NFL Draft Analysis: Nate Davis, QB, Ball State Cardinals

April 17, 2009 @ 01:00:01

By Trent Lujin
Edited by Cory J. Bonini

Ball State quarterback Nate Davis has declared that he will forgo his senior season and enter the 2009 NFL Draft. A prolific passer in college, Davis amassed 74 touchdowns and in excess of 9,000 yards, both of which are Cardinals records. In 2007, his sophomore year, he set the Ball State all-time record for touchdown passes in a season with 30.

The quarterback gene seems to run in the Davis family, as Nate's older brother, Jose, plays in the Arena Football League. 

Strengths

• Has excellent arm strength
• Touch on his deep ball
• Great feet, especially buying time in the pocket
• Nice touch and timing on his passes
• Good work ethic and leadership skills
• Quick setup and delivery
• A lot of upside

Weaknesses

• Did not play against a high level competition
• Documented learning disability
• Makes questionable decisions with the ball
• Small hands, which causes an unconventional grip (wears dual gloves and doesn't use the laces)
• Lacks ideal height (6-foot-1 3/8, 226 pounds)
• Mechanics could use some work
• Comes from a spread offense - has to adjust to coming from under center

Expected draft placement

There is no question the younger Davis has tremendous upside, but the level of competition he played against in college will be one of the greatest concerns. At the Ball State March 20 Pro Day, only one team attended, the Indianapolis Colts. Davis will see if he can follow in the footsteps of some former Mid-American Conference (MAC) quarterbacks like Ben Roethlisberger and Chad Pennington. 

Davis is expected to be drafted anywhere from the latter portion of the second round to early in the fifth round. A team looking to wait a few years could make Davis their man. Some teams that might look to target him include: Indianapolis Colts, Seattle Seahawks, New York Jets and Houston Texans. Any number of teams might look at Davis, should he be there in the fourth or fifth rounds, but do not expect him to fall into the sixth round. 

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Trent Lujin
Lujin has been a KFFL contributor since 2008.

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