Future is bright with young duo
DAVIS Webb’s first day playing quarterback for the Giants was, in Parcells-ese, a little less than perfect ... but a whole lot better than Eli Manning’s first day playing quarterback for the Giants 13 springs ago.
“We brought [Manning] here for our rookie minicamp with a million cameras on him, and it was a very windy day out there,” John Mara once said. “And he threw the ball so poorly. He couldn’t hit the side of a barn. I remember feeling physically ill saying to myself, ‘What did we just do?’ ”
On Friday afternoon, Mara didn’t need to summon trainer Dr. Ronnie Barnes for Pepto Bismol on a day when Webb, except for several wobblers into the wind, mostly looked the part of a promising prototypical quarterback project, if not potential heir to Manning’s throne.
“D. Webb, he’s going to be good,” said tight end Evan Engram, the Giants’ top pick. “He was really comfortable out there. We were rooming together last night, kind of going over stuff together, so it kind of paid off today for sure.”
It had to be an immeasurable help to the Giants’ surprise third-round draft choice that he already has developed a bond with Engram, his rookie minicamp hotel roommate and perhaps his Odell Beckham Jr. two or more years from now.
“We were kind of just getting after it last night, making flash cards, quizzing each other,” Webb said. “That’s what I’ve always done. I’ve been at two different high schools, two different colleges, so I’ve learned some new playbooks, and that always helps me.” The bond began at the Senior Bowl, where Davis told Engram he was his favorite player there.
“We have a good relationship off the field, and hopefully that translates into a good relationship on the field,” Webb said.
Webb said he was thrilled for Engram when the Giants made him the 23rd pick.
“I was pumped for him, I was about to text him, and I was kind of waiting to see what team I went to, and it ended up being the same team, so we immediately texted each other and talked about when we get up here, and when are we going to get our playbook, and stuff like that,” Webb said.
Engram said: “We definitely hit it off at the Senior Bowl. I was hype when his name came across the ticker for New York on Day 2.”
Davis said he knows he will have to wait his turn, but he is a young man in a hurry nevertheless. He ventured to Seattle for 4-to-5 days following the draft to begin learning the nuances of the West Coast offense under former Seahawks quarterback Jim Zorn.
“It all ties in with your feet, that’s something I need to work on just because I haven’t taken many five- and seven-step drops in my college career, but that’s every quarterback coming in from the spread system,” Webb said.
He is at ease around teammates and media and sounds like a baby Manning when asked about his Big Blue playbook.
“I want to make it like my baby,” Webb said. “I want to treat this right, I want it to be my only part of life I’m focusing on and really dive in and learn it like it’s the back of my hand.”
Webb said he already has begun picking Manning’s brain.
“I have sent him a couple of texts asking him some offensive stuff and what they like to do and what they do,” Webb said. “But he’s been responsive, it’s been a good relationship.
“I want to be a sponge around him. I don’t want to nag him, and be that Little Rookie. But at the same time, if I have a question that I feel could be asked, I’m going to ask it.”
Offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan met Webb for the first time Thursday night.
“I thought his deep accuracy was better in many cases than some of his shorter, intermediate accuracy on the [California] tapes that I looked at. ... He’s a young man that we do want to spend a lot of time with his lower body mechanics,” Sullivan said.
Davis Webb wasn’t built in a day.
“He’s a work in progress,” Ben McAdoo said.
Here today ... Heir tomorrow?
“I don’t pick who has playing time, or anything like that,” Webb said. “I’m just worried about being a good quarterback first, and being a great teammate.” Sounds like he’s got one vote already.