Kiper's 'Grade A' DraftAfter his Round 1 mock, Mel assessess

[The Leaper]

This doesn't make sense to me at all. Collins and Bigby have completely different skill sets. If we could get a Collins clone with our 1st round pick I would take that in a second.

Collins is way better than Bigby...I'll give you that without hesitation. I was more speaking to how both of them came into Green Bay...neither were strong coverage guys. Collins has developed himself into a capable coverage safety, although he can disappear at times. Bigby looks like he's always going to be inept in coverage.

[gbgary]

Taylor Mays = Steve Atwater

Not a draftnik. But what I have read of him since the 09 season started is that Pro teams fear that:

Taylor Mays = Roy Williams

if we got him i'd be hoping the steve atwater version. roy williams sucks.

[digitaldean]

Taylor Mays doesn't impress me...he's the same as Bigby and Collins IMO, albeit perhaps a little more talented. He's a big hitting safety who is somewhat of a liability in coverage.

We need some DBs who can COVER somebody. If you want them to play the run, turn them into LBs.

I agree Leaper. The games I saw him in, he took horrible angles. He can hit like a son of a gun, but if he can't cover that well I wouldn't spend a first on him.

[Lurker64]

This is a great year for safeties, so there's really no reason to take a guy like Taylor Mays with our 1 when we can land a guy like Myron Rolle, Kam Chancellor, or Major Wright in the second, third, or fourth.

No need to spend a first round pick on the third best safety in the draft (behind Berry and Texas's Earl Thomas).

[Brandon494]

Taylor Mays = Steve Atwater

Not a draftnik. But what I have read of him since the 09 season started is that Pro teams fear that:

Taylor Mays = Roy Williams

Watch Mays play in 08. The dude had injuries which caused tackling problems in 09. If recovered Mays is a steal for the Packers.

Just thought about what you said about Mays looking a lot better in 08, thinking maybe that it had more to do with him playing with stud LBs in Matthews, Cushing, and Rey Rey. Maybe without that pass rush he had in 08 Taylor showed he is more of a liability in pass coverage. Saying that this guy was a top 10 talent in last years draft and suffered a few injuries in 09. Getting him at 23 would be a pretty solid pickup IMO.

[mission]

Mays runs 4.3-4.4 ... Roy Williams was never fast.

He's just known for flying over the OL on that one play against Texas ...

TM still ain't the guy. I would not be happy. At least not in this years draft.

[DannoMac21]

I'd be very pleased with Taylor Mays. Dude would've been a top 5 pick had he come out last year. Eric Berry's just a once in a decade safety talent and shines above Mays. Mays is a great football player and those USC defensive players shine in the NFL. Put him behind Clay again.

[packrulz]

