Miami Dolphins’ Vontae Davis is one best cornerbacks in the NFL, especially of those that no one’s heard about yet. Just ask Brett Favre or even Vontae himself.
Vontae is a physical player who prides himself on his tackling ability in leading a secondary that Pro Football Focus ranks among the top in the game. Not only does Vontae excel on the field, but giving back to the community is important to him as evidenced by his recent trip to Africa (Uganda and Rwanda) with his brother Vernon Davis, Santonio Holmes, Adrian Peterson, as well as several other NFL players as part of the Pros for Africa relief trip.
I spent some time talking with Vontae about his 2010 season, how he compares to the other top corners in the league, as well as why quarterbacks seem to be afraid to throw his way.
Steve Wyremski (SW): How’s the off-season going so far?
Vontae Davis (VD): Oh, it’s great. I’m going to the track right now. Me and my brother.
SW: Has your workout routine changed at all with the lockout this off-season as compared to last year?
VD: No, really just doing the basic stuff to help my skill set and improve my quickness. We actually have a trainer that helps us perfect that.
SW: So, have you been working on anything in particular? Any specific cornerback technique you’re working on?
VD: Yeah, [I’m] working on certain techniques…. the press technique and others to just get better.
SW: Back in September, Brett Favre called you “one of the best cornerbacks in the league, especially that no one knows about”. What does that mean to you coming from an NFL legend like Favre?
VD: That’s a big compliment coming from Brett Favre. My biggest thing is to keep improving and always get better to take the next step. You know, just become the best player that I can be.
SW: As I’m sure you saw, ESPN recently put out rankings for the top 10 corners in the game. Your name wasn’t on the list. Many people have issues with that given your play last season. Why don’t you get the respect that many think you deserve?
VD: I have no idea. When you’re not in a lot of plays and making a lot of plays, it’s hard to judge a corner on how good he is. This year, I’ve been away from the ball a lot, so it’d be hard for them to even rank me. With my situation and the type of player I am, I put myself as one of the best.
SW: You mentioned that team’s aren’t throwing the ball your way. Looking at the 2010 numbers, team’s only threw at you 7% of your snaps. That ranked 11th fewest in the league. Do you think that’s why?
VD: I’m pretty sure.
SW: Why are teams shying away from you?
VD: I became a better technique wise [in 2010]. A lot of team’s study you… study your weaknesses and your strengths. So I think that’s the biggest reason. From my rookie year to my sophomore year I became a much better technician.
SW: What technique in particular is it? Is it the press?
VD: Just consistency, you know? Most corners, when you get consistent with your technique, it’s hard to find weaknesses or really attack [them]. That’s a huge step for a corner.
SW: [Explain Pro Football Focus]. For 2010, we have you as our 14th overall corner ahead of guys like Darrelle Revis, Nnamdi Asomugha, Asante Samuel, etc. and you’re a hair from the top 10. Where would you rank yourself among the top corners in the game?
VD: Oh, number one of course [laughs]. I’m the best corner in the league.
SW: In 2010, you gave up over 50 yards in 4 games, one of which was over 100 yards. So, that’s only 4 of 16 games where you’re given up 50 yards. Based on that, do you consider yourself a shutdown corner?
VD: Of course. I feel that every time I play I should be matched up against the best receiver.
SW: Who’s been the toughest receiver you’ve faced to date?
VD: I mean… everybody has different strengths so you got to study differently. Everybody’s got different attributes. I’d rather guard bigger receivers than smaller receivers.
SW: If you had to pick one player, who would you say is the toughest?
VD: Well, I like Greg Jennings.
SW: You mentioned that you like matching up against bigger receivers. In practice, you’ve been able to match up against Brandon Marshall who’s a big receiver in his own right. How has that helped you?
VD: That helped me with the physicality of it. He’s a big physical receiver. That helps in going up against Andre Johnson [and other] receivers whose dominant trait is their physicality as far as muscling you for the ball and breaking tackles.
SW: Who would you say you model your game after?
