It’s always a battle to get a younger generation to respect the past. Vernon Davis now knows that struggle.

The former tight end who enjoyed a 14-year career in the NFL is still one of the strongest men to ever step foot in the Maryland Terrapins’ weight room, and some of his records still stand. But even walking into rooms marked by his father’s legacy, Jianni Davis casually wonders how Vernon would fare now if the two went head-to-head.

“We’ve been to the gym together a little bit, but I haven’t really lifted heavy with him because he’s getting up there in age,” said Jianni, a rising senior defensive end and linebacker at Bishop McNamara in Prince George’s County. “He might got the speed on me a little bit, but everything else …”

At least in this instance, dad gets a rebuttal. Too old to lift? Vernon scoffed at the suggestion.

“I don’t lift heavy much anymore, I focus more on calisthenics and stuff like that,” he said. “But I can still outlift Jianni. I can outrun him. Don’t get things wrong here.”

In this instance, Jianni’s pursuit of his dad’s shadow is a major plus for the University of Maryland, which secured a commitment from the three-star prospect late last month.

Longtime Terps fans might feel a prick of nostalgia from the association to Vernon, one of the greats from a relatively bright era of Maryland football. But aside from primarily playing on the other side of the ball from his father, Jianni’s desire to stand on his own is what drives him.

“He had a great football career, but I’m not gonna let that build who I am,” Jianni said. “I’m trying to be better than he was — be better than what he was. I’m trying to outdo my dad.”

It’s an intensely ambitious goal, to be sure. Vernon Davis was first-team All-ACC as a junior in 2005 and went on to be the sixth overall pick in the 2006 NFL draft. Very few players have had an NFL career as great as his with 7,562 receiving yards over a decade-and-a-half. As time goes on, Vernon sees that Jianni actually does have more respect for how hard it was to carve out a path into pro football. And one thing he appreciates about his son is that he doesn’t look for shortcuts.

“I don’t make Jianni go to practice. I always tell him, ‘It’s up to you, and you’re gonna have to decide this is something you want to do,’” Vernon said. “He’s not afraid of the work that goes into it.”

For a time, it seemed like Jianni wouldn’t even follow his dad into the sport. He quit tackle football in the fourth grade, deterred by the physicality of contact. But as an eighth grader, he came back to the field and found that he actually loved hitting.

That’s the role that Jianni has found now, as an edge for Bishop McNamara who can rush the passer or drop back into coverage. He snagged a pair of interceptions last season, and might have inherited Vernon’s hands: “I don’t need gloves to make catches.”

The Terps see him as a strong-side linebacker at the next level, which initially surprised Vernon who thought his elusiveness with the ball might be suited for offense. But when he watches Jianni, he understands the fit.

“I expected him to play tight end, but looking at the way he plays the game, he has a knack for getting to the ball,” Vernon said. “He’s got the right speed and quickness for the position.”

Jianni had an offer to East Carolina when he committed to the Terps, but ultimately the familial feeling led him to target College Park. Soon after speaking with head coach Mike Locksley, he told his mother Janel Horne and Vernon right away. Vernon said he didn’t get worked up with emotion, but he was “extremely happy” that his son decided to follow in his footsteps — as eager as he may be to overtake them some day.

“I think that’s a great goal,” he said. “For Jianni, it’s always gonna be that thing, that he’s Vernon Davis’ son, and there’s nothing he can do to get away from that but put in the work. I’m glad I was able to pave the way and set the tone for what he’s trying to do. There’s always going to be that connection between us.”