Scout.com's 2010 draft rankings have Mays rated higher that Iowa OT Bulaga, I still think I'd rather draft Bulaga, stud LT's are very hard to find after round one, if he's still there.
Page 1 >>
Pos Overall
Rank Rating Name Yr Ht/Wt/40 College Home
DT 1 Ndamukong Suh SR 6-4/300/- Nebraska Portland, OR
S 2 Eric Berry JR 5-11/195/- Tennessee Fairburn, GA
QB 3 Sam Bradford JR 6-5/197/- Oklahoma Oklahoma City, OK
QB 4 Jimmy Clausen JR 6-3/223/- Notre Dame Westlake Village, CA
DT 5 Gerald McCoy JR 6-4/289/- Oklahoma Oklahoma City, OK
OT 6 Russell Okung SR 6-5/300/- Oklahoma State Richmond, TX
CB 7 Joe Haden JR 5-11/190/- Florida Fort Washington, MD
MLB 8 Rolando McClain JR 6-4/255/- Alabama Decatur, AL
RB 9 C.J. Spiller SR 5-11/195/- Clemson Lake Butler, FL
WR 10 Dez Bryant JR 6-2/210/- Oklahoma State Lufkin, TX
DE 11 Derrick Morgan JR 6-4/275/- Georgia Tech Coatesville, PA
OT 12 Trent Williams SR 6-5/290/- Oklahoma Longview, TX
OT 13 Anthony Davis JR 6-6/325/- Rutgers Piscataway, NJ
DE 14 Carlos Dunlap JR 6-6/290/- Florida North Charleston, SC
DE 15 Everson Griffen JR 6-3/265/- USC Avondale, AZ
S 16 Taylor Mays SR 6-3/235/- USC Seattle, WA
OT 17 Bryan Bulaga JR 6-6/290/- Iowa Woodstock, IL
S 18 Earl Thomas SO 5-10/190/- Texas Orange, TX
TE 19 Aaron Hernandez JR 6-2/250/- Florida Bristol, CT
WR 20 Golden Tate JR 5-11/195/- Notre Dame Hendersonville, TN
DT 21 Dan Williams SR 6-3/305/- Tennessee Memphis, TN
DE 22 Jason Pierre-Paul JR 6-5/265/- South Florida Deerfield Beach, FL
RB 23 Jonathan Dwyer JR 6-0/235/- Georgia Tech Marietta, GA
MLB 24 Brandon Spikes SR 6-3/258/- Florida Shelby, NC
OLB 25 Brandon Graham SR 6-2/268/- Michigan Detroit, MI
DT 26 Brian Price JR 6-1/270/- UCLA Los Angeles, CA
DE 27 Corey Wootton SR 6-6/275/- Northwestern Ramsey, NJ
TE 28 Jermaine Gresham SR 6-6/250/- Oklahoma Ardmore, OK
RB 29 Jahvid Best JR 5-10/185/- California Richmond, CA
OLB 30 Navorro Bowman JR 6-1/230/- Penn State Forestville, MD
CB 31 Patrick Robinson SR 5-11/182/- Florida State Miami, FL
DT 32 Jared Odrick SR 6-5/291/- Penn State Lebanon, PA

[Patler]

If that list has Clausen as the 4th best player in the draft, I have to question it.

[Lurker64]

If that list has Clausen as the 4th best player in the draft, I have to question it.

I think that's a mock draft, not a big board (or at least some bastard amalgam of the two). While Clausen probably isn't one of the ten best players in the draft, he's very likely to go in the top 10 anyway.

[Sparkey]

Re: Kiper's 'Grade A' DraftAfter his Round 1 mock, Mel asses

Found this on another message board, here is the link if you want to look at some other teams http://life.atlantafalcons.com/topic...-round-1-mock/

If we got Taylor Mays and Ryan Matthews with our first two picks I will be very pleased. Also Ive heard some good things about Vladimir Ducasse from UMASS so I wouldnt mind grabbing him if he is still there in the 2nd round.

Green Bay Packers
Top needs: OT, S, RB, LB, CB
First round (23): S Taylor Mays
Second-round options (56): OT/G Vladimir Ducasse, , OT Selvish Capers, RB Ryan Mathews, RB Joe McKnight,
Third-round options (86): RB Montario Hardesty, LB Patrick Angerer, OT Kyle Calloway, CB Trevard Lindley
Summary: Need meets value in Round 1 when the Packers solve a problem in the secondary by getting the maligned but undeniably talented Taylor Mays, who showed some caution this year both in coverage and as a tackler, but didn't get a lot of help from a very young USC defense. The Packers need to continue to build the offensive line because Aaron Rodgers was under too much pressure this year, but I also think they want to add depth and talent to the RB position. And you never have too many talented LBs in the 3-4 Dom Capers has installed.

I think I would puke in my mouth a little if the packers draft Mays. There are far better players than him that will be available.

[DannoMac21]

