2010 SB Nation NFL Mock Draft: Round 1, Pick 6
by Dan Kadar on Mar 25, 2010 9:00 PM EDT
in SB Nation Writers Mock Draft
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PrintThe 2010 SB Nation NFL Mock Draft is underway, with each SB Nation blogger making selections for their respective teams. John Morgan, lead blogger at SB Nation's Seattle Seahawks blog, Field Gulls, checks in to make the sixth overall selection in this year's mock. Take it away, sir!
With the sixth overall pick in the 2010 SB Nation NFL Mock Draft, the Seattle Seahawks have selected Taylor Mays, strong safety, Southern California.
John Morgan says: Kansas City saves Seattle from the nightmare scenario, but can the Seahawks save themselves? Seattle is seemingly out of the quarterback sweepstakes after investing in Charlie Whitehurst. The three line talents worthy of this pick are gone. That leaves Eric Berry. Or one might assume. I would select Eric Berry, but I think Pete Carroll would select Taylor Mays.
Carroll likes large, fast, hard-hitting safeties. In New England, he inherited Willie Clay (5'10", 193 pounds), and replaced him with Tebucky Jones (6’2", 218). At USC, he inherited Troy Polamalu (5’10", 207), and replaced him with Darnell Bing (6’2", 220). He recruited Josh Pinkard (6’1", 215), and replaced him with Taylor Mays (6’3", 230).
Mays is the most talented safety prospect in the history of Madden Football. He is tall. He is exceptionally fast - so fast that some feel a need to exaggerate his speed. He is linebacker big, and linebacker strong, but can jump like a cornerback. If his tools could be distilled down to SPD, STR, and ACC, he would be an unstoppable force in deep cover, an intimidating in-the-box presence and a dangerous interception threat. This thinking assumes that Mays' problems are mental. I think what we interpret as mental mistakes might be physical limitations.
Mays is not a guaranteed bust, but clearly, if he was going to develop commendable cover skills, he probably would have already. His path to NFL success is as an in-the-box safety that functions a bit like a linebacker. Mays would make sense in a 46 defense. Mays could replace Deon Grant. Grant spent a lot of snaps in the box, and in that one, narrow function, I am sure Mays would be better than Grant; better than Berry.
Mocking Dan reacts: This pick is crazy. It would illustrate a clear case of over-drafting a player. But it totally makes sense. Of all the defensive stars Carroll had at USC, he always seemed to speak the highest of Mays.
This pick also displays the unpredictability of the draft. Everyone seems assured that Seattle will take an offensive tackle, C.J. Spiller or Derrick Morgan with the sixth pick. But every year we see a shocking pick early. Mays at six would certainly represent that.
Mocking the Draft's Top 5 remaining prospects: 1 - Eric Berry/S/Tennessee, 2 - C.J. Spiller/RB/Clemson, 3 - Derrick Morgan/DE/Georgia Tech, 4 - Dez Bryant/WR/Oklahoma State, 5 - Joe Haden/CB/Florida
Sound off, SB Nation! Was the selection of Mays shocking to you? Please be sure to check out Field Gulls for all of your Seahawks needs.
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HAHAHA
This would be absolutely hilarious to see. Worst pick ever.
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by Adam Stites on Mar 25, 2010 9:02 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
ya
"Sure, I've been called a xenophobe, but the truth is, I'm not. I honestly just feel that America is the best country and the other countries aren't as good. That used to be called patriotism."- Eastbound and down...if you like baseball, watch this show it's one of the funniest ever!
by atlantalove on Mar 25, 2010 10:19 PM EDT up reply actions
the logic behind it (predicting it at least) makes sense.
I teach good life choices. That’s why I almost didn’t graduate High School.
I'll admit, I didn't see that one coming
I don’t have any problems with going against the grain in a mock draft, and yet this one still surprises me. Would coach Carroll really target his USC boys in the first round?
