Video: Did Taylor Mays got robbed ???

[Jenky]

"did Taylor Mays get robbed?"

not as bad as the team that drafts him.

If we trade up for him, I will personally hold you accountable for jinxing us. :bang2:

 

[KingintheNorth]

From an SI article:

"During drills, Mays was in poor form. As fast as he was moving forwards, Mays was terribly slow moving in reverse. It was similar to his performance at the Senior Bowl in January. Mays looked uncomfortable backpedaling during drills and one scout called his defensive back fundamentals "just bad." When asked to change direction, Mays would come to a complete stop then start up again. The contrast between Mays and players such as Earl Thomas and T.J. Ward, who lost little momentum changing direction, was striking."

He's apparently only fast going in a strait line.

This is the first source today that said this. Every other thing I read said he looked good in the drills. I will see for myself in about 45 minutes when I get home.

I just like how every day of the combine you can read such different opinions on players. Half of the articles yesterday said McCoy looked better than Suh and the other half said Suh looked better. For the most, I think people come in with their own opinion and want very much to be right. If they were a Suh fan going in, they think everything he does is great and they focus on a mistake or two by the other guy.

I used to talk to Bucky Brooks about players but now I feel he just hypes the guys he works with. Plus, my son is graduating and no longer works out with him. I have another buddy who was an NFL scout and is now a college coach. His opinions are usually dead on. He likes Mays but only if he's coached up and used correctly. He does not like him at Free Safety.

As for my own take, I think Mays is a football player. I think his future is either at:

Strong Safety - As long as he works on his coverage issues and plays near the line of scrimmage. Think how Oklahoma used Roy Williams. I know people think of Roy Williams as a bust but he was used to the absolute best of his abilities in Norman. The kid is fast and a willing hitter. He has some things to work on no doubt.

or

ILB in a 3-4 and OLB in a 4-3 - The popular rumor at USC practices the last 3 years is that the training staff had to work very hard to keep Mays' weight at 230. It's not that he wanted to eat himself heavier, it's that he is a gym rat. He and Brian Cushing were inseparable at USC, at the gym or track. You never heard any stories about them getting into the usual college mischief. He doesn't play video games or do any social networking. He just works out. So, if this is true and you believe his future is at LB, how big can he get while maintaining that top speed?

The kid is off the charts athletically (as advertised). A few have said he isn't physical which is laughable. He needs to wrap up but he is definitely a willing hitter.

My last thing I will say on Mays is this. If we draft him, wouldn't it be because Jerry, Wade, and the staff feel he is a darn good football player? Will everyone who defends Jerry's personnel moves suddenly think Jerry was tricked into taking him? If we take him it will be because our staff believes in him and his ability to help our team. I've been critical of Jerry but his decisions of Felix Jones over Mendenhall and Mike Jenkins over Antoine Cason have worked out well for us.

If we pass on him for another safety like Chad Jones or Nate Allen, I'll have to admit he isn't the prospect I think he is. If we take him at 27 are the doubters prepared to admit they were wrong?

 

[jobberone]

I'd groom him for an ILB job so fast everyone's head would spin. He can carry 245 easy on that frame and still be one of the fastest LBs ever. I'd start him at the Mo and be looking to move him to Mike. He could be a three down player. It's not that big a move to learn the keys of an ILB. In one year you could say goodbye forever to Carpenter. And I've defended Carpenter all this last year. He's a pretty good 3rd down LB.

 

[Thatkidbob]

I'd groom him for an ILB job so fast everyone's head would spin. He can carry 245 easy on that frame and still be one of the fastest LBs ever. I'd start him at the Mo and be looking to move him to Mike. He could be a three down player. It's not that big a move to learn the keys of an ILB. In one year you could say goodbye forever to Carpenter. And I've defended Carpenter all this last year. He's a pretty good 3rd down LB.

I kind of agree...

I like him way more as a linebacker than as a safety.

Still though, he's got that workout warrior stink on him, which makes me wary of Mays. I'd rather some other team experiment with him...

 

[Avery]

Still don't want him regardless of how fast he is - his tape speaks volumes about his play.

He's not a centerfielder type - he just wants to blow people up instead of defend the pass.

 

[Hostile]

Imagine Jason Williams and Mays at ILB in a few years. Talk about fast ILBs.

 

[JBS]

Let me first start off by saying I am NEITHER for NOR against Taylor Mays. I will be upfront and honest and admit I do not know enough about him to cast judgement. Here is a blurb from nfldraftcountdown on Mays..I dont follow too many different draft sites but my favorite is nfldraftcountdown (mainly because it is all I know)

There was some electricity in the air after USC S Taylor Mays reportedly ran a 4.24 forty this morning, followed by a 4.34 on his second attempt. Needless to say a 6-3, 230 pound prospect running that sort of time sent shockwaves across NFL Draft message boards, Twitter and all along Al Davis' spine. But as Lee Corso likes to say: “Not so fast my friend”. When the “official” times came in they only had Mays listed at 4.43. So what gives? In my opinion, that “official” time is wrong. I personally timed Mays on both attempts then went back and timed the first one again for good measure. On my stopwatch I had Mays sub-4.3 all three times. Also, the NFL Network synced up Mays’ run with those of Jacoby Ford and Trindon Holliday, who “officially” ran times of 4.28 and 4.34 respectively. Mays finished right between them.

