NFL Media's Oklahoma Drill series presents exclusive, quick-hitting one-on-one interviews with players and coaches from around the league. No nonsense -- just football experiences directly from the source.
Davis Webb
Quarterback, Cal
Born: Jan. 22, 1995
Experience: Draft prospect
Interview by Brooke Cersosimo | March 10, 2017
It started in high school. My dad is a high school football coach, and I was at Keller High School my first three years. He got a new job prior to my senior year at Prosper High School, and I was voted captain that season.
It was a similar transition at Texas Tech -- started the first couple of years, got banged up and didn't really compete my third year. Patrick Mahomes played really well, so I had to leave.
I went to Cal in June and was voted captain eight weeks later, so it's very similar situations.
It's one reason why I chose Cal, because there's been six quarterbacks, I think, drafted in the first round. There's so many great players who've played there, so it's just, be that next guy. Berkeley has definitely spit out some good NFL quarterbacks.
I honestly didn't get asked any [weird questions at the NFL Scouting Combine]. What the teams asked was all football-related, mostly because this was my second interview with teams [that I talked to] at the Senior Bowl. I really got to know some teams on a more personal level, and now they're coming back for workouts, so we'll continue to build those relationships as the draft gets closer.
I probably have 10 or 12 [club visits and/or workouts] set up.
My biggest takeaway [from the combine] was my interviews. Every single time I walked out of my interview, they said that I was the best quarterback they interviewed. GMs and coaches were very impressed with my football IQ, family background, the kind of person I am, being voted captain at two different schools, and obviously, the film doesn't lie.
I'm not working for the pro day or draft -- I'm working for one year, two years, five years from now to be a much better quarterback.
[At Cal's pro day,] I just need to continue to be accurate and show that I can take a snap from under center. I want to show that I can play in an NFL system and it's not a knock against me that I played in an air raid offense. I was just asked to do that. I have the capability to learn any offense. All I need to do is be given the information. I'm a cerebral guy and that plays into my favor.
Every year, I really try to watch the top five NFL offenses and steal concepts and try to gain knowledge about different footwork. But the one guy who's been my favorite since I was a little kid was Tom Brady, and I try to model my game after him. It's his off-the-field things and the way he battled at Michigan. ... He got his opportunity and made the most of it.
[If I could play catch with any player from NFL history,] I'd go with Steve Largent. My football coach talks about him, and I've seen his "A Football Life" on NFL Network. I've heard he's a great guy and one of the best receivers to ever play the game.
It's an exciting time. You have to be yourself, and teams are going to fall in love with you. You have to wait until draft night and then prove those people right. That's my biggest goal -- not to prove the people wrong who didn't draft me, but to prove those people right who stuck their head out and took a chance on me. I want to prove them right every day.
My work ethic and competitive drive [sets me apart from other QBs in this class]. Where I'm at right now, I'm pretty dang good. But in a couple years down the road or 10 years, I'm going to be a lot better than some other guys because of my work ethic and how important this game is to me. Some people draft people based on college stuff, and they don't think five years down the road. I think in five years I'll be way better than I am right now, and in 10 years, I'll far surpass that. My potential is through the roof, and I'll get there because of my work ethic.
My favorite sport to watch is hockey. Mike Modano. If he'd ever walk into the room, I would be starstruck. He's unbelievable. He changed Dallas. Hockey came from Minnesota to Dallas back then, and now there's 20 ice rinks in Dallas.
I'll be back home in Dallas with my family [for the draft]. I want to be around both my teammates from college -- they're flying in from Cal or Texas Tech -- and some of my high school teammates. The coolest part is, my dad's former staffs from when I was a ball boy will be there. They're the guys who taught me how to snap a ball, or when I was a bat boy when my dad was coaching baseball. We'll be in the Metroplex, so it'll be a pretty cool atmosphere.
My favorite player to watch on film [from this draft class] is Takk McKinley from UCLA. He has a high motor and gets after the quarterback.
The best DB I've ever played would probably be Jason Verrett or Sidney Jones. Verrett at TCU was unbelievable. I played him my freshman year and he locked us down pretty good. Playing Sidney Jones this year, he was the best corner -- by far -- I played this year. (Editor's note: The day after this interview took place, Jones suffered a freak injury at the Washington pro day, tearing his Achilles.)
I keep my goals private because they're mine, and I don't want people getting involved with that. But I have plenty, and I want to make the most of my opportunities.
