Former N.C. State cornerback A.J. Davis is in Mobile, Ala. this week preparing for Saturday’s “Senior Bowl,” an exhibition game for NFL prospects to showcase their talents to scouts and coaches. He spoke with Technician yesterday about his experiences thus far, as well as N.C. State’s new and former football coaches.

Technician: How is it going down there in Mobile?

A.J. Davis: The NFL is a lot different than in college. There’s some different terminology and plays. It’s just more complex. But the coverages are all coverages we played at N.C. State. Some of the techniques I learned at N.C. State are different than the techniques I’m learning here.

Technician: Are you enrolled in school this semester or did you take it off to focus on preparing for the draft?

Davis: I’m taking a couple classes with Distance Education [still through N.C. State].

Technician: What has been your workout regiment in preparation for the draft?

Davis: I’ve been working down in Orlando, Fla. working out with Coach Tom Shaw, and Deon Sanders and Tyrell Buckley. We’re just getting footwork right and learning how to be a professional athlete. I’ve learned a lot from them. They teach you a lot of stuff on and off the field as far as the NFL goes.

Technician: What teams are showing the most interest in you right now?

Davis: I’ve talked with the Panthers a couple of times. I’ve actually met with the entire staff of the Panthers, including the general manager. I’ve talked with the Falcons a couple of times, and they’ve shown a lot of interest. I’ve met with the Chargers. I’ve met with about 15 teams — I’ve sat down and had conversations with about 15 teams.

Technician: The teams you mention have some pretty good corners on their teams already, so how are these teams telling you that you’ll fit into their plans?

Davis: Well, most rookie corners that get drafted, they are looking at you to come in and play nickel [the third defensive back]. They want you to play special teams. They aren’t looking for a starter from the first day. They want you to work your way up.

Technician: Do you feel more comfortable in the slot?

Davis: I’ve played a lot in the slot before, but you know what, corner is corner. Whether you’re out on your own or whatever, corner is corner.

Technician: If you could play for any team, who would it be?

Davis: That’s a hard question. You know, I’d have to say the Panthers because I’m from North Carolina, but I’ll play for anyone.

Technician: Is the NFL draft too much about measurables? Like how tall you are and how fast you are?

Davis: No, not necessarily. What I’m seeing now is that teams want to know if you can pick up a playbook and make sense of it. They look at what you’ve done in college. I haven’t gotten far enough in the process to know for sure yet, though.

Technician: Your game has always been about your speed, so if you had to guess, what would your 40 time be right now?

Davis: I would say it’s around a 4.4.

Technician: With NFL players making the news for getting in the trouble off the field lately, what are teams telling you and asking you about character issues?

Davis: Character is a big thing. We had a couple guys come in from the NFL office to talk about what they look for in guys. A lot of teams are asking you about your background, like if anyone’s been arrested or anything. They definitely want to know about that sort of thing. And it’s definitely important.

Technician: With you having a son, how much do you think about him when you’re going through all this?

Davis: Oh yea, he’s my motivation with this. He’s my little boy. That’s one of the things that I’m always thinking about. This isn’t college anymore. I mean, you still play for fun, don’t get me wrong, but this is for a job. This is your job. Nothing is given to you anymore. I’m always thinking about how I’ve got a lot to lose if I mess it up.

Technician: What were your thoughts about coach Amato leaving the way he did?

Davis: It’s hard to see someone lose his job, but, it’s like he said, the program is going in a new direction, and hopefully it’s a positive direction.

Technician: So then, what do you think about Tom O’Brien?

Davis: I haven’t gotten a chance to meet him, so I don’t really know. But from what I saw at Boston College, I’m sure he’s going to bring a lot of integrity, and I’m sure he’s going to have those guys ready to play.