Canceled pro day hurts Cal safety
Davis dubbed ‘mystery man’ of NFL draft
Ashtyn Davis is fast. The question is how fast. And the problem for the Cal safety is this: The precise answer probably won’t be provided before the NFL draft.
Davis, a Santa Cruz native, is the poster prospect for college players who were impacted when the coronavirus pandemic canceled pro days, oncampus events in which NFL scouts and executives gather to oversee workouts.
Davis, a hurdler who was a fourtime AllAmerican and won the Pac12 championship as a junior, couldn’t play in the Senior Bowl or work out at the combine because he was rehabbing from a groin surgery he had in December. And Cal’s pro day, which was scheduled for March 20, would have been his chance to run the 40yard dash, show that he’s healthy and boost his draft stock.
“I didn’t get a pro day and
that’s kind of upsetting,” Davis said. “But, big picture, people are getting really sick and dying from (the coronavirus). My problems are so small compared to that. It’s a lot easier when you keep that in perspective. I’m adapting just like everyone else.”
Where could Davis be selected? He’s likely a second or thirdround pick, but what if he had run the 40 in under 4.4 seconds at his pro day? At the combine, only four defensive backs — and one safety — ran under 4.4.
His inability to test is why an NFL general manager told NBC’s Peter King that Davis is “the mystery man of the draft.”
“In my opinion, I proved with my track accolades that I can run in a straight line fast,” Davis said. “I don’t know why that’s such a big question for people. But I’m happy about it. I’m happy the biggest question mark about me is something that I do really well.
“That’s the positive way of looking at this. I think if I had run, whether that would have been in the 4.3s or a low 4.4s, I definitely think I could have helped myself.”
Davis, a secondteam AllPac12 selection as a senior, had 171 tackles, seven interceptions, three forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries in his 49game career. Last year, he was one of three finalists for the Burlsworth Trophy, which is given to the nation’s top player who began his career as a walkon. He’s ranked as the thirdbest safety in the draft by ESPN’s Mel Kiper and the NFL Network’s Bucky Brooks, a former NFL player and scout.
Without measurables, NFL teams are making the effort to find out as much as possible about Davis. He estimates he’s had FaceTime meetings with 15 teams, with more upcoming. He plans to share video with teams of a personal pro day he expects to have before the draft, which is scheduled to start April 23.
A potential problem with that pro day: finding an available field.
Davis, like most Americans, has had to adjust to the changes inspired by the pandemic. He’s spent the past three months in Santa Ana, where he’s worked out and rehabbed with a host of other draft prospects at Proactive Sports Performance.
He planned to return to Santa Cruz last month after his pro day, but he’ll remain in Southern California until the draft partly because his grandfather lives on his parents’ property and he didn’t want to put him at increased risk of getting sick, although Davis has had no coronavirus symptoms. In addition, Davis still can see his physical therapist at a nearby facility.
Davis and two other rehabbing players are the only prospects left and he is living alone in an apartment complex connected to Proactive’s closed facility. For daily workouts, camaraderie and motivation, he FaceTimes a group of three friends and they sweat together from different locales. He uses resistance bands, two water jugs for dumbbells and is pumping out plenty of pushups.
Track workouts have proved difficult. On Monday, he says, he was kicked off three local fields by security or maintenance workers at closed schools.
“I try to do what I can,” Davis said. “It’s hard, obviously, with everything that’s going on.”
Davis has discovered a source for nightly entertainment. He formed a movie text chain with a group of friends and they exchange messages while watching the same film. On Wednesday night they watched “Prisoners.”
“It’s been fun,” Davis said. “We’re running through Jake Gyllenhaal films now.”
Of course, workouts and movies can’t fully fill his days. He laughed about spending an hour recently researching a skincare regimen. He’s eager to get busy with the next chapter in his football career, but appreciates he might have to wait to show just how much he has to offer in the NFL.
“If teams are still worried about me not running,” Davis said, “I’ll be another team’s treasure, I guess . ... All I need is my foot in the door.”