Big strides for humble Hester

BOURBONNAIS -- With Devin Hester rapidly approaching rock-star status, there could be concerns that the 24-year-old won't be able to keep a level head or stay focused.

Not to worry.

Celebrity and hero worship on the football field are nothing new to Mr. Excitement, who is making fans attending training-camp practices at Olivet Nazarene University sit up and take notice every time he lines up at his new position of wide receiver.

At Suncoast High School in Riviera Beach, Fla., Hester was the top-rated recruit in one of the nation's top producers of football talent, and he was the consensus top defensive back in the country.

He played five positions in addition to returning punts and kicks for the Miami Hurricanes. He returned six kicks for touchdowns, including four in one season and two in one game and was an All-American return specialist.

So he's not going to get an inflated ego over the NFL-record 6 return touchdowns he scored last season, plus 1 in the Super Bowl. And he's not getting cocky because he has become an impact wide receiver seemingly overnight.

"I've been blessed," said the soft-spoken Hester, whose calm, quiet demeanor off the field is the antithesis of his hyperelectric style on it. "I grew up in a situation where I was one of the top prospects on every team that I've been on as far back as Pop Warner on up to high school and into college.

"So it's nothing new to me."

Maybe that's why Hester handles the attention with such aplomb.

"Anybody can tell you I'm probably one of the most humble players on the team as well as (I was) coming out of college or high school," he said. "I'm not one that's going to go out and trash talk and seem like I had a big year.

"I'm just like a normal person. If you really didn't know who I was you probably would say he's part of the scout team or something like that. But I'm more laid-back and just humble with it.

"I believe my mom raised me up the right way. I always say, 'Never feel like you're better than the next man because there's always somebody that's twice as (good) as you.'

"So don't always come in feeling like you're the best player on the team or act like it. I'm the type of player who gets along with all the players, I joke around with all the players. Any player will tell you I don't act conceited or anything like that."

Most of what Hester says is accurate, but it's unfathomable that there's someone on this planet who's twice the football player he is. And you don't have to take his word for it on being a team guy.

"He's got a lot of natural ability, but he works at it," said Bears wide receivers coach Darryl Drake. "There are a lot of guys who are naturally talented but don't really work at it. He works as hard as anybody I've ever been around."

Hard work has helped, but so have Hester's immense physical talents.

"He has as gifted a (pair of) hands as anybody I've ever been around," Drake said. "He's talented in a lot of areas, but he's gifted as far as catching the football."

Hester's transition from cornerback last season to wide receiver has been so smooth and so impressive that it's a wonder he originally had his heart set on becoming an NFL cornerback. He had to be talked into making the switch by Bears coach Lovie Smith, who saw the 4.4 speed, the quickness and the rare cutting ability as ideal offensive weapons.

"Coach Smith came to me and said I'd have a good chance of getting my hands on the ball a little bit more on offense," Hester said. "I'm just the type of player that's going to do whatever it takes to win.

"If coach Lovie wants me to play offense, that's what I'm willing to do. If that's how we get into the Super Bowl, and that's how we can win it, I'm all for it."

Bears offensive coordinator Ron Turner always was in favor of getting another playmaker on his side of the ball.

"I actually started getting excited about it when we drafted him," Turner said. "I just didn't know I'd have to wait a year."

Indications from early training-camp practices are that Turner already has spent lots of time scheming for ways to get the ball in Hester's hands. In 11-on-11 passing exercises, the ball frequently is fired in Hester's direction, and that's when the entertainment level ramps up.

"He's something special," Turner said. "The progress he's made has been tremendous. Mentally he's handling everything really well, and physically he's got good instincts out there. He's definitely going to be able to help us."

Although he possesses an abundance of quiet confidence and he played some wideout at Miami, even Hester has been a bit surprised at how far he's come so quickly.

"I didn't think it was going to come this fast, but I'm starting to pick it up really easy, and the more they throw at me the more I'm starting to pick up," he said. "Hopefully by the season I'm ready."

Humility aside, he's already ready.