NFL Draft Eric Berry vs. Taylor Mays

**RealSNR** · 09-14-2009, 06:08 PM

No, I'm not giving up on this season. This team isn't going to the playoffs. Plain and simple. But I'm still going to watch them and be encouraged by any progress I see. So if you want to bitch at me for starting a draft thread this early, go **** yourself in the eye with a sharp stick.

I've seen a couple Tennessee and USC games from last season. Taylor Mays looks MUCH better to me. He hits hard, wraps up, and is an athletic freak. Most boards I see though have Berry going before him. Granted, I'm not an NFL talent scout, but why is that?

Also, it would seem to me that this defense needs a big playmaker and that Taylor Mays is the perfect kind of athlete to fill that position versus a guy like Berry. Which one would be best for this team if we had an opportunity to draft either player this spring?

**doomy3** · 09-14-2009, 06:12 PM

Eric Berry is more of a playmaker. He is an Ed Reed type. I would much rather have him.

Mays is a freakish athlete for sure, but Berry is the playmaker.

htismaqe · 09-14-2009, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by doomy3

Eric Berry is more of a playmaker. He is an Ed Reed type. I would much rather have him.

Mays is a freakish athlete for sure, but Berry is the playmaker.

In this kind of a defense though, a guy with Mays' versatility is VERY intriguing. He allows for matchups that traditional safeties, even guys as talented as Berry, might not be capable of handling.

This will become more true as NFL offenses continue to evolve in response to the offensive players coming out of college.

htismaqe · 09-14-2009, 06:14 PM

Mays is a freak. He's got high upside and he's very versatile. With him, it's about his indirect contribution to the unit - he gives you the ability to do different things with the guys around him.

Berry is more of a football player. It's not that he's not athletic, he's just very smart and very disciplined. He's got a real nose for the ball. With him you're probably going to get a more direct contribution via interceptions and such, but he doesn't have the versatility that Mays does.

I don't really care at this point. Either of them would be great for the Chiefs.

KCrockaholic · 09-14-2009, 06:37 PM

I wont get in on this and judge until later in the season but I become more excited about Berry everytime I watch his games. I need to see more out of Mays at this point, but I wont put one over the other yet.

**Gadzooks** · 09-14-2009, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kcrockaholic4life

I wont get in on this and judge until later in the season but I become more excited about Berry everytime I watch his games. I need to see more out of Mays at this point, but I wont put one over the other yet.

It's awfully high to take a safety, but, if I had to pick one I’d go with Berry.
Mays height, weight and slender build will make him more susceptible to injury, IMO, plus the fact that he hasn’t truly been let loose (due to USC’s defensive system), makes it foggier in terms of what he’s capable of doing.
Berry seems like the safer pick + the guy’s proven to be a ****in’ freak. Easy.

BTW - Moore seemed like a sure 1st round pick this time last year.

'Hamas' Jenkins · 09-14-2009, 06:48 PM

Taylor Mays can play any position in the back 7. He's that freakish. With that said, neither one is poor choice.

KCrockaholic · 09-14-2009, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

Taylor Mays can play any position in the back 7. He's that freakish. With that said, neither one is poor choice.

Do you think he could be a pass rusher in the 3-4 in the NFL? He would be a very small OLB in the 3-4. I could see Mike or Buck.

**Gadzooks** · 09-14-2009, 06:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kcrockaholic4life

Do you think he could be a pass rusher in the 3-4 in the NFL? He would be a very small OLB in the 3-4. I could see Mike or Buck.

He'd be about 50 lbs underweight these days.

KCrockaholic · 09-14-2009, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gadzooks

He'd be about 50 lbs underweight these days.

Thats what I was thinking. I can see him playing 6 different positions on defense. Im just wondering if anyone thinks he could be a good pass rushing LB.

'Hamas' Jenkins · 09-14-2009, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gadzooks

He'd be about 50 lbs underweight these days.

He's 230 lbs. The nutritionists at USC have said multiple times that they have to watch his nutrition and lifting very closely, because if they don't, he just packs on muscle. His dad was a DT. He can very easily put 30-40 lbs on his frame and play as an OLB, but that's not the point.

He's sturdy enough to do it in situations, a la Polamalu, and he hits like a ****ing mack truck, a la MLBs.

There's a lot more to Mays than just looking at his height/weight/40.

When you think about ways to use Mays, you almost need to think about how the Rams used Marshall Faulk. He's that versatile.

