NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Corey Davis still hasn't had his 'Welcome to the NFL' moment.
Chances are it will come on a Sunday, but during the regular season, not training camp.
Still, this Sunday was a start for the talented receiver, taken fifth overall by the Titans in the 2017 NFL Draft.
Davis practiced for the first time in camp after signing his contract with the team. He missed just one day, and did his best to make up for it.
Most agreed he did pretty well.
"He had a good day,'' coach Mike Mularkey said of Davis. "Obviously he has been preparing; I didn't see a lot of mistakes.
"He still has a lot of work to do, like we all do. But obviously it was a good start."
Offensive coordinator Terry Robiskie and several defensive players agreed. It was hard not to on a day when Davis made plays throughout, and looked impressive doing it.
"Corey's doing good, and I thought he looked good,'' Robiskie said. "It looked like he was in shape. He is rarin' to go. He came out here and practiced with a lot of energy, and moved around really well."
Davis wasn't so quick to praise himself following his first camp practice with his new teammates.
Yes, it was a positive step. But the first-round pick knows he's a work in progress.
"I have a long way to go,'' Davis said while standing in front of his locker. "Today was a decent first day. I feel pretty good about. But I'm going to go in the film room, evaluate it, learn from it and get better tomorrow."
Davis came out ready to go.
And after going through individual drills led by receivers coach Frisman Jackson, he got right to business. And so did the Titans, and quarterback Marcus Mariota.
Mariota's first pass in one-on-one drills went right to Davis, who made a move to get open against veteran Logan Ryan before catching the pass.
In team drills, Davis looked smooth running routes, and snatching balls out of the air. Not everything was perfect. At least one ball sailed over his head, and it was unclear whether the ball was off-target, or if something else transpired to quash the connection.
Davis lined up with the first team in team drills, opposite veteran Rishard Matthews. Veteran Eric Decker worked in the slot when the team went three-wide, and receiver Taywan Taylor also got plenty of work, and made plays.
"Right now that is my main goal, to be a starter and to do whatever I can to help this team win games," Davis said. "Whatever coaches need me to do I'm going to do it."
Fans cheered on the rookie's every move on Sunday, and he heard them.
"My job is to play ball," Davis said. "I felt real comfortable out there. I have a lot to learn and a long way to go, but overall it was a good day.
"(The fans) were kind of going crazy the whole day."
On his first day of NFL training camp, it's safe to say Davis showed some of the same skills he showed that led to the Titans picking him.
Davis was a beast in college, catching 97 balls for 1,500 yards and 19 touchdowns last season at Western Michigan. His 5,285 career receiving yards is an FBS record, and he ranks second in NCAA history in career receiving touchdowns with 52.
The 6-foot-3, 209-pound Davis, after being limited at the start of offseason workouts as he recovered from an ankle injury, saw his workload increase throughout the offseason. When the team turned him loose in the team's minicamp, he looked good.
And that continued on Sunday. Now, Davis has to keep it going.
Robiskie, for one, thinks the Titans could have a special player in Davis. Things get turned up another notch on Monday, when the team practices in pads for the first time.
"We haven't had that first snap yet (in a game)," Robiskie said. "We are hoping he is (a game-changer for us). We picked him with that thought in mind. He's a guy we feel can kind of change the game for us. But it's early. He has to work hard and keep getting better."
Titans players take the field for Day 2 of the team's 2017 training camp at Saint Thomas Sports Park. (Photos: Donn Jones Photography, Gary Glenn)
