Corey Davis Posts Video Of Post-Surgery Workout, And It's Impressive
Western Michigan receiver Corey Davis posted a well-timed (and impressive) video six days before teams decide whether to use their first-round pick to draft him Thursday night.
Despite being one of the consensus top three receivers in the draft, Davis' first-round position is a bit of a mystery because of an ankle injury he suffered in late January. It prevented scouts from getting a personal on-field look at him at the NFL Scouting Combine and his pro day.
Davis has reportedly visited several franchises in person, presumably so team doctors could check on the two torn ligaments, and for those with lingering concerns, Davis posted a glimpse of how well his rehab is going.
Yes, that was an Odell Beckham Jr.-like, one-handed catch after some remarkable footwork.
"While the wideout admits that he is 'not 100 percent yet,' Davis' video is a timely reminder to teams picking in the top 20 of his other-worldly ball skills and route-running, just in case they forgot," wrote NFL.com's Jeremy Bergman.
"That ankle sure looks good too."
This video will not have as much of an* *impact as his game tape. After all, Davis is college football's all-time leading receiver with 5,285 yards. But it does show that he is well on his way in his post-surgery recovery process.
Veteran NFL receivers coach Jerry Sullivan, who worked out Davis on Friday, told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport that Davis exceeded his expectations.
"I worked him out today and I was pleasantly surprised," Sullivan said. "He was really hard on himself, but I was pleasantly surprised. I thought he was very explosive, even on his foot. Remember, he hasn't really done much in three and a half months. He probably thought he'd be right back where he was at the bowl game and I don't think his brain has quite let it go yet. I think he's about 75 percent and in another two or three weeks, he'll be really good. But he didn't have any limp, he didn't favor it at all.
"Really good instincts. As a route-runner, he's ahead of most everyone. NFL ready route-runner. He's got physicalness, good size, good range. How fast is he? I don't know, but fast enough to be an NFL player. The main thing is, his foot looked good, he didn't drag it, didn't favor it. He did very well."
Four Important Draft Clues From Mike Mayock
One of the best draft analysts in the business, Mike Mayock, held a conference call with reporters Friday and here's what we learned as it pertains to the Ravens:
1) John Ross has been removed from some NFL team's draft boards due to injury concerns.
Mayock called himself a "huge fan" of the speedy wideout from Washington because he could step in Day 1 as an impact receiver and returner. That said, teams are worried about his injury risks. "There are some teams that have pushed him either down their boards or off their boards because of injuries," Mayock said. "He's had surgery on his shoulder, he's had surgery on both knees, and he's got a small frame. So, the durability is a big issue with him right now."
2) Rueben Foster's draft stock seems to be holding steady.
Despite a run-in with medical staff that resulted in Foster being sent home from the NFL Scouting Combine and a diluted urine sample from a drug test at the combine, Mayock says the consensus top-rated linebacker's draft stock hasn't been affected much, or maybe not at all. The question is whether he will last until Baltimore is on the clock at No. 16.
"There are some red flags there. I think the combine incident has been wiped clean by almost every team. I think that was way overdone and the kid should not have been sent home. That's my opinion and most people in the league believe that," Mayock said. "As far as the diluted sample at the combine, that's always really disappointing and has to be taken into consideration. I think the shoulder is apparently going to be OK from a re-check perspective, I don't see him sliding all that far. I think he's a top-20 pick all day long in any draft. Could he have been a top-10 pick? He still might be a top-10 pick."
3) The Michigan-Harbaugh connection gives the Ravens a real advantage.
Where does the freakishly athletic Jabrill Peppers best fit in an NFL defense? Will pass rusher Taco Charlton excel in a 3-4 defense like the one the Ravens employ? Will All-American* *cornerback Jourdan Lewis' smaller frame (5 feet 10, 188 pounds) be a problem against NFL receivers? Well, Head Coach John Harbaugh can get the inside scoop on all these important questions with a simple phone call to his brother, Jim, who is the head coach of Michigan football.
"All they do is talk ball, and obviously, John's got an advantage with any Michigan player because Jim's going to give him everything. Everything, including the warts," Mayock said. "John's got a real advantage there."
4) Running back Dalvin Cook is sliding.
In the NFL Network's "Mock Draft Live" that aired Sunday night, former Steelers defensive back Ike Taylor picked the Florida State running back for the Ravens, noting how the defense is performing well and quarterback Joe Flacco needs a good rushing attack for the play-action to work well. That all might be true, but Cook's off-field concerns and injury history could have him sliding past Baltimore. Mayock told The Rich Eisen show that Cook is in danger of falling to the end of the first round or even the second round.
Is Ravens' Dream Draft Scenario Really A Dream?
ESPN's Dan Graziano wrote a dream draft scenario for each NFL team this weekend, and I'm guessing most fans won't consider Baltimore's a "dream."
For example, Graziano says the Arizona Cardinals' ideal situation would be to find their quarterback of the future, and the Philadelphia Eagles would like to have their pick of pass catchers.
Ravens fans would probably love the Eagles' scenario as well, but instead, Graziano says the Ravens' dream would be to get their pick of offensive linemen.
"Boring, I know, and this isn't the greatest offensive line class," he wrote. "But there are a couple of guys who look like first-rounders, and Baltimore could stand to come away with one. Is that Cam Robinson as a Rick Wagner replacement? Is it Forrest Lamp as an immediate starter at guard? GM Ozzie Newsome will know better than I do. And while neither Ozzie nor anyone else knows exactly how Joe Flacco pulled off that postseason magic trick of his five years ago, we know the best chance of repeating it is to keep Joe on his feet."
It's true that it might be boring, but that doesn't make it bad. Drafting first-round offensive linemen in consecutive years sure has worked well for the Dallas Cowboys, and Ravens brass has said one of its offseason priorities is to build a bigger and stronger offensive line.
Potential Trade-Back Partners For Baltimore
Everyone knows Newsome likes to move around draft weekend – he's made a trade in 15 consecutive years – but he needs a partner to make that a reality.
Many have speculated the Ravens could trade back to add more picks to their lowest total (seven) since 2010, and The MMQB.com's Peter King names two teams that might want to move up to Baltimore's spot.
"I won’t be surprised if the Giants (seeking a tackle), scheduled to pick 23rd, or the Texans (seeking a quarterback), scheduled to pick 25th, move up into the teens. Baltimore (16) and Tennessee (18) would be happy to move down," King wrote.
According to the NFL draft trade chart, a move back to the mid-20s could give Baltimore an extra third-round pick. That would give Newsome three third-rounders.
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