Taylor Mays, USC (1 Viewer)

[Birdie048]

There was a report that Taylor Mays is a big hitter and solid tackler, but lacks good coverage skills to make it in the NFL. Maybe a change to LB is a good thing for his career.

http://www.draftinsider.net/blog/?p=740

Will a great combine workout save Taylor Mays plummeting draft stock? Not likely according to those we’ve spoken with. Evidently the USC people were forewarning scouts prior to the Senior Bowl that the big safety was really going to struggle in coverage drills during the week and it was well documented he did. We took a lot of heat saying a move to outside linebacker was not out of the question for Mays. Two NFC East teams have told us they now have Mays on their draft board rated as a linebacker. The comparisons people are making range for Mays from Thomas Davis to former Trojan Darnell Bing.

That is a wide range of LB quality to consider. Thomas Davis made the transition well.... Bing I am not so sure...With his physical attributes 6'3", 230, 4.48, he could play any LB position (might need to bulk up a little for any but WLB)... but he has the speed to make things happen there.

How much would this impact his fantasy value?

Would it put him right behind, B Spikes Florida, S Kindle Tex & R McClain Ala but ahead of D Washington TCU? Top 5 LB rating?

 

[Zoomanji]

Interesting player to look at.

If NFC east teams are looking at him as OLB, I can easily narrow that down to PHI and NYG view has as an OLB. Since Dallas already does and Was is looking to move to a 3-4.

The Sirius NFL guys constantly question his speed and usefulness as anything other than a big-hitter. Roy Williams anyone?

As far as where he would rank still probably fairly high. Spikes and McClain both have to answer questions about speed and Kindle is more of a 3-4 OLB or DE so besides the TCU kid he would still be late 1st but more likely a 2nd rounder as a LB IMO.

 

[ICDogg]

It's possible but I doubt it and think it would be a mistake. Mays is fast and athletic enough to play safety at a high level. I don't think USC's scheme did him any favors, and at times made him look like he was unable to cover because he had so much ground to make up, they had him playing so deep.

I can't imagine he would be more valuable converted to playing linebacker for any team.

 

[Zoomanji]

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/czar-nf...e-rumors-030210

4. Lack of speed kills

Several scouts believe that USC safety Taylor Mays is more of a weakside linebacker than a true free safety. The scouts are concerned about his closing speed while working the secondary’s center field. It is the main reason why Mays has dropped out of the top 10 on every team’s draft boards.

Guess the initial 4.24 time in the 40 was wrong and I think the official time was then 4.48. Which isn't terrible IMO

 

[Peggy Starfish]

The people looking purely at measurables seem to have a tendency to think that he might be another Sean Taylor. Having watched him at USC, he's just not in that category of athlete or playmaker. He falls somewhere in between Taylor and Aaron Rouse.

I think he's a better strong safety than NFL free safety prospect and could possibly be a candidate for a 4-3 WLB in a cover-2 scheme.