After spending the past three seasons establishing himself as the most decorated quarterback in Ball State University history, Nate Davis is ready to become the quarterback of the future for the San Francisco 49ers.
Davis was the second of two former Ball State football players who were selected in the 2009 NFL Draft on Sunday. The 49ers took Davis with the 35th pick of the fifth round, which was 171st overall, after the Dallas Cowboys took offensive lineman Robert Brewster with the 11th pick of the third round, which was the 75th pick overall.
"It's just a great opportunity," Davis said about being drafted by San Francisco during a conference call on Sunday. "I came out there to visit: it's a beautiful place. Great coaches - Coach [Mike] Johnson. There's just some great coaches. It's a dream come true."
San Francisco has not had a quarterback throw for 3,000 yards in a season since Jeff Garcia accomplished the feat in 2002. The 49ers are the only team in the NFL to not have a quarterback throw for at least 3,000 yards since the 2003 season.
Davis threw for 3,446 yards last season and became the first Ball State quarterback to throw for more than 3,000 yards twice in a career. He said during the conference call that he thinks he could be the 49ers' quarterback of the future.
"In my head, yes I do see myself like that," Davis said. "I'm just going out there, I just want to do everything I can to help the team. Even if I've got to be a practice player. All I want to do is just help the team."
Brewster will begin his NFL career where he began his college career. During a conference call, the former Cardinal said the Cowboys asked him about moving from tackle to guard - the position he began his Ball State career at.
An article in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram on Sunday said the Cowboys are looking to groom someone such as Brewster to eventually replace left guard Kyle Kosier, who is in his eighth NFL season.
"When I went on the visit they asked me to play guard and I said 'I feel comfortable with that,'" Brewster said during the conference call. "I played guard my freshman year of college so there's really not a big difference, just my space is cut down a little more."
As the 75th overall pick, Brewster was the second highest Ball State player ever selected in the NFL Draft. The New York Jets took defensive back Shafer Suggs with the 33rd overall pick of the 1976 Draft.
Now that he is a member of the Dallas Cowboys, Brewster said he is ready to prove that he is as good as anybody else. The offensive lineman said he will have to turn it up a notch and get to work.
In the meantime, he said he was enjoying the moment with his seven-month-old son, Jalen, and embracing the dream of being drafted by the Cowboys.
"When I was on the visit, it really sold me then," Brewster said. "I really wanted to be there, knowing the type of program they have, the type of coaching style they have and how the coaches are and how the players are very friendly. So I was just hoping and praying, and sure enough, my dream came true."
While Brewster moved up into the third round, Davis slipped compared to where he was initially projected to be selected. When the quarterback declared for the Draft in January, analysts such as Scout.com NFL Draft analyst Chris Stueber said he could go in the first or second round.
Davis said he thinks his learning disability, which causes problems with his reading and writing, caused him to slide.
"I think it's because I have a learning disability," Davis said during his conference call. "It's really... I really don't think I have a learning disability in football. I've just got to keep on going, keep on working hard and show San Fran what I can do."
San Francisco head coach Mike Singletary said during a conference call that Davis was very open about his learning disability, which he identified as dyslexia. Davis telling the 49ers about his impairment and being so open was important, Singletary said. Now, the team can work with Davis and find a way to help him find a comfortable learning style, he said.
The 49ers are in no hurry to get Davis on the field, Singletary said, as Alex Smith and Shaun Hill will battle for the starting position.
"I've just got to get him in and see how he responds to the playbook, see how he responds to coaching, particularly how he responds to [quarterbacks coach] Mike Johnson," Singletary said. "And then it's just a matter of if Mike goes through the process of, 'Here's the technique, here's what we have to do here. Here's the way your feet have to be.' So it just depends how soon and how quickly will he be able to adapt to that. Then it's just kind of going from there."
Players selectedNate DavisQuarterbackSan Francisco 49ersRound five, pick 35 (171st overall)
- Davis was the seventh quarterback taken in this year's NFL Draft, although the Miami Dolphins drafted West Virginia quarterback Pat White as a wide receiver.
- The San Francisco 49ers are the lone NFL team to not have a quarterback throw for 3,000 yards in a season since 2003.
- Davis is the first quarterback the 49ers drafted since they took Alex Smith with the No. 1 overall pick in 2005.
- Brewster was the second highest Ball State player ever selected in the NFL Draft. The New York Jets took defensive back Shafer Suggs with the 33rd overall pick of the 1976 Draft.
- Brewster was the ninth offensive tackle taken in this year's NFL Draft.
- Brewster said the Dallas Cowboys talked to him about moving to offensive guard.
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