Corey Davis is a generational player. It’s that simple. The MAC has had some fantastic players over the years. A few months ago I wrote a post about Jason Taylor going to Canton. There will be other posts in future years about ex-MAC players getting their invite into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. I am not going to sit here and guarantee that Corey Davis is going to be one of them, or even guarantee he is going to be a pro bowler, but he certainly has the potential for both.

Strengths

All of them. He can create space, catch the ball, and then run after the catch. He is physically gifted, and works hard.

My father, like a lot of people, knows little to nothing about the MAC. As a Buckeye, he roots for all the Big Ten teams, and is a trend setter of sorts. I remember him back in the 80s telling people that he wants Michigan to win all their games but Ohio State, because that’s good for the Buckeyes. Back then, all he got were eye rolls. He still gets them, but more people are coming around to that kind of thinking.

I just went off the rails there, my bad, back to the point. I was watching the Cotton Bowl with him this season, and he asked me, “What do I need to know about the Western Michigan Broncos.”

I responded with the general consensus, that Fleck was an up and coming coach, the team plays extremely hard, and that the Wisconsin Badgers will have to beat them, they wont just give the game away, or give up.

And then I said, “Oh ya, Corey Davis is the NCAA all-time leading receiver, and it’s not a fluke. At some point in this game, you will say exclaim “Holy Crap!” on a play that he makes.”

That play starts at 3:12.

Weakness

Nothing that can’t be overcome. When he was just a lad in high school, he didn’t participate in the schooling like he should. That cost him a chance to play at the big schools. Fleck and company gave him a chance, and he never looked back.

His routes aren’t perfect, he hasn’t really shown he can beat a physical corner off the line, and he didn’t play against elite competition in college. That’s what the anti-Davis crowd will tell you.

None of that matters. All of that can be figured out, and he has shown such incredible growth over the 4 seasons while he was in Kalamazoo that I have no reason to doubt his growth in the NFL.

Prognostication

I think he is a virtual lock for the first round. The draft is such a crap shoot on whether or not teams are drafting best available or by position. He fits with both. I haven’t seen a draft “guru” have him below 32 in best players, and I haven’t seen him outside of top 2 receivers.

I will say I am disappointed that he didn’t run the 40 in the combine or at his pro day. I get it, he was hurt. I am guessing it’s going to be around 4.5 flat, or a little slower. Some might see that as a problem, but it’s similar to another small school guy named Jerry Rice. His tape, and his work ethic are enough for me to ignore a slow 40 time, and we don’t even know if that’s the case.