It was September 17, 2016. I was watching from my couch as the Wisconsin Badgers were struggling against supposedly overmatched Georgia State. Then an unknown, receiver Robert Davis caught a beautiful pass from his QB. That was the first time I had heard of the receiver who leached onto my brain again at the scouting combine.
On March 4, 2017, I was watching the on-field drills. I came away impressed by the small-school prospect again — the same Robert Davis. The last time I had seen him he was scoring his team’s first touchdown against a formidable Wisconsin D in the third quarter. It was an impressive back-shoulder catch that felt reminiscent of Jordy Nelson.
Davis is the cousin of Carolina Panthers Pro Bowl linebacker Thomas Davis, but he’s clearly his own man. He came in at almost 6’3”, 219 and ran the 40 in sub 4.5. Davis dominated small-school competition and is now drawing athletic comparisons to Julio Jones.
The Green Bay Packers don’t necessarily have a strong need at receiver, but they should keep an eye on Davis. Nelson is in his 30s, after all.
Davis also has speed that Davante Adams can’t duplicate.
If the Packers drafted Davis, they’d be getting a big-bodied receiver that has wheels. It may take him a year or two to develop, but I’d be more than happy to give the struggling Jeff Janis’ roster spot to him because I feel he can eventually develop into a true No. 1 receiver.
Can he play corner? That will be the interview question from TT. “We like versatile guys,” Ted will say.
PF4L: Thanks for making yourself available Ted, how are you?
TED: I’m awake, and somewhat coherant.
PF4L: Great, lets get started. do you feel you overpayed for Nick Perry?
TED: In order to outsmart the other GM’s, i had too.
PF4L: You replaced a good tight end, with another good tight end, and added another tight end.
TED: I like tight ends.
PF4L:You tossed Sitton, you lost Tretter and Lang…how do these moves improve the offense and protect Rodgers?
TED: I wasn’t told the questions were going to get harder, can we come back to that later?
PF4L: Ok Ted….How have you improved the defense in free agency?
TED: By being active and outsmarting the other teams.
PF4L: Maybe you got confused, let me try again…How have you improved the defense in free agency?
TED: Now your playing word games with me, you can’t outsmart me. Lets move along.
PF4L: You lost Micah Hyde, did you even try to offer him a contract?
TED: Why are you attacking me?
PF4L: At the NFL combine, you stated how proud you were that the Packers resign their own. But recently, that doesn’t seem like the case. What are we to think?
TED: I get paid millions to think, let me do the thinking.
PF4L: Any chance you can answer any of my questions?
TED: Look PF4L, i don’t need this harrassment, i know who you are. I read TotalPackers.com
PF4L: So then you already know that most fans despise you?
TED: I don’t know why, i won a Super Bowl back in ummmm…..2……..thousand….um…….10
PF4L: Ted, some Packer fans accuse you of doing a lot of nothing, and failing in the draft, and frankly, having no accountability to anybody. How would you respond to that?
TED: I’m Ted Thompson, and i don’t have time to be accountable, and respond to a lot of silly questions. I have to go.