I read Les Bowen’s Philly.com article about USC safety Taylor Mays and couldn’t resist making some comments about the matter, since I’ve been watching Mays for a few years.
Mays would be the ideal pick for the Birds in the first round if they can move up to grab him before he’s off the board. He possesses all of the abilities which the Birds need desperately at the free safety spot.
First of all he has the speed to run with today’s NFL wide receivers. Mays has been clocked in the 4.3’s in the forty yard dash and he’s able to run down the football.
He closes on the football like a corner.
The Birds would have no problem asking him to stop receivers from getting from getting the deep ball. His size 6’3 230 pouonds would give him an advantage in jump ball situations which has become a key strategy for teams with big receivers.
Secondly, he’s a great open field tackler. He brings back the intimidation factor which was lost when Brian Dawkins left for Denver.
Receivers will drop some passes just because somebody in the secondary has a head-hunting reputation.
Finally he comes from a winning situation so he knows what it takes to prepare to win.
Targeting this young man in the first round makes a lot of sense for the Birds. Safeties are extremely valuable in these pass happy days in the NFL.
Many times you’re going to put them on an island, so you need special athletes like Mays in your secondary or you’re going to get torched back there with the likes of Macho Harris and Quintin Demps.
These guys will probably get better and the years past but I doubt they’ll ever be a true solution back there.
