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we will have possibly the best corner tandem in the NFL.

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The Jets might say otherwise.


Seriously, how sick is Revis, Cromartie, and now Kyle Wilson

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I personally think Cromartie sucks (primarily because he does) but there is a ton of potential in that unit. Revis is the NFL's best corner, Cromartie is an athletic freak who just doesn't give effort, and Wilson has the potential to be pretty good.

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High pick of T.J. Ward surprised many

By Steve Doerschuk
CantonRep.com staff writer
Posted Apr 23, 2010 @ 11:52 PM

BEREA — T.J. Ward was asked which safeties he would study if he could only pick two.

Without hesitating, the Cleveland Browns’ second-round pick said, “Jack Tatum and Troy Polamalu.” He had named two of the most famous safeties, past and present.

In terms of fame, though, who the heck is T.J. Ward?

He was the first of four Browns draft picks Friday. On the surface, the Oregon safety was a long reach. Pro Football Weekly had Ward rated as the 74th-best draft prospect. Longtime NFL personnel guru Gil Brandt had him stuck in a tier of players rated 91 to 100.

Even Ward, who joined the Ducks as a walk-on, said, “I’m kind of surprised I went this high.”

Browns General Manager Heckert, though, seemed completely sold on the pick. In fact, Heckert was so focused on Ward that he resisted “a few trade-down calls” to ensure getting his man.
Heckert thinks the 5-foot-11, 211-pound Ward adds needed juice to a defense that ranked 31st overall in 2009. He said Ward is a thumper whose hits can be infectious.

“No question about it,” Heckert said. “One of the first things you notice is he’s lighting people up.”

Before Ward was picked, the Browns’ top two safeties were Abe Elam, a fairly big hitter who is inconsistent in coverage, and Mike Adams, a fast but not physical free safety type.

The Mike Holmgren-Heckert regime gave up on safety Brodney Pool, a high Round 2 pick in 2005 who never quite panned out.

Durability is a concern with Ward, and Heckert surmises that might be why analysts had him rated much lower than the Browns did.

He was ticketed to be a starting cornerback in 2006 before tearing an MCL. He suffered an ankle injury in the 2009 season opener and missed five games.

Heckert said Ward checked out with the Browns medical staff.

“He’s a super-tough kid,” Heckert said. “He makes a lot of plays in the run game. We think he can cover, after working him out. We think he adds a lot to our defense.”

In mentioning Tatum, Ward revealed himself as something of a history buff. Tatum played for Ohio State’s 1968 national championship team.

“My dad talks about him a lot,” Ward said. “My dad played safety. He modeled his game after Jack Tatum. Hit everything moving. No prisoners.”

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Browns General Manager Heckert, though, seemed completely sold on the pick. In fact, Heckert was so focused on Ward that he resisted “a few trade-down calls” to ensure getting his man

Of course I'd like to know who came a calling and what their price was..

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Lol, right on.

"Hi Tom, we're willing to give you a 7th next year for your 2nd round pick."

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Risers & Sliders: Mays fails to impress in DB drills at NFL combine

Taylor Mays is fast, but scouts still question his ability on the field
Eric Berry turned in near flawless workout, solidifying his top-5 status
Poor 40 time will likely cause Joe Haden to slip in first round


Taylor Mays impressed in the 40-yard dash, but left much to be desired in field drills.
AP


INDIANAPOLIS -- NFL decision makers and scouts gathered at Lucas Oil Stadium today for the final day of the 2010 NFL Scouting Combine. They were on hand to watch the 58 defensive backs who were invited to work out.

Taylor Mays' workout at the combine will be one talked about for a long time, and with good reason. After weighing in at 230 pounds, Mays completed 24 reps on the bench press, then ran a 40 that most scouts clocked at 4.32 seconds. Normally those numbers would elevate a prospect towards the top of the draft, but we contend that won't be the case with Mays.

During drills, Mays was in poor form. As fast as he was moving forwards, Mays was terribly slow moving in reverse. It was similar to his performance at the Senior Bowl in January. Mays looked uncomfortable backpedaling during drills and one scout called his defensive back fundamentals "just bad." When asked to change direction, Mays would come to a complete stop then start up again. The contrast between Mays and players such as Earl Thomas and T.J. Ward, who lost little momentum changing direction, was striking.

Poor performances in Mobile and Indianapolis do not mean Mays won't be productive in the NFL. It does mean he will be limited to certain systems that don't require him to play man coverage or make plays sideline-to-sideline. In other words Mays is likely to go later in the draft than someone with his measurables usually would.

Risers
Eric Berry/S/Tennessee: Berry impressed scouts by weighing 212 pounds and completing 19 reps on the bench. His 40 was fast ... in the high 4.3-second area. He was near flawless in drills, displaying quick and fluid footwork moving in reverse, a terrific burst to the ball and the ability to change direction on a dime without losing momentum.

Devin McCourty/CB/Rutgers: He could come away the biggest winner among defensive backs. He was super fast, timing right around 4.40 seconds, and showed strength by pushing up 16 reps on the bench. And his skills in drills were near outstanding. McCourty now enters the conversation as a late first-round pick.

Earl Thomas/S/Texas: Teams interested in drafting Thomas breathed a sigh of relief when the red-shirt sophomore stepped on the scales and weighed 208 pounds, then completed 21 reps on the bench press. This dispelled many of the myths that Thomas lacked the size and strength to play safety in the NFL. He later ran well (4.5) and looked effective in drills.

TJ Ward/S/Oregon: Ward ran reasonably well (4.55-range) but it was his work in drills that really impressed scouts. Considered more of a straight-line defender, he displayed ball skills that exceeded expectations. Ward changed direction quickly, showed the ability to move in reverse with no hesitation and looked terrific catching the ball.

Chris Cook/CB/Virginia: The big cornerback has been steadily moving up draft boards. He weighed in at a solid 212, then ran his 40 in just under 4.5. Cook's mechanics looked significantly improved since the Senior Bowl and the imposing prospect displayed a lot of athleticism. Cook has solidified himself as a top 75 pick.

Kareem Jackson/CB/Alabama: He answered questions scouts had about his athleticism and defensive back skill set. He ran well in the 40, timing under 4.5 on stop watches. During drills Jackson displayed a quick backpedal, fluid hip movement and the ability to drive to the ball. He's likely assured himself a spot in the draft's initial 40 selections.

Sliders
Joe Haden/CB/Florida: He was really slow in the 40. His hand times of 4.58 translate into electronic times that will broach 4.65. Haden looked terrific in drills, with outstanding ball skills and showing the makings of a starter at the next level. He was projected as a potential top-eight pick, but as we saw last April with Malcolm Jenkins, cornerbacks who time poorly in the 40 are not early selections in the draft.

Donovan Warren/CB/Michigan: Warren started by struggling to get under 4.7 in the 40. He was ineffective in drills, exhibiting a poor backpedal, no burst out of his plant and an inability to change direction without losing a lot of momentum.

Chad Jones/S/LSU: Jones ran reasonably well, timing in the mid-4.5s, yet did nothing to dispel the belief he's solely a downhill safety. He was incredibly slow in reverse and displayed poor footwork. He looked a bit confused on the field and had to be stopped in drills several times to be given direction.

Dennis Rogan/CB/Tennessee: Rogan was small and slow, not a good combination at cornerback. He checked in under 5-foot-9 and could not break 4.7 in the 40. Rogan may regret leaving Tennessee a year early.

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