Phillip Lindsay knew what it meant to ask for Terrell Davis' No. 30 jersey. The undrafted rookie running back then spent the first two weeks of the season impressing the Hall of Fame running back.
Lindsay became the first undrafted free agent in NFL history with 100-plus scrimmage yards in each of his first two games, taking the lead in the Denver Broncos backfield.
In an interview with Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic, Davis heaped high-level expectations on the rookie running back.
"The first two weeks have been as advertised. He's been really good," Davis said of Lindsay. "What's cool about it is you know he's going to get better. And he's already showing you that he's not afraid of the spotlight, he's not afraid of being in that position and that's half the battle. You have to believe that you belong. He certainly believes that he can make plays, he has very nice hands, he can catch the ball, he can line up as a wide receiver, he can play on special teams, he's an offensive weapon, and I'm excited about the growth.
"I'm excited about watching his journey and seeing how this thing all plays out. I already envision in my mind there will be a day where it's probably six, seven, eight years from now that I'm meeting him on the field because the torch is being passed because he's breaking my rushing yards record."
T.D. owns the Denver Broncos franchise rushing record with 7,607 yards in just 78 games. The workhorse of the Broncos' back-to-back Super Bowls sits 55th all time after an injury-shortened career.
Lindsay has a long way to go to replicate Davis' path to the Hall of Fame, but the former Broncos back sees certain traits that make him believe the undrafted back can become one of the league's best.
"And the one thing that cannot be taught as a running back is you can't teach them instincts," Davis said. "You can't teach a person to be able to run the ball. You can tell them landmarks -- 'This is where you're supposed to run, this is where you're not supposed to run.' But you pretty much let them go. You say, "Hey, the play is designed to go here, but if it's not there you have to make something happen.' So far, what I've seen, and it's been consistent, is (Lindsay) has the ability. He's very instinctual, which you love that. He's a football player. He plays bigger than his size, which is always a great trait for a back, when you run hard and you run like you're 6 feet, 220 pounds and you're only 5-7."
Through two weeks, Lindsay has been the most entertaining running back to watch in the NFL. The rookie blasts through arm tackles like they are pebbles on the road, never going down on first contact. He never seems to pick the wrong hole, and owns a third and fourth gear in space that would make a Camaro jealous.
The hardest thing for running backs ignored through the draft process is to break through and garner attention of scouts, coaches, and fans. Lindsay has not only broken through, he's accomplished acclaim quickly.
Now the Colorado native must continue to prove the high expectations correct.