Schmucks don't make it to the Pro Bowl... except Jason Peters!
by Run Thurmal Run! on Mar 25, 2010 9:07 PM EDT reply actions
I'd expect that for Charles Brown over any other OT
Does this mean we should pencil in Byers and Joe McKnight to Seattle in the later rounds?
Brown seems like a good fit for the ZBS
and a good value as a mid-to-late 1st-round pick (especially if the Hawks can trade down from the #14 and still grab him). Picking Griffen or Mays in the first is just dumb that its insulting to suggest someone would do it.
....
I would select Eric Berry, but I think Pete Carroll would select Taylor Mays.
That’s basic reading comprehension.
"BANG!" - Jim Lampley's first word as a child
Dan
You should have just let me do the pick.
The Seahawks take Eric Berry, safety, Tennessee.
Get well Greg! Rip City is still behind you!
I think thats who he would take but he thinks carroll will not.
I however don’t think Carroll will make a pick just because he was on his team.
Co-Leader of the annual 7 round live mock draft at MtD
by TheAngelsColts on Mar 25, 2010 9:17 PM EDT up reply actions
God i hope not.
Ive seen my team eat some serious crap this offseason in their decision making and this would just cap it all off. Eric Berry is gonig to be a very good NFL safety, Taylor Mays will be a quality starter but i doubt anything more than that. We need Berry and we need him bad.
by gatorempire127 on Mar 25, 2010 11:14 PM EDT up reply actions
No, this is who he thinks Carroll will take
because he thinks Carroll is a younger version of Al Davis. I also think he doesn’t care for mock drafts very much and wants to make a joke of the process.
Yes I know he thinks that.
That may be true and for him I hope it is.
Co-Leader of the annual 7 round live mock draft at MtD
by TheAngelsColts on Mar 25, 2010 11:23 PM EDT up reply actions
Then just decline to participate
This is childish.
And no one can seriously think PC will draft Mays at #6. Even the currently fully-tootgnashing-we-hate-PC-mode Seahawks fans can’t have that low an opinion of him.
by Thomas Beekers on Mar 25, 2010 11:29 PM EDT up reply actions
Who are going to take ar 14,
Joe McKnight? Anthony McCoy?
Get well Greg! Rip City is still behind you!
Charles Brown of course
it’d be a vastly better nepotism pick.
Luck is probability taken personally, clutch is probability attributed to individuals.
by shake n bake on Mar 25, 2010 9:21 PM EDT up reply actions
you beat me to it
Schmucks don't make it to the Pro Bowl... except Jason Peters!
by Run Thurmal Run! on Mar 25, 2010 9:24 PM EDT up reply actions
Charles Brown at #6 probably makes more sense then this....
DWTDD
by FreeBradshaw on Mar 25, 2010 9:37 PM EDT up reply actions
I'm gonna really mad if we take a guy just because Pete coached him at USC...
Get well Greg! Rip City is still behind you!
No I don't think he is and he doesn't need to be he is right.
Co-Leader of the annual 7 round live mock draft at MtD
by TheAngelsColts on Mar 26, 2010 3:04 AM EDT up reply actions
He's saying that Brown is still a terrible pick at #6...
…and it still is a better one than Mays at #6.
by Richard Hill on Mar 26, 2010 9:21 AM EDT up reply actions
Insane
NO WAy this would happen. If they really wanted him he would most likely still be available at 14.
Whitehurst does NOT take them out of picking a QB. Whitehurst was a 3rd string qb.
Scientific research has proven that you lose exactly 5.37 billion brain cells every time you listen to Todd McShay.
by TheRealSlimShady on Mar 25, 2010 9:29 PM EDT reply actions
wasn't Matt Hasselbeck a 3rd stringer?
Whitehurst isn’t a random 3rd string QB…..
DWTDD
by FreeBradshaw on Mar 25, 2010 9:36 PM EDT up reply actions
How do you know?
We play them twice a year and ive never seen this kid throw a good pass. Hell, ive never seen him throw a pass.
Whitehurst has not thrown a single regular season NFL pass.
But Carroll/Schneider must think he’s a late bloomer hence the contract he was given as well as the trade value.