In my opinion Mays was legitimately in the high-4.2’s or low-4.3’s. So what does this do for his stock? It certainly doesn’t hurt! On one hand Mays was expected to work out extremely well so this isn’t a total shocker but to see it with your own eyes is kind of a different ballgame. I have never hopped off of the Taylor Mays bandwagon or drank the “Hatorade” like others and I still feel he is a Top 20 pick. After showcasing that freakish blend of size, speed and athleticism in front of so many NFL decision makers in Indy I would be shocked if Mays dropped out of the first round like some have speculated. One way or another Taylor Mays ranks right up there with the 2010 Scouting Combine’s most impressive performers.

 

[AdamJT13]

For whatever reason, the Combine uses a hand start and an electronic finish for 40-yard dash times. So it's not at all surprising to see that big of a difference between his unofficial time and his "official" time.

 

[Hostile]

For whatever reason, the Combine uses a hand start and an electronic finish for 40-yard dash times. So it's not at all surprising to see that big of a difference between his unofficial time and his "official" time.

I think that every team would benefit from electronic starts and finishes, so I don't know why they still hand start. So I have a question.

Could the Cowboys set up an electronic start that is theirs only?

 

[ThreeSportStar80]

Work out warrior, everyone knew he would run fast. I'm still not a fan of Mays.

 

[ThreeSportStar80]

Imagine Jason Williams and Mays at ILB in a few years. Talk about fast ILBs.

Wow inside linebacker? That might actually work...

 

[Hoofbite]

I think that every team would benefit from electronic starts and finishes, so I don't know why they still hand start. So I have a question.

Could the Cowboys set up an electronic start that is theirs only?

Would it be worth it?

I mean, most people are pretty much in agreement about what is fast and what isn't.

Even without the clocks, you'd have guys sticking out.

Interesting thought and I have no clue why they they time the way they do. Not really sure that Dallas would get that great of an advantage from knowing the exact time as opposed to what people generally accept.

 

[masomenos]

Wow inside linebacker? That might actually work...

It's not something I had really considered either but it really could work. I don't like Mays as a safety prospect, an ILB is a totally different story though. He's definitely athletic enough to cover TE's in space and there is no question about his run support ability. With Bradie James' contract ending in 2011, picking up an athletic guy like Mays could make a lot of sense.

Interesting.

 

[ThreeSportStar80]

It's not something I had really considered either but it really could work. I don't like Mays as a safety prospect, an ILB is a totally different story though. He's definitely athletic enough to cover TE's in space and there is no question about his run support ability. With Bradie James' contract ending in 2011, picking up an athletic guy like Mays could make a lot of sense.

Interesting.

Yep, he needs to improve his coverage abilities though.

 

[Eskimo]

The only thing is that he would have to be considered a bit of a project if you were wanting to play him at ILB. There will be no tape of his LB instincts and one has to wonder if he is physical enough to move from safety to 3-4 ILB as it is a different mentality.

I wouldn't say throw him off the board but I also don't want to draft a project in the first round.

 

[DandyDon1722]

Where is Rich Eisen in that clip?


Here is this year's attempt, using same technology as the clip above.

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-combine/09000d5d816b2dca/Rich-Eisen-s-40-yd-dash

Wimbo...sorry but Herschel stole that "carrying the ball" line from John McKay when he coached the awful Bucs in the 70's. Credit where credit due.

His two other famous lines...

Coach, what do you think about your team's execution today?" "I'm all for it."


McKay - "Well we didn't block at all today but we made up for it by not tackling."

He was priceless.

 

[SLATEmosphere]

Imagine Jason Williams and Mays at ILB in a few years. Talk about fast ILBs.

And we would get ran all over.

 

[Woods]

The only thing is that he would have to be considered a bit of a project if you were wanting to play him at ILB. There will be no tape of his LB instincts and one has to wonder if he is physical enough to move from safety to 3-4 ILB as it is a different mentality.

I wouldn't say throw him off the board but I also don't want to draft a project in the first round.

I agree with you.

If I were to draft Mays, it would be for a LB position, not Safety. And if that were the case, and since it would be a project, I wouldn't spend a 1st rounder. I'd consider a 2nd rounder, however.

 

[burmafrd]

Question is that as a LB he would have to be not only aggressive but tackle very well. I do not see that he is all that as a tackler.

 

[jimmy40]

Wow, really? I thought they just ran when the were ready.

they do, they just have to be completely still before they go.