Raiders’ Derek Carr and Davante Adams were ‘like brothers from day one’ at Fresno State
Derek Carr and Davante Adams found an instant connection at Fresno State.
First series of their first game together, the dynamic duo capped the drive with a touchdown connection of 27 yards en route to a 37-10 victory over Weber State In the 2012 opener.
Many big plays and school records later, they were both selected in the 2014 NFL draft.
And none of it really surprised their fellow Bulldogs, who saw the relationship develop from offseason workouts into fall camp and right on through their two years on the field together at Fresno State.
“It was special,” running back Robbie Rouse said. “You know Derek was special and of course when ‘Tae’ stepped on campus, even though he did redshirt, he didn’t hesitate at all (to work out with Carr). He was special, as well. ...
“To see it all come full circle and to see it together is awesome.”
The premiere episode of the sequel, and a chance to show just how strong that connection remains, comes Sunday when the Raiders play the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium on NFL opening weekend. Kickoff is set for 1:25 p.m.
The Raiders acquired Adams via trade from the Green Bay Packers in March and the next month Carr signed a three-year extension.
Neither saw action in the preseason, so Sunday will mark their first time playing together as teammates since the end of the 2013 college football season.
Watching in Fresno will be former Fresno State coach Pat Hill, who recruited Carr and Adams. Hill remembers not only the instant chemistry that Carr had with Adams, but also how the quarterback clicked with other teammates such as Isaiah Burse, Josh Harper, Jalen Saunders and Marcel Jensen, who all went on to play in the NFL.
“Davante has become one of the best ever,” said Hill, who first noticed Adams as a basketball player. “He’s a special guy at that size (6-foot-1, 215 pounds). He can jump, he’s physical and has a great work ethic. Him and Derek are very close. Group of guys came on as freshmen and sophomores that was a great nucleus for a real good run.”
Former Bulldogs cornerback Jamal Ellis said, “it all started with Carr’s energy.”
“The way he approached everything. All of us really bought in. We bought into what Derek ... whatever he was preaching to us at the time was like work hard, focus.
“We had the ‘Tae-and-Carr connection already and we had Josh Harper, Isaiah Burse. We had a well-working machine. Our defense was rolling, but automatically you see the connection with Derek and Davante.”
Carr and Adams ‘shared a mentality,’ Loeffler says
Bulldogs radio voice Paul Loeffler called all of the games in which Carr and Adams starred for those two years.
It was a lot of, “Touchdown, Fresno State,” as Loeffler described their multiple trips to the end zone.
Adams finished with 233 receptions for 3,301 yards and 38 touchdowns in two seasons. In his final year at Fresno State, the wideout had 1,719 receiving yards and 24 touchdowns.
“They did have an unbelievable connection, but they also shared a mentality,” Loeffler said. “That’s why they were like brothers from day one because they were both really driven to be great, and just being around each other just fueled that fire even more and you can see Derek’s work ethic influence Davante and vice versa.
“They weren’t just good on the field together; they were such tight friends off the field. I’ll never forget that press conference where we had Davante up there and somebody asked him what it’s like playing with Derek and he said it was like playing with Jesus. I never heard anyone say that about anybody in a news conference. They’re wired so similarly.”
Former teammate has a prediction
Former Bulldogs linebacker Ejiro Ederaine said he was “shocked” when he heard the Raiders were able to trade for Adams, but figured at some point, “they were going to link up.”
He has a prediction of what’s to come for the Raiders: NFL linebackers and secondaries better get ready for what he saw on the practice field.
“That combination, those two share a special bond,” he said. “Those two are going to light it up. Those guys have a really special connection. They were hell at practice. It was tough to guard ‘Tae,’ especially with Derek throwing the ball. Just imagine what they are going to do at Allegiant Stadium,” the Raiders’ home.
Former Bulldogs running back Josh Quezada said Carr and Adams have “a high IQ for the game.”
“It’s going to be second nature for the both of them, just being back together,” he said. “Imagine how dangerous these guys are going to be coming back because Davante is in his prime, still trying to reach his peak and I feel like he’s only reaching for his potential.
“Imagine that and Derek Carr having him as his receiver, man, it’s exciting. I know a lot of Fresno fans and everybody is excited to see the future to come.”
Former Fresno State publicist Jason Clay arrived in the school’s PR department when Carr and Adams first got to Fresno State. He remembers how those Fresno State teams “were stacked with amazing receivers,” even while Adams sat out as a redshirt.
And then came Derek to Davante.
“They go up to the line of scrimmage and take a look at the defense and see how they were lined up and you would see Derek and Davante make eye contact and next thing you know they’re throwing a long bomb to Davante who beat the defense,” he said.
“You have to be excited for their history and how it translates on Sundays coming this fall.”
Like ‘Shaq and Kobe in Vegas’
Ellis said it’s “going to be something special,” comparing the duo to the former L.A. Lakers tandem of Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant.
“That relationship, to me ... I’ll put it in simple terms: ‘Tae’ and Derek are going to be like a modern-day Shaq and Kobe,” Ellis said. “Like you have, Derek right here, a fearless leader, great quarterback, great mentality and then you have ‘Tae’ who is explosive, fast and can beat any DB in the league.
“Raider Nation, get your popcorn ready because it’s Shaq and Kobe in Vegas.”
