Clemson junior back's future part of present
When Clemson junior tailback James Davis arrived in coach Tommy Bowden's office Sunday for a scheduled personal meeting, James Davis surmised the subject of his season goals had a broader meaning.
Indeed, Bowden had wanted to go through his recommended procedures if, as assumed, James Davis would seek to gauge his NFL draft stock at the end of the upcoming season.
Bowden laid out the calendar for when James Davis would fill out paperwork seeking his projected draft round, then asked James Davis for the courtesy of having the chance to discuss the matter both before and after an expected bowl game.
James Davis appreciated Bowden's proactive approach and admittedly was influenced by learning how much money defensive end Gaines Adams recently pocketed ($18.65 million guaranteed) by staying for his senior year.
"But I told him, 'Coach, if I don't get a first-round grade back, we aren't going to have this discussion,'" James Davis said.
Maybe not, but the speculation about whether James Davis will forgo his final year of eligibility will invariably dog him until he makes that call in January when the matter has teeth.
Sometimes James Davis (5-foot-11, 205 pounds) says he will have to be a top-10 pick to turn pro early; other times it's merely the first round.
No one around the program questions James Davis' sincerity about returning, yet plenty of college stars have expressed similar intentions, only to have their dorm room cleaned out before changing their tune.
The Atlanta native can relate to the apparent conflicting emotions. James Davis genuinely sounds excited about the chance to become his family's first college graduate. In the same breath, he transitions to the appeal of financially supporting his mother and daughter as soon as possible.
Perhaps most significant, James Davis said he realizes that for any running back who has the upper reaches of the NFL draft as his line in the sand, next April could be the pits.
Supply could exceed demand.
This year's tailback class figures to be one of the deepest in years, especially if the other high-profile juniors declare early entry.
The mother of Arkansas' Darren McFadden has already announced he will go pro. West Virginia's Steve Slaton, Oregon's Jonathan Stewart, Wisconsin's P.J. Hill, Virginia Tech's Branden Ore and Arkansas' Felix Jones appear logical candidates to follow suit.
That is on top of a group of seniors headlined by Oklahoma's Allen Patrick (a Conway native), Michigan's Mike Hart and Georgia Tech's Tashard Choice.
Since 2001, 19 running backs have been first-round picks an average of 2.7 per year. Only once (2006) have as many as four been taken in the opening round.
"It's going to be tough," James Davis said. "I know there is a lot of competition and a lot of underclassmen looking forward to leaving.
"But it's all how you look at it. I've been thinking about it a lot, and I'm almost for sure I'm going to stay. Then I can play another year with C.J. [Spiller] and I can be one of the top backs my senior year."
While the camp party line has touted Spiller being utilized as a receiver a la Reggie Bush, there is sentiment the more pronounced difference in Clemson's offense will be how James Davis factors into the passing game, therefore allowing the Tigers to use both players in the same lineup and avoid predictability.
But the talk of the NFL will have to wait for now.
"Right now, I want to put this team on my back," James Davis said. "This has to be the year for us to go to the championship.
"Everybody has made a lot of excuses about everything else, but Wake Forest went. This has to be the team. This team is in the right place to go. We've got all the tools."
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