Scout.com's 2010 draft rankings have Mays rated higher that Iowa OT Bulaga, I still think I'd rather draft Bulaga, stud LT's are very hard to find after round one, if he's still there.
Page 1 >>
Pos Overall
Rank Rating Name Yr Ht/Wt/40 College Home
DT 1 Ndamukong Suh SR 6-4/300/- Nebraska Portland, OR
S 2 Eric Berry JR 5-11/195/- Tennessee Fairburn, GA
QB 3 Sam Bradford JR 6-5/197/- Oklahoma Oklahoma City, OK
QB 4 Jimmy Clausen JR 6-3/223/- Notre Dame Westlake Village, CA
DT 5 Gerald McCoy JR 6-4/289/- Oklahoma Oklahoma City, OK
OT 6 Russell Okung SR 6-5/300/- Oklahoma State Richmond, TX
CB 7 Joe Haden JR 5-11/190/- Florida Fort Washington, MD
MLB 8 Rolando McClain JR 6-4/255/- Alabama Decatur, AL
RB 9 C.J. Spiller SR 5-11/195/- Clemson Lake Butler, FL
WR 10 Dez Bryant JR 6-2/210/- Oklahoma State Lufkin, TX
DE 11 Derrick Morgan JR 6-4/275/- Georgia Tech Coatesville, PA
OT 12 Trent Williams SR 6-5/290/- Oklahoma Longview, TX
OT 13 Anthony Davis JR 6-6/325/- Rutgers Piscataway, NJ
DE 14 Carlos Dunlap JR 6-6/290/- Florida North Charleston, SC
DE 15 Everson Griffen JR 6-3/265/- USC Avondale, AZ
S 16 Taylor Mays SR 6-3/235/- USC Seattle, WA
OT 17 Bryan Bulaga JR 6-6/290/- Iowa Woodstock, IL
S 18 Earl Thomas SO 5-10/190/- Texas Orange, TX
TE 19 Aaron Hernandez JR 6-2/250/- Florida Bristol, CT
WR 20 Golden Tate JR 5-11/195/- Notre Dame Hendersonville, TN
DT 21 Dan Williams SR 6-3/305/- Tennessee Memphis, TN
DE 22 Jason Pierre-Paul JR 6-5/265/- South Florida Deerfield Beach, FL
RB 23 Jonathan Dwyer JR 6-0/235/- Georgia Tech Marietta, GA
MLB 24 Brandon Spikes SR 6-3/258/- Florida Shelby, NC
OLB 25 Brandon Graham SR 6-2/268/- Michigan Detroit, MI
DT 26 Brian Price JR 6-1/270/- UCLA Los Angeles, CA
DE 27 Corey Wootton SR 6-6/275/- Northwestern Ramsey, NJ
TE 28 Jermaine Gresham SR 6-6/250/- Oklahoma Ardmore, OK
RB 29 Jahvid Best JR 5-10/185/- California Richmond, CA
OLB 30 Navorro Bowman JR 6-1/230/- Penn State Forestville, MD
CB 31 Patrick Robinson SR 5-11/182/- Florida State Miami, FL
DT 32 Jared Odrick SR 6-5/291/- Penn State Lebanon, PA

Yeah Jimmy Claussen above McCoy, Okung, and Haden has me scratching my head.

[KYPack]

KY...

Best safety on the board is obviously Berry from Tennessee. The kid is the complete package, and projects to being a Pro Bowl caliber safety down the road. He's a guaranteed top 10 pick, probable top 5 pick.

I really like Morgan Burnett from Georgia Tech. He displayed a good nose for the football in college. He put up some very good numbers over 3 years for GT (235 tackles, 14 INTs) and he has the versatility to really play any DB position at the next level...but he projects best as a coverage safety. He probably would be available at our 2nd round pick.

Other guys I like...Nate Allen from S Florida, Earl Thomas from Texas. Allen is probably a 2nd-3rd round guy...I don't think he is quite as polished as Burnett, but he's a little more athletically gifted. Thomas is a good prospect, but he's a little on the short side (5-10) and I'm not a huge fan of smallish safeties in today's NFL.

Christ, I forgot Eric Berry is in the draft!. A great S. Complete player, cover and an enforcer. He only needed 15 int return yards to set the NCAA record this season. He got 7. Terrell Buckly still has the record. We won't sniff him. Many compare him with Ed Reed. That kid is the real deal.

Mish, do you have a report on Burnett?

After all, you are our GT reporter.

[KYPack]

Mays is stinking it up in the Senior Bowl work-outs. Appears to have been hitting the weights, but is defintely out of shape. Looks lost in sophisticated covers and is coming off like a cocky ass in the interviews.

A guy surprising people is Nebraska S Larry Asante. He's average in cover, but a thumper. Some scouts see him as the poor man's Chuck Cecil. Average speed, but the kid really cools 'em when he hits 'em.

[steve823]

How is Iupati not there? He was so good at Guard in his workouts they tried him Tackle. He's a monster and I would guess would be taken in the top 15-20..if not I would LOVE to take him and say good riddance to Colledge.

Think about it..our guards would be Iupati and Sitton ..nasty.