Davis shows he’s not slow at NFL scouting combine
NFL
Gabriel Davis didn’t exactly shock the world Thursday night at the NFL’s scouting combine at Lucas Oil Stadium.
He did, however, show that those who had labeled him slow were mistaken, especially considering his size.
Davis, the Sanford Seminole product and recent UCF star wide receiver, was hoping to put to rest the notion that he was a slow receiver during his 40-yard dash performance at the combine. And while Davis’ time of 4.54 seconds wasn’t the fastest among a deep receivers group, he didn’t leave the arena as one of the slowest participants.
Davis tied for 24th in a loaded 2020 receivers class of 43 participants — five were injured or chose not run and 18 players turned in slower times. Davis could not be reached for comment, but knowing his expectations for himself, he was likely disappointed.
He probably wishes he’d added a little more peanut butter to his diet this week.
“That was always his thing when he was in high school. If he needed to eat five peanut butter sandwiches a day to get bigger, then that’s what he would do,” said Alana Davis, Gabriel Davis’ mother.
Several other players with Florida ties competed Thursday, with former Miami receiver Jeff Thomas turning in a 40 time of 4.45 seconds, which tied him for 10th overall with Florida product Jerry Jeudy, who finished his high school career at Deerfield Beach and went on to star at Alabama. Former Florida Gators receivers Tyrie Cleveland and Freddy Swain were just outside the top 10 with identical 4.46 times.
Alabama’s Henry Ruggs III ran the fastest time among receivers — 4.27.
Gabriel Davis’ mother said he went to the combine ready to prove himself on the national stage.
“He expects to finally get the respect that he knows he deserves,” she said. “With this opportunity and him being able to compete with the best, he knows that he can compete at this level, but he also knows that he’s got to get that exposure. And with him getting this invite to the combine, it’s just an amazing opportunity for him to do that.”
Davis also turned in a flawless effort in the Gauntlet pass-catching drill, tied for 19th with 14 reps at 225 pounds in the bench press, jumped 10.3 feet in the standing broad jump and had a 35-inch vertical leap.
Alana Davis said his combine performance is the product of hard work, determination and peanut butter.
When he was a sophomore at Seminole High, Gabriel Davis wasn’t exactly the biggest kid and he had not yet established himself on the Seminoles football team.
“He was a scrawny thing and he thought at that time that eating five peanut butter sandwiches a day and drinking whole milk was going to take care of it,” Alana Davis recalled. “He was doing what he thought he needed to do at the time, not even realizing how much more training and nutrition that goes into it.
“His training right now … he has never trained this hard in his life. … He’s realized, ‘Hey, I can take this to the next level and I’ve gotta give it all I can.’ And he’s been able to do that because of the support team around him and unbelievable trainer Bert Whigham, who has been with him since Seminole High School. … In addition to UCF workouts and UCF training, … Bert has been there for him all along.”
The slow label has followed Davis his entire career, and the word has been a source of motivation. He measured in at the combine as one of the biggest receivers at 6-foot-2 and 218 pounds, making his 4.54 time even more impressive. Only 11 participants weighed more than Davis, and of those players, only four were faster.
One play from Davis’ UCF career that his mother remembers as one of those moments when her son showed off his speed was against SMU his freshman season. Quarterback McKenzie Milton hit Davis with an 80-yard touchdown pass, which Davis caught at the 50-yard line and then used his speed to separate from the defender on his way to the end zone.
“The following day, I actually sent him a voice memo, because there was a picture in the newspaper or whatever, but it was him running to the end zone with his tongue hanging out,” Alana Davis said. “I saw that picture and I just started to cry because he’s been told his whole life that, ‘You’re a step to slow,’ or ‘You’ve gotta have a bigger burst.’
“To me, that picture represented that ‘ah-ha moment.’ … There was the slow guy, but no one was catching him.”
It’s been a fun ride for the Davis family, and that UCF story will continue with his younger brother, Jordan Davis, who signed with the Knights in December.
“I think back to three years ago and for [Gabe] just to be able to start his first football game as a freshman [at UCF] was enough for me at that moment,” Alana Davis said. “So to think three years later, he’s accomplished well beyond what I would have expected. It’s an amazing feeling and I’m just so happy for him.
“If anybody knows his work ethic … when no one was around and there were no cameras and there were no interviews. … And if anybody who knows how hard he’s worked, it’s me, and just for him to have this opportunity knowing that he really earned it, I’m just on a mountain top for him and just overjoyed.”