Character issues may have caused him to drop in the draft, but  according to David J. Neal (Miami Herald), there’s more than meets the eye with the Dolphins first draft pick, CB Vontae Davis.

Vontae is the younger brother of 49ers TE Vernon Davis (a former first round pick himself), yet he hasn’t exactly grown up in the lap of luxury, as his grandmother refused to allow the elder Davis to buy the rest of his siblings all the toys one would normally expect to receive when a family hits the jackpot. Humility is not a trait normally associated with premier cover corners in the NFL, but Davis seems to have his fair share of it, despite referring to himself in third person after the draft.

That being said, Davis had his share of difficulties during his time at Illinois, prompting many to dump his draft stock, despite his religious upbringing and solid work ethic off the field. To his credit, Davis has taken all of it in stride, and is happy to be a part of the Miami organization, giving thanks to Bill Parcells for taking him in the first round.

His former head coach, Ron Zook, will be the first to say that the scouts who downgraded Davis, missed the boat:

“[The Dolphins] get a quality kid. They can get with him and teach him how to be a pro. He will do whatever he’s asked to do.”

Being the younger brother of a NFL superstar can make life tough for anyone, as they’ll always be playing in their older sibling’s shadow. But Davis seems to have moved past that a long time ago, and should become a consumate pro in his own right with Miami, despite all the pressure that surrounds him as a first round pick.

Read more about Davis and his family at the Miami Herald online.

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