Traveling on the New Jersey Turnpike on their way to Madison Square Garden for the 1991 NFL draft was probably an exciting time for owner Norman Braman, vice president Harry Gamble, first-year head coach Rich Kotite and all those associated with the Philadelphia Eagles organization.

Coming off their third consecutive playoff appearance, it seemed the Birds' had almost all of the ingredients in place to make a legitimate run at the Vince Lombardi trophy.

For instance, they had an electrifying quarterback in Randall Cunningham, a dominating defense, and a trio of talented pass catching threats in youngsters Keith Jackson, Calvin Williams, and Fred Barnett.

But like all teams, they wanted to add a promising talent into the mix so they traded up in the draft to select right tackle Antone Davis with the eighth overall selection.

OT Antone Davis

Davis was a player who earned collegiate All-America status following his senior year in 1990, and was awarded the Jacobs Trophy as the SEC's top blocker out of the University of Tennessee that same year.

"I got off the plane and I couldn't believe all the media waiting for me at the airport," Davis recalled. "There were 6 to 7 television cameras. I was like Wow! Compared to what I faced at Tennessee, where we had just one Media Day in a little room, where you just sat patiently for a reporter.

"But I was excited to go to Philly, trying to envision what snow was like and getting a chance to play with Reggie White was pretty cool."

The 6-5, 320-pound Davis played with the Eagles from 1991 to 1995. He started in his rookie year.

During his time in Philadelphia, Davis helped pave the way for 1,000-yard rushers Herschel Walker (1992) and Ricky Watters (1995) and likewise helped the Eagles make the playoffs in both those years respectively.

"It was a pleasure to block for both those guys because they ran so hard and played with so much heart," Davis said. "Plus, run blocking was a definite strength to my game.

"However, I really liked Charlie Garner because he hit the whole the quickest."

Davis' lone regret is that he did not have a mentor, a veteran presence.

"Maybe it's me just being naive, but I wish I had a year to just grow and learn. I wish I had a mentor," Davis said. "However, I wouldn't trade my experiences in Philadelphia for anything in the world."

His chief responsibility was protecting Cunningham, who was dubbed "The Ultimate Weapon" on a Sports Illustrated NFL preview issue back on Sept. 11, 1989 because of his strong arm, scrambling ability, and the reckless abandon for which he used to play the position.

One would think it would be very tough to block for a quarterback that was so unpredictable in the pocket. However, Davis paints a different picture of his quarterback.

"That is one of the biggest misconceptions about protecting Randall. He was what Daunte Culpepper and Mike Vick are today," Davis said. "Actually, when he would scramble it would be a dream for an offensive lineman, because it would force the defensive linemen to chase him and get tired in the process, which would help us late in the game. So we loved when Randall left the pocket because he gave us a dimension other teams couldn't match."

Yet despite being a five-year starter along the Birds' offensive front, some fans and media members felt that Davis never lived up to his first-round billing. Davis explained why he faced some tough moments as an Eagle:

"I gave 110 percent all the time on every play," Davis said. "However, one of the things that may have hurt my progression is that I went through three different offensive line coaches in my five years in Philadelphia. They all had different philosophies.

"One year a coach is teaching us the block step, and the following year we're getting taught the lead step. And if you look around the league at all the great offensive lines today, they all have a coach who has been there for a few years. The continuity between an offensive line and its coach is extremely vital.

OT Antone Davis

"Look no further then the present-day Eagles who have had Juan Castillo since the 1998 season. His group has developed a chemistry which enables them to have success."

And in terms of rough seasons, Davis has a tough time explaining the bizarre 1994 campaign when the Eagles started out 7-2 but then dropped their last seven games to finish the season 7-9 and miss the post-season under Kotite.

"Everyone was just shocked," Davis said. "There were some issues in the locker room because of the rumored coaching change. But despite all the issues we still thought we would make the playoffs. In addition, the injury to (MLB) Byron Evans killed us because he was the heart and soul of our defense."

Currently, Davis resides in Clermont, Florida with his wife Carrie and their children, Cailyn (7), Dakota (6), and Braden (24 months). He makes his living today as a financial representative for the Northwestern Mutual Financial Network.

Before that, however, Davis had aspirations of becoming a sports agent following his retirement in 2000. He had brief stints with both Atlanta and Green Bay before calling it quits.

"I wanted to become a sports agent," Davis said. "But after dabbling in it for a little while, I realized it was a 'dirty business' and it just wasn't for me. I was not going to be successful, so I got out of it after two years."

If given the opportunity, surprisingly, the 37-year-old wants to settle into the career where he still feels he can make a positive impact helping others.

"With only having seven years of wear and tear on my body, I would love to come back and play professional football again," Davis said. "I miss the game and my kids would love to see me play. So if Andy Reid gave me a call, I would come back to Philadelphia in a heartbeat."

Continued Davis on how he would view things differently today: "When you are younger I don't think anybody enjoys the heat of training camp and practice. Today, I would treat every practice like it is the biggest game of my life. My preparation, focus, and work ethic would be very different if given another shot versus when I first came into the league."

Davis said the late Reggie White and Bill Romanowski as the toughest Eagles he had ever faced in practice.

In his spare time both Davis and his family are extremely loyal to their church as well as the United Way, always willing to help others who have individual needs. The self-proclaimed movie buff also enjoys fishing, hunting, paint-ball, scuba diving, flying airplanes, and the Eagles diehards.

"There is a misconception around the league that the worst fans are in Philadelphia. They couldn't be more wrong," Davis said. "I really appreciated the fans because they stick by their team. They are always behind you as a player and they're good people.

"Those fans in the 700 level and throughout the stadium, when I played at the Vet, were there every single week. They were truly diehard fans -- rain, snow, or shine. Those are the fans that should be first on the mailing list for Super Bowl tickets because they deserve them."