LSU just puts a TON of quality players in the NFL. Among the states that produce the most players in the league, Texas, Florida, California, Georgia.....Louisiana is right up there near the top of that list, and has nowhere near the population of the other states. And those are just general #s, but the point is there is alot of talent coming from the state and from LSU in particular, and many of these players produce in the NFL at all different positions. And considering that Craig Davis is an LSU guy and played with Dwayne Bowe, Joseph Addai and Jamarcus Russell amongst others, he is accustomed to not only playing around other great players, but producing amongst them as well. Add to that the fact that many of these former LSU players now in the NFL come back to the school and give back to the players in the way of personal experience, advice, confidence and just general encouragement, as is the case with many big schools like Miami, USC and Florida, and it only helps to give younger players like Davis more fuel to their personal fires. And, youve gotta love guys who enter the NFL already having successful BIG GAME experience.
But relating more specifically about what helps many players to become good pros, you can look at San Diego's team makeup and its pretty clear that this is a perfect situation for him. He's surrounded by other good players all over the field, and in some cases great ones. Rubbing elbows with the greatness that is LT2 and Gates and Merriman to name a few has to be a good thing.
Davis will also get some solid coaching from Norv Turner and his staff. Turner has obviously had alot to do with pushing the careers of many great players at various positions. This offensive system has been a well-oiled machine for atleast 3 years now despite not having any significant WRs, so Davis won't be asked to make any monumental contributions, but rather just settle in, work hard, learn the plays, and contribute.
In so many cases in the NFL, successful player development has everything do with opportunity. There are 'good' opportunities and 'bad' opportunities, and while players fall off the fence on either side in each situation, Id much rather see a player like Davis go to a team like San Diego with 'good' opportunity. He's going to get the chance to start and play on a team that knows how to win, something he's accustomed to doing coming from LSU. And there will be absolutely no pressure on him in the way of expectations or elevated defensive coverages. With Gates and LT2 in the mix, he'll never get doubled and will probably seldom ever get any team's best defender on him. But he should already be talented enough despite his youth to start for this team. The Chargers no longer have McCardell in the mix, and Eric Parker is out for probably 3 months, so the time is now for Davis. These guys do NOT have a #1 WR. Vincent Jackson is NOT a #1. He's a big player with some size, but I dont think he's shown enough skill to excel as a team's best receiver. Davis has the chance to be that guy.
Lastly, you can never really tell initially just how hungry a player may be. This is the ultimate intangible that seperates good players from great ones, and its tough to spot. We have no real way of knowing just yet how hungry Craig Davis is. But we do know that if he has an appetite at all, then there is a buffet stocked with all the goods this man could possibly want in San Diego. And there are other hungry players there that will generously share him what theyre eating.
Bottom line is its impossible to forecast how good a guy will be before he's ever played a down in the NFL. We can all look at Calvin Johnson and see the talent that seperates him from the pack, and assume he'll be a star. But with a player like Craig Davis, and there are far more of his kind around than CJs, check-listing the pros and cons is helpful in atleast deciding what his chances are.
I like his chances. I think he'll be a good one, and I think he'll be good right away. jmhoc