Brad Davison at a glance: Cerebral and committed

History maker: Of the 33 annual selections for football Metro Player of the Year, Maple Grove senior quarterback Brad Davison is the first to play his senior season with a verbal college commitment in another sport. He's also the first one headed to college basketball (Wisconsin). "He was told, 'You're crazy for playing football,' but he fought the specialization bug," Maple Grove football coach Matt Lombardi said. "He took ownership of this team and led us farther than a lot of people thought we might go."

Sing loud, sing proud: Davison is a three-year member of the choir. His baritone voice can be heard at concerts throughout the school year, though not as a soloist. "I stay away from that; I stay in the back," said Davison, whose favorite song is the late Leonard Cohen's ''Hallelujah.''

Good company: Lombardi, who served as Wayzata's defensive coordinator for 11 seasons, said Davison "is James Laurinaitis "to a tee." Comparisons to the NFL linebacker start with the mind. "They both lived and died the cerebral part of football," Lombardi said.

David La Vaque