DawgTalkers.net Forums The Archives 2013 NFL Season NFL Draft (2013) If Berry Is Gone, Let's Look At Other Options at Safety

There are actually more Safties in this draft besides Eric Berry.

I can't see us moving up to get Berry and it looks like Berry may not even be there at our pick at #7. The reason I'm starting this thread hinges on the fact that McNabb just got traded to the Skins and it looks like Claussen may very well fall to us.

We know what MH has said about "wishing he could find more to like about Claussen", but we have no idea if that is or is not a smokescreen in all honesty. Now somebody could jump up and trade for a pick ahead of us to get Claussen but I don't see a "need" at the QB position after the Skins and before our pick. But if some FO really believes we may take Claussen, they may just trade up above us to secure him.

At any rate, I have seen it floated around that we may trade down and if a team like the Jags have a desire to get Claussen, they may be worried that Buffalo could take Clussen ahead of them and be looking for a trade. We may very well have a chance to trade down to a team like the Jags. I know Buffalo needs a LT, but most have at least the first two LT's off the board by the #10 pick and now that the Skins have McNabb, that's even more likely.

So would Buffalo pick the third best LT in this draft or Claussen? Not saying it's likely, but it is an intersting scenario IMO



If we do, that would land us at the #10 position. There are two trains of thought I've seen floated around. One is to draft Earl Thomas who is a CB and make him a S. The other train of thought is to draft Taylor Mays. Mays is a "true S" already and could be a tweener and line up at either the S or OLB position in the three four. Switching where he lines up in different D formations.

Mays has freakish size and speed for a S and sounds like a very tempting choice there. The kid is huge and fast. There are positives and negatives on the kid as with most all draft choices but how MH sees him is anybody's guess.

I would like for posters who are interested to look at both Thomas and Mays and give your input.

Here are their measurables that I have found at................

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/prospectrankings


Earl Thomas CB Texas 5-10 202lbs. 4.43 40 speed

Taylor Mays FS Southern California 6-3 230lbs. 4.31 40 speed

Speed and size isn't everything. Measurables aren't everything. I'm not going to bother with scouting reports because depending where you look, they change just like the weather.



But if put at the #10 spot, do you feel either is worth the investment? And if you believe they are, please state which one and why you feel that way.

I'll be up front and say I think Mays would be. We have two legit. starting CB's now and I'd like to see a kid with this size and speed come in here. He could be a real playmaker and difference maker on D. Sort of like a Polomalu.

We haven't seen anything close to what this kid could become since Eric Turner IMO

We need a true playmaker and difference maker like that on this team and this kid could turn out to be the real deal IMO.

I know we need other positions and that there are S later in the draft. But just for grins let's compare these two and see what we think of these two as "plan B" in the first.

Mays is a freakish athlete who isn't a very good nor polished football player. No way in hell would we pick Mays at # 10. Second round gamble??? Sure every coach thinks they can finally get through his thick head and make him realize his potential.

Thomas is a very good athlete who is a a very good football player. I can actually see us staying at 7 and taking him, but I agree that a trade down to 10 would still probably land us Earl.

Some very respected draft "gurus" (Mike Mayock) actually have Thomas rated over Berry. I don't agree with that, but he is certainly a much better prospect than Mays. You know what they actually do with pads on counts, and Mays with all of his freakish athletic ability did very little.

I take Thomas 10 times out of 10, and so would every GM in football. I guarantee you Thomas is off the board way before Mays is. Now if we trade down to the mid 20s??? Then Mays is an option, becuase that is where he will go..........no where near the top 10.

Pitt, Earl Thomas played, I'm fairly certain, 3 years at FS.

Yes he did. Dude is a straight ball hawk, and as I said earlier some have him rated over Berry. Again I don't agree with that, but if your wanting a pure FS Thomas is as good as any to come out in a long time. Casserly said on NFL network that Bery and Thomas are both better in his opinion than the previous safeties who were picked in the top 10 (Williams,Taylor, and Landry).......that's pretty big praise.

