Eric Berry vs. Taylor Mays

[RealSNR]

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?

[htismaqe]

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.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

Look at the article I put up.

Yeah, that's crazy. I didn't know that. I've always looked at him as a pure safety.

[Gadzooks]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

He could potentially play WLB in a 4-3. But he could definitely be a nickel backer. No, he won't ever play LB in a 3-4, but he could play LB in other defensive schemes.

We both know his talents would be wasted at WLB.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by Gadzooks

We both know his talents would be wasted at WLB.

I personally think his talent would be wasted if you put him at any one position. I'd play him all over the place - wherever I thought he created the best matchup on any given down.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by Gadzooks

We both know his talents would be wasted at WLB.

You don't just put him at Will, you use him like a defensive Marshall Faulk. You blitz with him, you use him as a nickel corner, you have him cover the deep middle, you use him on a TE or slot guy, you use him as a zone blitzer, whatever.

He's so athletic and so versatile that limiting him to one scheme is doing your team a disservice.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

You don't just put him at Will, you use him like a defensive Marshall Faulk. You blitz with him, you use him as a nickel corner, you have him cover the deep middle, you use him on a TE or slot guy, you use him as a zone blitzer, whatever.

He's so athletic and so versatile that limiting him to one scheme is doing your team a disservice.

+1

[ILChief]

Mays and Berry are both fine players. If I had my choice we'd draft Russell Okung and move Albert to the right. Albert is a serviceable left tackle but not an elite one. He'd be a helluva right tackle. Then our O line looks a lot better and we can actually move the ball and give out QBs time.

[DaKCMan AP]

From everything I've seen Mays is an athletic freak whereas Berry is a playmaker who's always around the ball.

[Nightfyre]

Originally Posted by ILChief

Mays and Berry are both fine players. If I had my choice we'd draft Russell Okung and move Albert to the right. Albert is a serviceable left tackle but not an elite one. He'd be a helluva right tackle. Then our O line looks a lot better and we can actually move the ball and give out QBs time.

Good god. You took a perfectly good thread about drafting once in a generation safety talent and turned it into another truefan draft-a-lineman-#1-overall-when you-have-your franchise-lt-already thread.
Posted via Mobile Device

[ILChief]

Originally Posted by Nightfyre

Good god. You took a perfectly good thread about drafting once in a generation safety talent and turned it into another truefan draft-a-lineman-#1-overall-when you-have-your franchise-lt-already thread.
Posted via Mobile Device

ha. i doubt either of them are "once in a lifetime" and Albert is far from a franchise LT.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by DaKCMan AP

From everything I've seen Mays is an athletic freak whereas Berry is a playmaker who's always around the ball.

That's because Mays doesn't play in the SEC.

[RealSNR]

Originally Posted by ILChief

Mays and Berry are both fine players. If I had my choice we'd draft Russell Okung and move Albert to the right. Albert is a serviceable left tackle but not an elite one. He'd be a helluva right tackle. Then our O line looks a lot better and we can actually move the ball and give out QBs time.

No.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by ILChief

Mays and Berry are both fine players. If I had my choice we'd draft Russell Okung and move Albert to the right. Albert is a serviceable left tackle but not an elite one. He'd be a helluva right tackle. Then our O line looks a lot better and we can actually move the ball and give out QBs time.

We could make our line look better, move the ball, and give our QB's time without spending another 1st round pick on a tackle...

[ILChief]

Originally Posted by SNR

No.

Yes.

[ILChief]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

We could make our line look better, move the ball, and give our QB's time without spending another 1st round pick on a tackle...

Well, we could improve our safeties who arent that bad to begin with without drafting another one in the first. I'd rank safety near the bottom of our needs. We need offensive linemen, wide receivers, pass rushers, and a nose tackle MUCH more than a safety.