A Palo Alto High School alumnus will be taking his talents to the National Football League after being drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the second round of this year’s NFL draft Friday at New York City’s Radio City Music Hall.
Davante Adams, a Class of 2011 alumnus and former standout wide receiver for the Vikings, was selected by the Green Bay Packers with the 53rd overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft.
Members of the Paly community, including Paly teacher Erik Olah and senior Justin Rittman, said they felt excited over Adams’ achievements.
“I was very happy for him,” Olah said. “It was nice to see the footage of his reaction on the Draft broadcast and see how excited he was to fulfill his dream of making the NFL.”
Rittman, who was a former teammate of Adams, echoed Olah’s sentiments.
“I was really proud to see his dreams come true,” Rittman said. “Being his teammate, I really saw his tremendous work ethic, and I’m happy for him.”
Olah, who was both a former teacher and assistant basketball coach of Adams, also expressed optimism for Adams’ future and believes Adams’ athleticism combined with his relentless drive will help him succeed in the pros.
“In basketball, he was a crazy good athlete, easily the best all-around athlete I’ve ever seen at Paly,” Olah said. “Not only was he incredibly gifted, [but] he was also a hard worker. I think that’s why he’s made it to the NFL: he has that rare combination of being a tremendous athlete and somebody that was willing to work on the skills that made him a better player.”
With the Green Bay Packers, Adams will be catching passes from former Super Bowl MVP Aaron Rodgers. Both Adams and Rodgers tweeted (below) about their excitement over the draft selection.
#PackNation baby
— Davante Adams (@tae15adams) May 10, 2014
Love it.
— Aaron Rodgers (@AaronRodgers12) May 10, 2014
Adams, who was most recently a wide receiver for the Fresno State University Bulldogs, led the NCAA in both receptions and touchdown catches as he hauled in 131 receptions for 1,718 yards and 24 touchdowns this past season as a redshirt sophomore, according to the Bulldogs’ official team site.
The newest Green Bay Packer was also a vital part of the undefeated state champion Paly football team in 2010-11. As a senior, Adams collected 1,578 total receiving yards and 18 receiving touchdowns on 92 receptions and was also named the All-SCVAL De Anza Division Most Valuable Offensive Player, according to Maxpreps.com.