Charles Davis Press Conferences

CHARLES DAVIS
Tight End
Purdue University Boilermakers
5th Round – 167th Overall

Are you happy about coming here?  This isn't exactly a team that is known for throwing to the tight end a lot, but they started to do it more last year when they got Heath Miller.

I am excited for a new situation.  Just to be able to move on to the next level is a great accomplishment in itself and to be part of a winning program, I am really excited. 

When you went to Purdue, were you recruited as much as a basketball player as a football player?

Coming out of high school, I was a pretty big recruit in some of the lower schools like the MAC schools in terms of bigger schools to play basketball, no.  So I just went with football because it felt like it was my best bet.

Did Gene Keady ever talk about the day he was drafted by the Steelers?

No, he never told me about that.  Actually, now that I think about it, he might have. 

How do you see yourself fitting in here?  Are you more of a blocking type right now?  Are you more of a pass catching type?  How would you describe yourself as a tight end?

I will do whatever they need, I guess that is the only way I can describe it.  I am humble, I am hungry and I am ready to go.  I will play special teams if they need it.  I will block, I will catch, I will run, I will wash dishes, it doesn't matter.

Are you at all concerned of the numbers game here?  They played most of the year last year with just two guys to begin with.  Was that anything they talked to you about? 

The only time I talked to them was right before they picked me.  They said they needed a little depth at the position.  I am glad to come in there and help all that I can.

Do you read any of the books that are put out that talk about the draft?

Not really.

If one of the books says you are not a tough guy, how would you answer that?

Everybody is entitled to their own opinion.  When I get in there and play, I guess you can see the offense that we played and it was more of a finesse style.  So you really didn't get to see what I was capable of in terms of a physical nature.  When I get in there, I am going to prove I can play just like everybody else.

 
I read the Champagne Newspaper and they said you won an award for being a tough guy.  Which is it?

I will show you when I get there.  Everybody is entitled to their own opinion.  One guy views me as one way, and another guy says this, I don't worry about it.  I just go out there and play the best of my ability.

When you were at Purdue, did you find yourself being used the same way they used to use (Tim) Stratton when he was there?

Not as much because we kind of switched to a different style.  We went to more of a spread option type offense as opposed to being back there and having the quarterback throw the ball 50 times a game.  We went to more of getting the quarterback and our running back out on the perimeter in the option game. 

Why didn't you play basketball last year?

I was playing with them in the summer and I wasn't even really thinking of playing for them until one of the point guards went to Coach Keady and suggested that I come out.  He watched me in the summer and offered me a spot.

How many years did you play?

That was just the one year.  I didn't play this year because I graduated. 

What degree did you graduate with?

I have a degree in organizational communications.  It is human resources-type work.

When did you graduate?

I graduated last December.

James Daniels
RE: Charles Davis
Tight End – Purdue University
5th Round – 167th Overall

Is he more of a wide receiver than a blocker?

He has really made some play big plays as a receiver but he has had some blocking experience too and we think he has some potential as a blocker too.

Is he pretty big kid?

He is a big body guy. He's 6'5" and I think when you look at the picture from the combine he has lifted weights and he has built up a nice frame. He is a talent. He is something that you can work with and hopefully he'll be a good player.

Is he an experiment like Matt Kranchick was?

No, he is not an experiment. This guy has played tight end for Purdue. The thing that they do in there offense were they didn't have the tight end in the box as much as some of the people do. When we got Matt we knew that he was in the tight end position as a wide receiver. But this kid has played tight end on the line. We went back a year ago and looked at film were he blocked on the kid from Ohio State that got drafted and came into the league. So he has played tight end out in space but he also has played tight end in tight so I wouldn't say that he is an experiment because he has actually lined up and played the position.

Was it tough only having two tight ends last year?

We felt like we had three last year because we were preparing three guys every week. Matt was up some and he was on the practice squad some but even the week where Jerame (Tuman) got hurt late in the week then we were able to make the roster move and get him up for the ball game. I showed as two tight ends but as long as you are preparing three tight ends with the game play then you have three guys. Naturally it would be better if you have three guys on the active roster that you prepare each week but you have to make some sacrifices for the team. I'm sure that we'll be getting three guys ready to play again this year in some form or another.

Why didn't he play basketball last year?

I think he was just concentrating on football. He might have been working on school because I know we just talked to him and he said that he had already graduated and he is ready to come as soon as he possibly can. He play for Coach Keady and then they changed coaches so that might have had something to do with it too but I didn't talk to the kid about it.

Will he be able to adjust to Coach Cowher having played for Gene Keady?

I think that he will be able to handle the environment. We expect a lot out of the kid. He seems like a good kid.

Were you expecting to get a tight end?

We were hoping to get one but you are right the position was probably as deep as it has been in the last few years for tight ends. We were hoping that we would be able to get one and we are excited to get him.

Did you plan on getting this or did you have to play the board?

We went down the board because there were a lot of guys. There were a lot more guys gone earlier probably then there have been in the last couple of years. I didn't think we were going to take one early but we saw him. We have study him. We had highlight tapes of him. We looked at him. We had researched him. We liked the guy and we think that he will be a good addition for our football team.