Taylor Mays a Packers?

[mission]

Please lord, no Mays. He has Roy Williams Jr. wrote all over him. Do we really need another SS who can punish in the box but is a liability in coverage? People fall in love with combine numbers too much. Without the talent of the '08 USC defense what did he do last year except for disappoint time and time again?

I guess I've just never understood the love affair with this guy. Looks like Tarzan, plays like Jane.

Where does this come from?

Roy Williams NEVER had any speed at Oklahoma. Is he even over 5'10"??? We're talking about polar opposite body types and measurables. You can make up for a lot with 4.2-4.3 speed. Williams was closer to 4.7-4.8 once he career wore on and his battled injuries.

His reputation was greatly increased because of that play he made flying over the line against Texas at the goal line.

No one ever said he was a blazer... I swear I see this on forums all over the place and it has no basis in fact.

The thing I like about Mays is he seems extremely coachable. They were asking about his lack of INTs and he was just saying that he plays the role his coaches ask of him and he will focus on whatever his future coaches say need to be the center of attention. Since Senior Bowl practices he seems intent on proving that he can get after some footballs. He's not defensive about these questions at all.

Something tells me he could adapt well to our defense and the upside is through the roof.

The Aaron Rouse stuff was started by me... I said "bigger, faster Aaron Rouse" last year around this time. They are no where near the same athletes or competitors.

Not saying the guy is a lock but the more Ive seen of him and heard his interviews, the more Ive warmed up to the idea.

[Scott Campbell]

Yes please to Taylor Mays. A 6'4" safety who ran a 4.24 at the combine?

His official time was 4.43 - still pretty fast.

[The Leaper]

As a safety, I'm not impressed. No playmaking ability. If you have all this ridiculous athletic ability, how the hell do you NEVER make a play on a ball as a DB? If you run a 4.3 40, you better be picking off 4-5 passes a year in college ball. If you aren't, you have ZERO instincts for playing the ball in the air...which is what ultimately defines an NFL DB.

What may intrigue me...making Mays a pass rushing OLB. The guy has the crazy kind of speed off the edge that could be a nightmare for OTs. He would need to add 15 pounds, but from all I've seen that could happen relatively easily. I mean...the kid's dad was an NFL DL. However, can you take a project OLB pass rusher in the first round???

I'm guessing he doesn't wind up in Green Bay.

[The Leaper]

The thing I like about Mays is he seems extremely coachable. They were asking about his lack of INTs and he was just saying that he plays the role his coaches ask of him

So the USC coaches don't want their DBs picking off passes?

Are you nuts? He didn't pick off passes because he has no ball skills...not because he was coached not too.

[Lurker64]

What may intrigue me...making Mays a pass rushing OLB. The guy has the crazy kind of speed off the edge that could be a nightmare for OTs. He would need to add 15 pounds, but from all I've seen that could happen relatively easily. I mean...the kid's dad was an NFL DL. However, can you take a project OLB pass rusher in the first round???

I don't want Mays as a linebacker. Have you seen the man tackle? Neither has anybody else.

[Bretsky]

I'd be fine with Mays as a Packer; I think Dom could utilize him and his abilities often as a pass rusher as well. Plus, he could displace the video game dude.

[packrulz]

I like Mays, great size/speed/attitude, Ron Wolf always said if a guy has speed he can recover and make the tackle even if he's out of position.

[mission]

Are you nuts? He didn't pick off passes because he has no ball skills...not because he was coached not too.

Well he had 5 INTs in college... and the one game (Senior Bowl) he wasn't playing within the USC scheme, he had an interception at the goal line. I'm not saying they didn't want him to get INTs, Im saying the scheme didn't have him in matchups (or deep zone) or position for a lot of them. Let's face it, he is not an Ed Reed type player. If a team could get Bigby type INT production (3-4 a year) from him with the range he has and the intimidation factor, it'd be solid.

I don't want Mays as a linebacker. Have you seen the man tackle? Neither has anybody else.

Yeah he only had 268 tackles in college. 88 last year.

Mays playing LB and chasing down J.Best (4.35 40) with a perfect angle

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26rLxHZpiKQ

Mays destroying about 580 different guys in this video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8ze_jaJlXQ

Watch how many guys drop the ball after getting hit... is there a stat for that? There should be with this guy. That's gotta count for something.

Can't tackle, a giant pussy.

He definitely has holes in his game but come on... for what he is, for what he's advertised as (NOT ED REED), I'd say it's pretty intriguing. If you can't see that, you're just clinging on to preconceived notions (that I probably perpetuated in the first place).

