago and myself, Lawrence (Timmons) and Geno were this year. They’re going to be very special.
Scott Wright: Who was your favorite college or pro team growing up? Did you have a favorite player?
Buster Davis: Florida St. was my favorite college team. I didn’t really have a favorite professional team until I guess the Ravens came along. I’d have to say Ray Lewis is my favorite player in the NFL. And Derrick Brooks.
Scott Wright: What NFL linebacker do you most admire and who do you think you compare favorably to?
Buster Davis: Ray Lewis. Derrick Brooks. Brian Urlacher. Zach Thomas. London Fletcher. Briggs from Chicago also. Not to sound too confident but I don’t model my game, per se, after a certain player. I am who I am and I try to separate myself. I don’t want to be like anyone, I just want to play the game to the best of my abilities, but when they compare me to other players like London Fletcher and Zach Thomas that is some of the best comments you can ever receive yet I am also trying to separate myself from that stigma of just being short. When it’s all said and done I want them to say this guy was the most dominant to ever play the game and that’s what I’m striving for. I don’t really model myself after anyone though, I just try to go out there and play the game the way it’s supposed to be played.
Scott Wright: What current pro are you most looking forward to going up against in the NFL?
Buster Davis: LaDainian Tomlinson. Definitely L.T. because he’s the best thing in the game right now and I want to play against the best.
Scott Wright: At what point did you realize that you might have a future in football beyond college?
Buster Davis: When I was about 5 or 6. I was born to play football. It was just something that was going to happen and I’ve been waiting for a long time.
Scott Wright: What do you plan to do once your playing career is over?
Buster Davis: I’m going to be the head coach at Florida St.
Scott Wright: When you get your first professional paycheck what is the first thing you will buy?
Buster Davis: I got a truck yesterday. I just bought a Range Rover.
Scott Wright: Obviously it is still early, but do you have any goals in mind when it comes to the NFL Draft (Round 1, Top 3 Rounds)?
Buster Davis: Everybody’s goal is to be a #1 draft pick but a realistic goal for me from what I’ve heard is to be in that late first round. It just depends on how things go but that is my goal.
Scott Wright: Is there one or two teams in particular that you’ve noticed paying more attention to you?
Buster Davis: The thing is teams are going to tell me the same things they are telling Patrick Willis and Paul Posluszny so there is a core group of linebackers that can go pretty much anywhere in the draft. All teams are going to like you or you wouldn’t be at the Combine if they didn’t so it’s hard to pinpoint one or two. Personally I think I can play in any scheme but I think the Cover 2 type of teams will be more attracted to my style of play more so than others.
Scott Wright: Thanks for taking the time to answer some questions and good luck!
http://www.nfldraftcountdown.com/interviews/busterdavis/busterdavis.html
Buster Davis Interview
March 8, 2007
If there is one thing guys like Sam Mills and Zach Thomas have taught us it's that you don't necessarily need to have that prototypical size to become one of the best linebackers in the game. The next guy who is going to try and follow in their footsteps is Buster Davis from Florida St., who is one of the premier prospects at his position this year. With the '07 Draft quickly approaching Scott Wright of NFLDC had the opportunity to talk with Buster.
Scott Wright: You aren't as big as most linebackers so how are you able to overcome that lack of size?
Buster Davis: Instincts. Speed. Quickness. Intangibles that you can’t teach.
Scott Wright: You have experience at both middle and outside linebacker. Which do you prefer and where are most teams projecting you?
Buster Davis: I can play inside or outside, it doesn’t really matter to me I just want to get on the field. Some teams are interested in me at inside linebacker and some teams are interested in me at outside linebacker but it doesn’t bother me, I just want to play.
Scott Wright: At the Senior Bowl you were coached by Hall of Fame linebacker Mike Singletary. What was that like and what is the main thing you learned from him?
