Around the NFL

Vontae Davis a lockdown CB, Colts' Freeman says

Published: Jun 02, 2015 at 08:00 AM

Chris Wesseling

Around The NFL Podcast Co-Host

Two-time Pro Bowl tight end Vernon Davis is no longer the best player in his immediate family.

Vernon might have the name, but little brother Vontae Davis had the game in 2014, turning in the best season by an Indianapolis Colts defensive back since bone-jarring safety Bob Sanders earned Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2007.

Davis gained overdue respect as one of the NFL's premier shutdown corners last season, becoming the first Colts cornerback in nearly 50 years to earn a Pro Bowl nod.

"Just know that his part of the field is locked down," inside linebacker Jerrell Freeman said, via the team's official website. "He's one of those top corners that is going to take the challenge and we trust he's going to do this job each and every time he goes out there."

There's not a hint of hyperbole in Freeman's statement.

Davis hasn't allowed a touchdown in coverage since Week 13 of the 2013 season.

Pro Football Focus, an analytics site which grades every play of every NFL game, recently ranked Davis No. 6 on their list of the top 101 players of 2014.

Davis limited opposing quarterbacks to a 38.8 passer rating in 2014, per Pro Football Focus. For comparison purposes, quarterbacks posted figures of 48.4 and 72.6, respectively, versus first-team All Pros Richard Sherman and Darrelle Revis.

Former Colts backup quarterback Jim Sorgi recently did a film study of Davis, highlighting the cornerback's physicality, aggressiveness, instincts and positioning against the likes of Demaryius Thomas, Steve Smith and even Rob Gronkowski.

Difference makers of that caliber are rarely available via trade. Davis ended up being shipped to Indianapolis because the Dolphins questioned his consistency, maturity and awareness back in the summer of 2012.

To Davis' credit, he turned in his best season after landing the security of a four-year, $36 million contract in March of 2014.

"Buying into the system, taking care of his body off the field," teammate Greg Toler explained, "doing all the little things -- it's showing on the field."

Davis has improved every year he has been under the tutelage of Chuck Pagano and Greg Manusky in Indianpolis. Now it's on the Colts to surround him with similarly talented defensive stars while the Super Bowl window remains wide open.

The latest Around The NFL Podcast discusses the latest news including Cam Newton's massive contract extension and the return of Adrian Peterson. Find more Around The NFL content on NFL NOW.

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