[packerbacker1234]

The thing I like about Mays is he seems extremely coachable. They were asking about his lack of INTs and he was just saying that he plays the role his coaches ask of him

So the USC coaches don't want their DBs picking off passes?

Are you nuts? He didn't pick off passes because he has no ball skills...not because he was coached not too.

If you are coached to always play closer to the line to stop the run, instead of playing pass coverage... yeah you wont have a lot of picks. When is the last time, even in the NFL, you have heard of a big play making SS? Ed Reed? FS. Nick Collins? FS. Troy Polamalu? FS. I think Bob Sanders is a SS, so he may be teh exception.

I am not saying that he has any real excuse, but if your coached to play closer to the line and not do a lot of pass coverage, then... you wont have picks. Also, picks are not the only thing that tells you if he is a good player. If that was the case, Al Harris is a HORRIBLE DB, despite the fact he has broken up a lot of passes in his career.

I know Mays played FS, but if you watched USC you would notice that there safties do, in fact, play a lot of run defense verse passing zone converage. Maybe I am the only one that sees that?

[Brandon494]

Troy Polamalu is a SS, Ryan Clark plays FS.

[The Leaper]

Well he had 5 INTs in college...

In 4 years on a highly talented team that often played inferior teams...and 3 of those came as a freshman. He's had only TWO in the last 3 years. I don't care where the hell he plays on the field. If he has such ridiculous athletic ability as a DB on the college level, he should be making way more plays on the ball, even if he does play closer to the line of scrimmage. A lot of INTs happen within 15 yards of the LOS...when QBs are pressured and don't account for a defender, or passes are tipped, or throws are just forced into tight areas.

Face it...in coverage, the guy does not make big plays. He might make big hits, but he doesn't cause turnovers. I want DBs who cause turnovers. Guys like Charles Woodson make you a contender.

[The Leaper]

If you are coached to always play closer to the line to stop the run, instead of playing pass coverage... yeah you wont have a lot of picks. When is the last time, even in the NFL, you have heard of a big play making SS?

Carnell Lake? 16 career INTs/15 Forced Fumbles
Darrin Woodson? 23/12
Lawyer Milloy? 25/10
Rodney Harrison? 34/15
John Lynch? 26/16
Troy Polamalu? 20/7
Ed Reed started out as a SS and was getting 6-8 picks a year.

Should I keep going? These are just more recent guys...we can go back 20+ years as well and find plenty more.

In the NFL, you don't have the luxury to play your SS exclusively as a LB. He better be able to cover someone at the very least...and I'd prefer if he can make big plays, ESPECIALLY if you are taking him in the 1st round. If you can't make plays on the ball in college against inferior talent, then I'm not going to be certain that is suddenly going to happen in the NFL against superior talent.

[TennesseePackerBacker]

As a safety, I'm not impressed. No playmaking ability. If you have all this ridiculous athletic ability, how the hell do you NEVER make a play on a ball as a DB? If you run a 4.3 40, you better be picking off 4-5 passes a year in college ball. If you aren't, you have ZERO instincts for playing the ball in the air...which is what ultimately defines an NFL DB.

Leaper answered for me mission. This is my reason for not wanting Mays as a Packer. A kid with his natural abilities should have the kind of ball-hawking ability he sorely lacks. Any problem at the collegiate level is that much more amplified in the pro game.

[mission]

As a safety, I'm not impressed. No playmaking ability. If you have all this ridiculous athletic ability, how the hell do you NEVER make a play on a ball as a DB? If you run a 4.3 40, you better be picking off 4-5 passes a year in college ball. If you aren't, you have ZERO instincts for playing the ball in the air...which is what ultimately defines an NFL DB.

Leaper answered for me mission. This is my reason for not wanting Mays as a Packer. A kid with his natural abilities should have the kind of ball-hawking ability he sorely lacks. Any problem at the collegiate level is that much more amplified in the pro game.

Again, Al Harris...

I'm not saying to excuse his lack of production in the area, I'm more taking a shot that you'll see that area of his game improve. In his interviews, he directly talks about "not trying to take a guy's head off" and instead going after the ball... something he's training for and aware of. Can't fix something you don't know exists. Seems eager about it.

Who knows, he seems like a student of the game who can pick up a lot from coaches at the next level. Maybe not. In two or three years one of us will be saying 'you were right' (and I'm not below that)... it'd just be a first for me

[DannoMac21]

Yes please to Taylor Mays. A 6'4" safety who ran a 4.24 at the combine?

His official time was 4.43 - still pretty fast.

Right, but he ran an unofficial 4.24 before the official timing at the combine.