MockingTheDraft:


6'1, 218 pounds | Ball State | Quarterback

Strengths: Watching him play, the first thing that is really noticeable about Davis is his arm. He puts a great touch on passes and typically places them only where his receiver can catch them. Can make a lot of difficult mid-range NFL throws like the corner out. Very good accuracy. Very poised in the pocket. Doesn't dance around when the pressure is on. Has a high release to make up some for his shorter-than-ideal stature. Possesses the athleticism to tuck the ball and run, even though he doesn't have great speed.

Weaknesses: The biggest knock on Davis is that he has played in the spread offense his whole career and may be slow to adjust reading NFL defenses. Only took snaps from under on occasion. Height is a major concern. Davis would sometimes have trouble seeing over the left side of his line at Ball State. Played in the Mid-American Conference which doesn't have a lot of quality defensive backs. Had a good bit of talent around him with tight end Darius Hill and receiver Dante Love, before he was hurt. Struggled down the stretch of his junior year.

Final word: Many believed Davis would stick around for his senior year and become one of the top quarterbacks in the nation, but he decided to enter the draft. This came after former Ball State head coach Brady Hoke took the same job at San Diego State. Davis would have also been without Hill and Love, so it would have been difficult for him to improve on his impressive stats. Although his draft position may not necessarily reflect it, Davis has the tools to become a starter at the next level. He has the arm and maturity in the pocket, it will just be a matter of learning an NFL system and consistently taking snaps from under center. Fairly comparable to Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints.

Round projection: 2



CBS Sports:

04/23/2009 - When the Ball State quarterback declared for the draft most scouts projected he would be picked in the second or third round. But only one team, the Indianapolis Colts, showed up for his pro day workout. That's when Nate realized something was definitely wrong. "I got to go out there and do beyond better. So I went out there. Just take it as motivation and listen, there's only one team here I got to make sure these guys fall in love with me," Davis said. A month ago, NFL teams found out Davis has a learning disability. His draft stock hit rock bottom that same week. He was told some teams would not consider drafting him at all because they were concerned how long it would take for him to learn their system. "Okay, I do have a learning disability that's a disability in school. But in football there's no disability at all. I'm a very visual learner. You give me all the plays up on the board and the book that shows the plays. Go through a walk through. I can pick it up as fast as anyone else. Now you give me a book to read it might take you two hours, it's going to take me four," he said. He doesn't mind that teams are aware of his learning disability. He says he has nothing to hide. "Don't be shy about it. That's one thing they know. When I was younger. I was shy about it. Don't be shy about it. Listen, put it in a positive instead of a negative. God gave me a better, not a better, but a different style of learning. That's how I take it," he said. For those who believe his learning disability will prevent him from being successful in the league, Nate would love to teach them a lesson. - Henry Wofford, WTHR News

04/15/2009 - There are serious doubts among scouts that the total will ever equal the sum of the parts when it comes to Davis' physical ability. He is a nifty, athletic quarterback who has a nice over-the-top delivery that launches excellent catch-and-run type passes. However, he has an unusual grip that does not use the laces. More red flags are raised by the fact that he played in a college spread offense, and there are concerns over his ability to grasp the complexities of a pro playbook. After a mediocre workout and concern about his interviews among talent evaluators at the combine, Davis hoped to rehabilitate his draft stature at his pro day. But he heard the message all too clearly when the Indianapolis Colts were the only team to send a scout to the workout. "I was very disappointed, but you only need one team to fall in love with you," Davis told The (Muncie, Ind.) Star Press. Davis set a school career record with 9,233 yards passing (completing 682 of 1,124 passes, a 60.7% clip). Last season, he was named MAC offensive player of the year after completing 258 of 401 passes (64.3%) for 3,591 yards and 26 TDs. However, with Ball State facing an undefeated season, the team and Davis unraveled during the final two games and ended the campaign with disappointing performances in the MAC title game and the GMAC Bowl. - Frank Cooney, The Sports Xchange, NFL Draft Scout