VD: Well, I have different skill set as far as corners. I feel that one of my strengths is my tackling ability, but I can also cover. I don’t feel there’s [another] corner in the league that has both of those traits, so that’s why I said that I’m one of the best corners in the league.
SW: Talking about your tackling, in 2010, you missed 13 tackles, which ranked you in the bottom 4 [among corners] in the league. Like you said, your known as a solid tackler and a physical guy. What do you think was the main cause for those missed tackles? Is it a technique thing… position on a particular play? What do you think?
VD: Na, it’s not technique. The reason for the missed tackles has to do with… sometimes a guy slips out of a tackle. It’s actually finishing the whole play and actually getting a guy on the ground. All it takes is a shoestring tackle and a guy just slipping from your arms.
SW: Is tackling something you’ve been working on at all this off-season?
VD: Well, for me I feel that tackling is kind of a God given ability. I’m blessed to be able to tackle like I do because it actually comes natural to me.
SW: Last season, you lined up on the left side of the field 63% of the time. Is that by design because you’re more comfortable on the left side?
VD: Most of the top receivers are on the left side of the field [and] most quarterbacks are right handed so I ended up on the left side of the field a lot.
SW: Your brother Vernon, who plays for the 49ers, he said you were the best corner in the game, as well. Do you brush that off and say, “ah, that’s just my brother talking”?
VD: Na, he knows. We train together and he’s got a lot of confidence in me. He’s not saying that just because he’s my brother. It’s because of how we feel about each. I work out with him every day. I know his mindset [and] his demeanor. I say the same thing about him. I know the type person he is [and] the type of player his is.
SW: How big was it to have him already in the league when the Dolphins drafted you in the first round of the ’09 NFL draft?
VD: It was real big because he paved the way for me as far as showing me how to work and become a professional at an early age.
SW: Since you’ve been in the league, the Dolphins haven’t play San Francisco. If you guys were to, would you lobby with Mike Nolan to cover Vernon?
VD: [Laughs] I would love to, but Coach Nolan probably won’t let me do that. He probably would want me on a receiver more than a tight end even though my brother is looked at as a receiver.
SW: If you were to go one-on-one with your brother… who wins that match-up?
VD: Oh, I win of course. That’s easy.
SW: You watch yourself on tape, what would you say is the best part of your game, other than the natural ability you mentioned on tackling?
VD: I would have to say my athletic ability. I became more of a technician this year, but my athletic ability takes over and it kinda shocks me to see me do certain things when I watch film.
SW: When you’re lined up against a receiver pre-snap, what are you thinking about?
VD: I’d rather go a whole game without letting a receiver catch a ball. I’m such a competitor that (I know receivers are going to catch balls, but) I don’t want a receiver to catch any balls.
SW: On the field lined up against a receiver… are you a talker or more of the strong silent type?
VD: Na, I’m a talker, but fans and the people outside of football won’t know. I’m a talker on the field.
SW: You have Brett Favre calling you one of the best in the game and others comparing you to Champ Bailey. What do you think you need to do in order to take your game to the next level and become a Pro Bowler?
VD: My big thing is to keep working hard and let it come to me. Just be patient, keep working and doing what I need to become a better player and everything will work for itself.
SW: On your defense, who is the leader out there on the field?
VD: Karlos Dansby, Channing Crowder and Randy Starks… a lot of the older guys that fall into their sixth or seventh year.
SW: In recent days, the lockout has been lifted. Do you have any plans to head down to the facility in Miami to workout?
VD: I planned on going down there, but I’ve talked to my teammates and I just feel more comfortable training here in Washington DC with my trainer.
SW: Vontae, thanks a lot for taking the time. Best of luck to you.
VD: Alright, thanks man.
Vontae Davis is a perfect Bill Parcells corner and that’s exactly why he drafted him in the 1st round of the 2009 draft. Despite what the missed tackle stats may suggest, he’s a solid tackler who can also cover. It’s only a matter of time before we see Vontae taking a February vacation to Hawaii.
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