**Buehler445** · 09-14-2009, 07:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

He's 230 lbs. The nutritionists at USC have said multiple times that they have to watch his nutrition and lifting very closely, because if they don't, he just packs on muscle. His dad was a DT. He can very easily put 30-40 lbs on his frame and play as an OLB, but that's not the point.

He's sturdy enough to do it in situations, a la Polamalu, and he hits like a ****ing mack truck, a la MLBs.

There's a lot more to Mays than just looking at his height/weight/40.

When you think about ways to use Mays, you almost need to think about how the Rams used Marshall Faulk. He's that versatile.

WTF?

htismaqe · 09-14-2009, 07:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

When you think about ways to use Mays, you almost need to think about how the Rams used Marshall Faulk. He's that versatile.

That's why I used the word "intriguing" before. In the right hands, he could be that shiny new toy that Marshall was for the Rams. You could find ways to use a guy like that that kind of defy conventional defensive thinking.

And like I said before, I do think this will eventually become necessary as NFL offenses evolve. As more and more college teams move to spread and option offenses, NFL offenses are going to be forced to adapt or there's simply not going to be enough players to draw from.

That being said, college defenses are starting to catch up and you're going to see more guys like this come along.

Mecca · 09-14-2009, 07:15 PM

Taylor Mays is never going to jump off the screen at you when you watch games because of what he's asked to do.

He's a very scheme disciplined player and he's basically used to let the other players make plays because he can do the job of 2 guys by himself.

Direckshun · 09-14-2009, 07:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mecca

Taylor Mays is never going to jump off the screen at you when you watch games because of what he's asked to do.

He's a very scheme disciplined player and he's basically used to let the other players make plays because he can do the job of 2 guys by himself.

What's your read on Berry?

09-14-2009, 06:08 PM	Topic Starter
RealSNR Special Teams ACE!!! Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Where the hell is SNR Casino cash: $-1574792	Eric Berry vs. Taylor Mays No, I'm not giving up on this season. This team isn't going to the playoffs. Plain and simple. But I'm still going to watch them and be encouraged by any progress I see. So if you want to bitch at me for starting a draft thread this early, go **** yourself in the eye with a sharp stick. I've seen a couple Tennessee and USC games from last season. Taylor Mays looks MUCH better to me. He hits hard, wraps up, and is an athletic freak. Most boards I see though have Berry going before him. Granted, I'm not an NFL talent scout, but why is that? Also, it would seem to me that this defense needs a big playmaker and that Taylor Mays is the perfect kind of athlete to fill that position versus a guy like Berry. Which one would be best for this team if we had an opportunity to draft either player this spring?
Posts: 93,454

09-14-2009, 06:12 PM	#2
doomy3 Supporter Join Date: Aug 2005 Casino cash: $3123539	Eric Berry is more of a playmaker. He is an Ed Reed type. I would much rather have him. Mays is a freakish athlete for sure, but Berry is the playmaker.
Posts: 12,880

09-14-2009, 06:14 PM	#4
htismaqe 'Tis my eye! Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Chiefsplanet Casino cash: $8099900	Mays is a freak. He's got high upside and he's very versatile. With him, it's about his indirect contribution to the unit - he gives you the ability to do different things with the guys around him. Berry is more of a football player. It's not that he's not athletic, he's just very smart and very disciplined. He's got a real nose for the ball. With him you're probably going to get a more direct contribution via interceptions and such, but he doesn't have the versatility that Mays does. I don't really care at this point. Either of them would be great for the Chiefs.
Posts: 104,421

09-14-2009, 06:37 PM	#5
KCrockaholic Sarcasm Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Olathe Casino cash: $3292900	I wont get in on this and judge until later in the season but I become more excited about Berry everytime I watch his games. I need to see more out of Mays at this point, but I wont put one over the other yet.
Posts: 21,179

09-14-2009, 06:48 PM	#7
'Hamas' Jenkins Now you've pissed me off! Join Date: Jan 2006 Casino cash: $7129572	Taylor Mays can play any position in the back 7. He's that freakish. With that said, neither one is poor choice. __________________ "When the Know-Nothings get control, it will read 'all men are created equal, except negroes, and foreigners, and Catholics.' When it comes to this I should prefer emigrating to some country where they make no pretense of loving liberty – to Russia, for instance, where despotism can be taken pure, and without the base alloy of hypocrisy.”--Abraham Lincoln
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09-14-2009, 07:15 PM	#14
Mecca Hockey Town Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Kansas City, Missouri Casino cash: $-742950	Taylor Mays is never going to jump off the screen at you when you watch games because of what he's asked to do. He's a very scheme disciplined player and he's basically used to let the other players make plays because he can do the job of 2 guys by himself.
Posts: 115,382