DAVIE, Fla. — Work hard. Get better every day. Stay humble. Be patient. Be thankful.
Those are the five mantras that hang prominently on a sheet of notebook paper on the left wall of Davone Bess’ locker.

These daily instructions have been there since he made the Dolphins roster as an undrafted rookie last season, and he constantly goes over them.
They serve as a constant reminder of where he’s come from and what’s enabled this former University of Hawaii standout to find his niche as an NFL slot receiver.
They also provide Bess guidance for the road he’s on. To understand his desired destination, just look at the center of his locker. That’s where a Pro Bowl placard hangs.
“Every time I look at them they keep me grounded and focused,” Bess said. “Lets me know where I’ve been, and where I need to be.”
Considering Bess is rising up the ranks of NFL slots receivers, it appears he’s well on his way.
Despite only starting one game this season, Bess leads the Dolphins in receptions (59) and receiving yards (548). And even though he produced his first 100-yard receiving game in last Sunday’s win over New England, he’s sat at the top of those statistical rankings most of the season.
With four games to play, Bess’ 548 yards is only 6 yards shy of what he accomplished last season, when he became the NFL’s most productive undrafted rookie receiver since Jets standout Wayne Chrebet.
More telling of his impact is the fact nearly half of Bess’ receptions (29) and yards (259) have come in third-down situations, which serves as proof he’s becoming the player the Dolphins offense leans on in the game’s crucial moments.
“The guy leads the (AFC) in third-down conversions, and that’s hard to do, especially on a team that doesn’t pass (much),” offensive coordinator Dan Henning said. “If he would maintain that for the next 10 years he’ll be a very viable, and valuable commodity.”
Bess, a restricted free agent this offseason, trails only Giants receiver Steve Smith in production on third down.
These days, it’s no surprise that a slot receiver has become a go-to option for an NFL offense. Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio, who played linebacker in the NFL for 11 seasons, said back in his playing day teams rarely strayed from the personnel grouping that features two backs, two receivers and a tight end.
But utilizing slot receivers like Bess are in vogue because of the mismatches it often creates.
“It’s always a short athletic guy who is quick,” said safety Yeremiah Bell. “Quarterbacks are going to look for those slot receivers because they can get in and out of breaks quickly.”
Del Rio said the most important thing those slot receivers do is move the chains.
Bess said most of the routes he runs are based on the coverage that he sees after the snap. Henning said Bess he has a good feel for understanding when opposing defenses are in zone or man coverage, which often dictates the route. And that sense is getting better.
Bess admits he’s starting to get better at making the right read adjustments, picking the appropriate route, and it’s depth, getting on the same page with his quarterback. Bess credits that newfound success to mantra No. 4: Be patient.
Just like the routes, Bess is optimistic continued success will come as long as he keeps to his core principles.