I'm kidding. We have approximately 360 days until the 2010 NFL Draft, and I'm all for the draft talk, especially when we have 2 first rounders, but I cannot hear people talking about Terrence Cody and Taylor Mays as if they are the 49ers saviors for the better part of a year. Of course I'm not going to simply say that and not back it up. So here we go.
Terrence Cody: everyone on the zone loves Cody or Mount Cody as you lovers call him for his "great size" listed at 6'5'' and 365. What many people don't realize is that his size is also his biggest weakness. The guy should probably be listed at around 385 after not eating for a week. The issue with a guy of that size is that he almost automatically becomes a two down player, which is a major issue. He has 5.5 speed at best and has limited to no pass rush moves. He is a huge player who got made to look better because he is on a defense that was great. He played worse and worse by the end of the season because no 380 pound man can hold up for 16 games, not to mention he has some injury problems. He was only a star prospect coming out of H.S. because besides his size(which can be his blessing or his poison) he has nothing going for him. He will attract the occasional double team in the pros due to his size, but he lacks the strength and push that he should have at 380. All in all, No two down player, with no control over his weight, and an extremely limited pass-rush repertoire should be a high first round pick, and should not go to a team, the 49ers, who do not have the luxury of drafting a two down player with BUST written all over his massive 400 pound body.
Taylor Mays: People see Taylor Mays at 6'3'' 235 and possible 4.35 speed and go goo-goo gah gah. He has amazing size, speed, and can lay the wood like few safety's can, the issue with his game is he lacks the most important element of an NFL Free safety's game. Ball Skills. The skill sets he posses are good, but only become great/useful when you combine them with the ball-hawking element that all great NFL FS's have. Mays had 1 INT in the last two years, and I don't want to hear that USC used to him deep to prevent the long pass. Look at the two best Safety's in the game, Troy Polamalu and Ed Reed, and you see guys who have a nose for the ball. Two guys who are always around the ball making plays with their amazing ball skills. you don't see off the chart size-speed combinations, Both are 5'10'' or 5'11'' 200-210 pounds and both ran in the low 4.5's. FS is a cover first position that should be judged based on ball-skills not speed and size.
My resolution: if you want to draft a NT and a FS in this years draft. Look into NDAMUKONG SUH and ERIC BERRY.
[ Edited by SmithGore on Apr 29, 2009 at 11:07 AM ]
