Taylor Mays S

[Sub-Zero]

I know most of you want to draft a WR in the first, and that's understandable but hear me out for a minute. I've had the privilege to watch Taylor Mays, a great safety prospect from USC. He's huge for a safety, 6'3 230 lbs and he combines that with ridiculous speed (4.25 speed! ). Dare I say he's the best prospect coming out of college since Sean Taylor (R.I.P!). Just imagine Roy Williams with coverage skillz!! then wake up and realize Roy Williams will never be able to cover anything, ever

USC is a team built on speed, in fact their speed is so great they rarely have to stack the box to stop the run. So Mays is mainly assigned to cover the deep ball and that has translated into one of the best passing defenses college football has seen in awhile. His coverage skills are excellent, and with his size and athleticism he is great in jump ball situations. He's also got the reputation of being one of the hardest hitting players in college.

Now how would he fit in Rex Ryan's scheme? like a glove, thats how! he can be moved around on all spots in the secondary and even have him play some LB. Ryan has a bunch of options. He has the tools to become an all star NFL LB, but the coaches would have to make a bold decision and of course May would have to be willing. Let's just stick to moving him around all over the place and confusing the offense.

The Ravens has always pride itself on finding great players on defense, and now that Reed and Lewis is getting up there in age, though aren't really playing like it yet, we have a chance to maintain a great defensive team not only for the present but for the future. Building around Ngata, Sizzle, Mays sounds like a great idea doesn't it?

[coordinator0]

I really like Mays as a prospect too, but do we really need another safety? Right now we have six on the roster, and I believe four of them are under contract until next season +. Three of those safety's are under 26 years of age (not counting Landry and Stone). If we would utilize him as more of an OLB I'd be all for it, even more so because of our LB situation for next year. I really doubt that he will fall to us though, he's such a good prospect. Sean Taylor went 5th overall I believe, there's no reason that he wouldn't.

[CARavensFan]

Mays has been a beast of a player, living in Southern California I get to watch him often, he loves to dole out the big hits and yet is quick enough to move around and play coverage. I would love it if the Ravens picked him up, but I don't think he will be available where we pick next year nor do I think we will need him, as sad as that might be. I think we may have picked up our safeties for at least the next few years nad I wouldn't see us picking up someone like Mays until Reed was getting near the end of his career.

[Sub-Zero]

I don't care if we have 30 safeties on the roster, you just can't pass up an opportunity to draft a stud like Mays, he's the type of player that changes the face of the defense. I know we probably won't get him, but maybe Ozzie has a few tricks up his sleeve. It helps that he doesn't really put up eye popping numbers hopefully teams are dumb enough to pass him up. I know wishful thinking!!!

[itscbm5042]

We drafted Nakamura and Zbikowski I don't care how good the player is we don't need another safety that is like saying if Graham Harrell is available you have to take him you can't pass up talent like that! No safeties. We need corners and receivers. Honestly I would be thrilled with 5 out of the 7 rounds having either a corner or WR taken it is the only real hole on this team.

[Sub-Zero]

so out of the 5 of 7 rounds being WR's and CB's, whats the harm in drafting Mays in the 1st

[Moderator 9]

solid prospect, no doubt....but there's no need here. the best thing to do if he's available when we pick is to listen to trade back offers. certainly other teams out there would love to get this kid.....and if he's available at our spot, we don't need him....teams will be blowing up our phones.

[Bullrush]

He reminds me of Darnell Bing. Too big to play safety in the NFL, he doesn't have the hips to turn and cover quick receivers. He will probably play WLB in the NFL, and you don't draft a guy like that in the 1st round. I wouldn't draft him in the first 2 rounds period, i think he's overrated. Ozzie doesn't draft speed/size guys in the 1st round anyway.

Besides we already have 2 starters and 2 young safeties in Zbikowski and Nakamura with lots of upside. And there's also Leonhard. Safety is the least thing we should worry about next season. We need a CB or a WR in the 1st round.

[itscbm5042]

Give me Maclin in the first and Macho Harris in the 2nd. If Mays is there in the 3rd round (which he won't) then we can take him but Priority 1 and 2 is a CB and a WR.

[Sub-Zero]

Bing is more of a run stuffer, attack the line of scrimmage type of player and is a liability in coverage. He's also had major health issues dating back to his days at USC.

Mays almost exclusively plays in coverage, patrolling the deep passes. There's a reason why USC doesn't give up huge pass plays and why USC has one of the best defenses college football has seen.

[CARavensFan]

[quote name='Sub-Zero' post='87723' date='Nov 10 2008, 12:13 PM']Mays almost exclusively plays in coverage, patrolling the deep passes. There's a reason why USC doesn't give up huge pass plays and why USC has one of the best defenses college football has seen.[/quote]

That's not completely true, he plays up and helps in the run at times, along with Ellison, they're both just fast enough that they don't have to cheat up on the line to do, they can make it up to the line from the deep position on a running game and lay out opposing RBs.

[Devastat1on]

at 6'3 with 4.25 speed, could he possibly play corner?

With Z and Nakamura, we really dont need another safety..

[neepo13]

[quote name='Bullrush' post='87582' date='Nov 10 2008, 01:49 AM']He reminds me of Darnell Bing. Too big to play safety in the NFL, he doesn't have the hips to turn and cover quick receivers. He will probably play WLB in the NFL, and you don't draft a guy like that in the 1st round. I wouldn't draft him in the first 2 rounds period, i think he's overrated. Ozzie doesn't draft speed/size guys in the 1st round anyway.

Besides we already have 2 starters and 2 young safeties in Zbikowski and Nakamura with lots of upside. And there's also Leonhard. Safety is the least thing we should worry about next season. We need a CB or a WR in the 1st round.[/quote]

Wasnt Urlacher a converted safety. Or did he make the change to lb before he left college.

[Sub-Zero]

I think I remember reading he was a LB/S hybrid who also took some snaps on the D-line, and even as a TE/WR and was the return specialist for New Mexico.

[PuRock]

[quote name='neepo13' post='91992' date='Nov 16 2008, 11:57 PM']Wasnt Urlacher a converted safety. Or did he make the change to lb before he left college.[/quote]

I could see him playing safety before he started using Swagger a scent by Old Spice.

[CARavensFan]

[quote name='PuRock' post='92166' date='Nov 17 2008, 01:30 PM']I could see him playing safety before he started using Swagger a scent by Old Spice.[/quote]