Running back Anthony Davis is yet another reminder of the thin line between a 7th-round pick and an undrafted free agent. While a few of the Colts' undrafted free agents are returning for another shot at the roster in 2006, Davis has signed a one-year contract to play for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the CFL.
The Colts 7th-round pick in the 2005 draft out of Wisconsin, Davis was one of the odd stories of the year for the Colts. After Indianapolis selected him, Colts president Bill Polian compared Davis' abilities as a player to another running back he had drafted -- Buffalo's Thurman Thomas.
"He fits our style perfectly in terms of what we want our running back to do: catch the ball, get on the corner on the stretch play, hit the stretch play and go 100 miles an hour and run through tackles," Polian said at the time.
And he had good reason to be excited. Davis was the fifth leading rusher in Big Ten conference history and second best in Wisconsin history.
Davis obviously believed his press clippings and Polian's comments, joining 2nd-round pick Kelvin Hayden as one of the last two draft picks to sign just before training camp opened. And while the ability was certainly there, the results never came.
After a lackluster training camp and four barely noticeable preseason game appearances, Davis was released in the first round of roster cuts at the end of August. He then spent a few weeks on the practice squad in the first half of the season, but it now appears his association with the Colts has ended.
Davis is expected to compete for the starter's in Hamilton for the Tiger-Cats.
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