07-24-2017, 10:16 AM
(This post was last modified: 08-01-2017, 10:43 AM by JBLAZE_THE_BOSS.)
If you’re reading this paper somewhere in our normal distribution area, chances are you already know who Drew Davidson is. After playing ball locally, he went on to play for Michigan. Now the speedy DE has been drafted into the NSFL by the new team, the Philadelphia Liberty. We had a chance to catch up with Drew for the first time since the draft, the morning before his first pre-season game as a pro.
TBN – So you grew up in the Buffalo area; this is not a place known for pumping out a lot of professional football players, what made you different?
DD – I think there’s a lot of potential around here, but maybe just not the same sort of support system from the schools as you see in the south. People here just don’t take football as seriously. I think for me, once my coaches told my parents that I had a real shot at playing some college ball, they really pushed me to be great, especially because they knew I wanted it.
TBN – You grew up a Bills fan, right? Who was your favorite player?
DD – Oh definitely. I missed out on the real glory days, but I always liked Bruce Smith even if I never really got to see him play. More from the era I got to experience players like Fred Jackson and Kyle Williams really stood out to me; hard working locker room guys. That’s the sort of player I want to be.
TBN – After high school you went to Michigan to play for the Wolverines; did you have trouble getting used to campus life?
DD – A little, yeah. It was my first time away from home, away from friends and family, for more than a week when I used to go to like, scout camp and stuff in the summer. But Ann Arbor is such a great little town, and everyone on campus was really welcoming. I think after the first semester I really got into the swing of things.
TBN - You had some problems early on with your academics, but you managed to graduate Cum Laude before the draft, how did that happen?
DD – A lot of hard work, a lot of support from my teachers and coaches and fellow students. School has never come easy for me; I make no bones about the fact that I would have a hard time getting into the schools who recruited me if it wasn’t for my skills on the field. But I knew that Michigan held a high standard for their students when I went there. I spent a lot of time with tutors and with my professors after class to get me where I ended up. I owe a lot of people a lot of thanks for that.
TBN – So you work through all of that, you graduate, and you’re ready to move on to the pros. You go through the training camps and combines, and finally the night comes. You get drafted right at the beginning of the third round by Philadelphia. Did you see that coming? Did you know they were interested?
DD – I knew they were interested; I had a meeting with them before hand and did a visit to their facilities, but I definitely didn’t know for sure that they would be taking me.
TBN – Did you have other teams contact you? Who else was interested?
DD – Oh yeah, I think just about all of the teams met with me at some point, and I visited a bunch of places before the draft. I think the Outlaws and Otters made the biggest pushes for me before hand. Both said they were very interested. But I’m so happy that Philly wanted me, and wanted me bad enough to take me that early. After talking with my agent I figured I was looking at the fourth round or so, though none of the teams gave me a real number. One mock draft even had me somewhere between the 7th round and undrafted! I’m pretty glad they were wrong [laughs].
TBN – So Philadelphia; that will be the biggest city you’ve ever lived in right? Has it been an adjustment?
DD – Yeah. Anne Arbor was pretty close to Detroit which is bigger than Buffalo, but its still not the same as Philly. That whole metro area is so different than home. I’m getting used to it though. In some ways its more familiar than the teams out west would have been; I’m still in the Northeast, and that leads to a certain sort of life that agrees with me. Plus, I like the cold.
TBN – What’s it like playing for an expansion team? Are there challenges to that that other teams don’t have?
DD – So exciting. The city is just bursting and ready to go. I think you could have some issues in a city that’s not as a big a sports town, but these fans are so smart and knowledgeable about football already; it was an easy transition for them.
TBN – You’ve been through the mini-camps and training camp, are you ready for pre-season now?
DD- After those camps I’m so ready. Coach has us so pumped up I think I could run through a wall. I guess that’s what I’m about to do.
TBN – If you could boil down everything you learned this offseason from your coaches, everything your team is all about, to one word, what would it be?
DD – That’s easy, the word, the word we’ve been saying since we got started, is “aggressive”. On both sides of the ball, we’ll be aggressive in everything we do.
TBN – How does that work for you as a player?
DD – I think it fits perfectly with my personality. I’m fast, and I like to play fast; I want to go all out on every play and give every bit of energy I have. I can’t wait to get started.
Davidson and the Philadelphia Liberty begin their pre-season tonight against the Orange County Otters and the Baltimore Hawks. The regular season begins one week from today. We at The Buffalo News wish Davidson and his teammates nothing but the best this season and in the future.
GRADED