I can't believe we are actually having a thread about taking Mays over Earl Thomas...lol. That would be a draft blunder on par with the biggest draft blunders of the past decade..lol.

I agree with you 100%. We don't need Mays, we need a ball hawk.

Not to nitpick, but he only played two years. He left after his RS Sophomore year.

I'm starting to come around on Thomas to an extent, but I would have a very difficult time taking him before 15, and I would struggle with it then.

Mays is a 2nd round player to me.

Pit- I think the question is more like, are they worth it at the 7 spot?

Trading back is easier said than done. We all wanna do it if our guy is gone, but you need a partner to dance.

I'm thinking the biggest chance we have to move back is if Berry is gone, and there's been a run on OT's. There's a few teams who could risk the picks for one. But moving back a few spots if Berry is gone could be just a pipe dream.

I would see no way to draft Earl Thomas or Mays at 10. I would rather trade down again into the 20's to get Mays if that was the plan. Even though Mays is a physical freak, I watched him and he strugfgles mightily in Coverage..Not that he can't cover, he just blows assignments and at times looks really confused. Not big on Earl Thomas and Mike Mayock started the whole Thomas hype thing. I can actually see Clausen slipping into the 2nd round...I predict he goes to KC in round 2. I believe the only solid 1st round QB is Bradford.

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But if put at the #10 spot, do you feel either is worth the investment? And if you believe they are, please state which one and why you feel that way.

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I like Haden better than either of these guys and in that scenario (if he was still available) I take Haden and move Brown to safety. There are some pretty good safety options at the 2nd and 3rd round range as well.

IMO at that spot those two guys aren't BPA.

Not saying I'd grab Mays at #7 but in the long run, Mays is gonna have a better pro career than alot of guys drafted before him, Mays isnt a standout Safety like Berry but he's good enough for the pro's , Mays isnt gonna step right in and be a start but he can with a learning curve be a very good safety for years to come, I wouldnt have a problem trading down in the first, and taking Mays, He will not be there in the 2nd round, somebody in the mid to late picks will take a chance on Mays Maybe even at # 21 with Cincinnati

I can't get into the safety debate much.. But I did have a funny thought..

MH said, " I wish I liked Clausen more" and we all automatically assumed that it meant he didn't like him enough to draft him..

But what if he completed the quote this way.."I wish I liked Clausen more, but that would be impossible because I love the kid"

Just a what if to ponder

If we do, that would land us at the #10 position. There are two trains of thought I've seen floated around. One is to draft Earl Thomas who is a CB and make him a S. The other train of thought is to draft Taylor Mays. Mays is a "true S" already and could be a tweener and line up at either the S or OLB position in the three four. Switching where he lines up in different D formations.


Lets just eliminate Mays from any discussions.. he doesn't have the instincts and takes too many bad angles ..just think of Andra Davis playing SS..and thats Mays..
Like I said Thomas is not top value @ 7 but the problem is he is a better S than Mays is..
I wouldn't be ticked if they actually did it..but if they took Mays (I'm concerned Genius likes him) I would be ticked .

thomas, berry, and allen will likely be gone by our 2nd rounder, mays, jones, burnet in the second, when you start getting into the likes of major wright and later, myron rolle.

at 10, thomas or berry are fine....even at 7. thomas isn't much of a run support safety, but has excellent ball skills to justify the pick. he wont make it past pitt....

mays is roy williams all over again....great talent, not enough instinct to get it done.

One guy I wouldn't mind seeing drafted in the 5th round is Barry Church. I watched one Toledo game this year and the guy was all over the place making plays.

I'm sure others have seen him more often and have a better read on the guy but I was pretty impressed.

Chad Jones is a guy I don't see many here talk about.

Scouting report from CBSsports.com

Maybe could be there in the 3rd?