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Cheesehead
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Thursday, April 1, 2010
USC safety Mays fails to impress in workout
Pete Dougherty is covering the road to the NFL draft for the Press-Gazette. Check the Insiders Blog every weekday for updates.
Taylor Mays' Pro Day workout Wednesday apparently left at least some NFL scouts still wary about the USC safety as a first-round draft pick despite his incredible combination of size and speed.
The Packers no doubt have looked hard into Mays as a candidate for the No. 23 pick overall, especially considering their need at safety. The question is whether he can cover well enough to play safety in the NFL or at least warrant being selected that high.
A report by SI.com panned Mays' performance in position drills at the USC campus Wednesday. It said he "looked very robotic, uneasy and off-balance while breaking to the ball. He struggled changing direction at full speed and was asked to repeat drills on a few occasions."
At the NFL scouting combine, Mays measured in at 6-feet-3 1/8 and 230 pounds, which is huge for a safety, and according to the official combine master list released to teams was timed as fast as 4.31 seconds in the 40-yard dash. That's an incredible combination of size and speed for the position.
However, there are serious questions about Mays' ability to cover and play the ball --he had only five interceptions as a four-year starter. Some teams are concerned he's another Roy Williams, who was the No. 8 pick overall by Dallas in the 1992 draft who now plays for Cleveland and has been a major disappointment because of his limitations in coverage.
Some teams figure to be looking at Mays as a WILL linebacker for a 4-3 scheme. Anyone drafting him as a safety will have to use him predominanty in the box, though at times he'd have to play deep no matter the scheme.
-- Pete Dougherty, [email protected]
USC safety Mays fails to impress in workout
Pete Dougherty is covering the road to the NFL draft for the Press-Gazette. Check the Insiders Blog every weekday for updates.
Taylor Mays' Pro Day workout Wednesday apparently left at least some NFL scouts still wary about the USC safety as a first-round draft pick despite his incredible combination of size and speed.
The Packers no doubt have looked hard into Mays as a candidate for the No. 23 pick overall, especially considering their need at safety. The question is whether he can cover well enough to play safety in the NFL or at least warrant being selected that high.
A report by SI.com panned Mays' performance in position drills at the USC campus Wednesday. It said he "looked very robotic, uneasy and off-balance while breaking to the ball. He struggled changing direction at full speed and was asked to repeat drills on a few occasions."
At the NFL scouting combine, Mays measured in at 6-feet-3 1/8 and 230 pounds, which is huge for a safety, and according to the official combine master list released to teams was timed as fast as 4.31 seconds in the 40-yard dash. That's an incredible combination of size and speed for the position.
However, there are serious questions about Mays' ability to cover and play the ball --he had only five interceptions as a four-year starter. Some teams are concerned he's another Roy Williams, who was the No. 8 pick overall by Dallas in the 1992 draft who now plays for Cleveland and has been a major disappointment because of his limitations in coverage.
Some teams figure to be looking at Mays as a WILL linebacker for a 4-3 scheme. Anyone drafting him as a safety will have to use him predominanty in the box, though at times he'd have to play deep no matter the scheme.
-- Pete Dougherty, [email protected]