VERO BEACH, Fla. - When junior cornerback Kayvon Webster came to USF from Miami in 2009, he did so with a lot of fanfare. After being recruited by many of the top schools, Webster made an immediate impact for the Bulls, playing in all 13 games and even starting six. He followed that up with another excellent year in 2010, playing almost 400 snaps on one of the nation's top defenses.

Now, entering his junior year, Webster has stepped his game up another notch, and even though he's working harder than ever to maximize his athletic ability, it is his commitment to his craft that is beginning to set him apart.

"He really grew up last year," said secondary coach Rick Smith. "I can't say enough about how he's progressed. He's a very intelligent player. He understands all the coverages. He's also taking a leadership role."

It's a transformation that a lot of players can have difficulty with, moving from just athletic ability to pushing themselves in the weight room, watching film and helping out the other players at the position, but Webster has embraced the opportunities.

"With our new strength coach coming in, I took the weight room more seriously," Webster pointed out. "I did some extra DB drills and spent a lot of time catching balls off the juggs machine. I spent a lot more time watching film, breaking myself down. I also got into the playbook more, so I could learn where my teammates are going to be at."

With his work ethic increasing and knowledge growing, Webster has transitioned from one of the young guys into a veteran leader. Now, he's passing that work ethic and information off to the other members of the group.

"Over the summer, you could see him working harder and trying to become a leader," said fellow DB George Baker. "I saw that and it made me want to improve my game and get better too. I look at him and see how much success he's having. He showed you have to take the time and put in the work."

Paired with standout senior Quenton Washington, the Bulls defense will be in good hands on the edges heading into 2011. And, even as good as he is, Washington can see the special talent lining up across the field from him.

"Kayvon is one of the best talents I've ever seen," said Washington. "He can run. He can jump. He can do everything. He's one of those guys that can play any position on the field."

A few years ago, that may not have been the case, but with an increased attention to detail, Webster is turning himself into a complete corner.

USF has had five defensive backs drafted over the last four years, which is tied for the second-most nationally. Mistral Raymond was taken in the sixth round last year, while Nate Allen and Jerome Murphy were selected in the second and third rounds, respectively, in 2010. Mike Jenkins was drafted in the first round of the 2008 NFL Draft, while Trae Williams went in the fifth round. USC leads the nation with six DBs drafted in the last four years. The Bulls are tied with six other schools, Clemson, LSU, Nebraska, Ohio St., Oklahoma and Utah.

Today's question from Emanuel Rivera Padilla on Facebook:
What is the focus of the Bulls' offense this coming season? 

Answer: 
The first thing we're looking to do is build depth. We have a lot of talented players, but we need to continue to progress so we can take advantage of all the skills. The more players we can get ready to play, the more dangerous we can be on that side of the ball. The other thing we're trying to do is incorporate some different styles. We have two very talented quarterbacks in B.J. Daniels and Bobby Eveld, who bring different skills to the table. We want to work to maximize those skills and take advantage of their different styles.