Buster Davis: Just to be coached by somebody of that caliber, arguably the best to ever play the position… You watch him growing up and honestly don’t really think you’ll ever meet a person like that in your life and I got coached by him for a whole week. I just learned that you’re never going to be as good as you want to be, there will always be room for improvement. You can always get better. I kind of knew that but to get it from him makes you want to work even harder.
Scott Wright: What would you say is your greatest strength as a football player and what area do you need to work on?
Buster Davis: I don’t have any weaknesses. My strengths are my ability to adapt to any position, instincts, football smarts, speed to the ball. What separates me from other players in the draft this year is I have the ability to play all three downs and finding a ‘backer than can do that is very rare these days.
Scott Wright: What is your greatest football moment to date?
Buster Davis: I’d probably have to say when we played the Hurricanes this year and beat Miami in Miami.
Scott Wright: Who is the best player you have faced during your career?
Buster Davis: Philip Rivers for another team. On my team I’ll say Anquan Boldin and Greg Jones before he got hurt.
Scott Wright: Is there one younger player at Florida St. that you see developing into a star, either at the college or pro level?
Buster Davis: There are several. I hate to be bias to my position but the two linebackers you’re going to have to worry about in upcoming years are Geno Hayes and Marcus Ball. Derek Nicholson too. That’s going to be the next great trio at Florida St. Those three have the ability to be what myself, Ernie (Sims) and A.J. (Nicholson) were a couple years ago and myself, Lawrence (Timmons) and Geno were this year. They’re going to be very special.
Scott Wright: Who was your favorite college or pro team growing up? Did you have a favorite player?
Buster Davis: Florida St. was my favorite college team. I didn’t really have a favorite professional team until I guess the Ravens came along. I’d have to say Ray Lewis is my favorite player in the NFL. And Derrick Brooks.
Scott Wright: What NFL linebacker do you most admire and who do you think you compare favorably to?
Buster Davis: Ray Lewis. Derrick Brooks. Brian Urlacher. Zach Thomas. London Fletcher. Briggs from Chicago also. Not to sound too confident but I don’t model my game, per se, after a certain player. I am who I am and I try to separate myself. I don’t want to be like anyone, I just want to play the game to the best of my abilities, but when they compare me to other players like London Fletcher and Zach Thomas that is some of the best comments you can ever receive yet I am also trying to separate myself from that stigma of just being short. When it’s all said and done I want them to say this guy was the most dominant to ever play the game and that’s what I’m striving for. I don’t really model myself after anyone though, I just try to go out there and play the game the way it’s supposed to be played.
Scott Wright: What current pro are you most looking forward to going up against in the NFL?
Buster Davis: LaDainian Tomlinson. Definitely L.T. because he’s the best thing in the game right now and I want to play against the best.
Scott Wright: At what point did you realize that you might have a future in football beyond college?
Buster Davis: When I was about 5 or 6. I was born to play football. It was just something that was going to happen and I’ve been waiting for a long time.
Scott Wright: What do you plan to do once your playing career is over?
Buster Davis: I’m going to be the head coach at Florida St.
Scott Wright: When you get your first professional paycheck what is the first thing you will buy?
Buster Davis: I got a truck yesterday. I just bought a Range Rover.
Scott Wright: Obviously it is still early, but do you have any goals in mind when it comes to the NFL Draft (Round 1, Top 3 Rounds)?
Buster Davis: Everybody’s goal is to be a #1 draft pick but a realistic goal for me from what I’ve heard is to be in that late first round. It just depends on how things go but that is my goal.
Scott Wright: Is there one or two teams in particular that you’ve noticed paying more attention to you?
Buster Davis: The thing is teams are going to tell me the same things they are telling Patrick Willis and Paul Posluszny so there is a core group of linebackers that can go pretty much anywhere in the draft. All teams are going to like you or you wouldn’t be at the Combine if they didn’t so it’s hard to pinpoint one or two. Personally I think I can play in any scheme but I think the Cover 2 type of teams will be more attracted to my style of play more so than others.
Scott Wright: Thanks for taking the time to answer some questions and good luck!