"BANG!" - Jim Lampley's first word as a child
I think he was a sort of a hedge pick
They need a backup ready to step in when Hasselbeck gets hurt and they want a guy with upside that they can develop. They probably see Whitehurst as having a higher upside than Anderson/Brady, being more NFL-ready than McCoy/Tebow/etc and being cheaper than Kolb. He’s also big and mobile, which seems to be what Bates/Caroll are looking for in a QB.
Whitehurst has some value (he was kept on the roster for 4 years as a developmental prospect and then tendered for a 5th year before being pursued by at least the Seahawks and Cardinals). The contract they gave him shows that they think he’s got some worth/upside ($4-5M per year) but won’t bet the farm on him (only 2 years). They also spent less draft capital on him than what it would probably take to get a guy McCoy or Tebow.
More than anything, Whitehurst gives the Seahawks some flexibility in picking a QB. They don’t have to reach for one but they aren’t out of the market for one either.
Was it Taylor Mays' mom that gave this pick the single "A"?
Get well Greg! Rip City is still behind you!
If this were a bet and you put $1000 on it not happening, you'd
probably win like 3 dollars.
Get well Greg! Rip City is still behind you!
A Shocker
but it’ll open things up for the Jags so i’m a-okay with it
"HULU: An evil plot to destroy the world. Enjoy"
Driver of the "Cut Reggie Nelson" Bandwagon.
Winner of the 2010 Chad Pennington Award
I think River city Rage is
"HULU: An evil plot to destroy the world. Enjoy"
Driver of the "Cut Reggie Nelson" Bandwagon.
Winner of the 2010 Chad Pennington Award
by TheTealDeal on Mar 26, 2010 10:27 PM EDT up reply actions
Since when does Big Al own the Hawks?
"Sure, I've been called a xenophobe, but the truth is, I'm not. I honestly just feel that America is the best country and the other countries aren't as good. That used to be called patriotism."- Eastbound and down...if you like baseball, watch this show it's one of the funniest ever!
Stupid, stupid, stupid
Should’ve gone with Berry or Clausen
The 2010 New York Mets: Maybe it's the Phillies' turn to have 95% of its roster on the DL
The 2009 New England Patriots: At least we got our division title back
The 2009-10 New Jersey Devils: Allergic to second periods
Its kind of juvenile
Morgan just doesn’t like the moves the Seahawks’ FO has made recently and wants to call them stupid and inexperienced and nepotistic without saying so directly.
Magic words
Just because someone wrote a bit does not mean he “backed it up”. Unless the arguments given make sense. In this case, they don’t. It all runs down to “Pete Carroll likes big safeties”…
…
That’s it? That’s the whole line of argument here?
Colour me unimpressed.
by Thomas Beekers on Mar 26, 2010 2:51 PM EDT up reply actions
This is so true.
Taylor Mays is Pete Carroll’s dad.
by John Morgan on Mar 26, 2010 2:42 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Cronyism?
Is that the appropriate term?
Is it wrong to think that you made this pick because you think Carroll/Schneider have some Madden-level understanding of football and will use a significant amount of favoritism (of whatever kind) in their drafting? Because, to me, this reads an exercise in painting the FO in the least favorable light possible. Ostensibly, its a prediction of “what might happen”, but it also appears designed to elicit the most negative response from Seahawk and NFL draft fans.
And I was under the impression that you weren’t a fan of mock drafts.
I had no interest in alarming people with my pick or causing controversy.
So everyone knows, here is how I decided on Mays: I received an email telling me my pick was up. I looked at the drafted and available players. I considered Seattle’s needs, Carroll’s ideas on talent evaluation, schematic fit, and availability of Mays’ type: a punishing, in-the-box safety. At that point I decided Seattle is likely to take a safety, and that Mays would be better able to fulfill what Carroll wants than Berry. Berry is great in cover, but much like Grant in the box.
Mays is a top ten talent with some warts. Somehow, this has been spun into the notion that Mays is certain to bust, and a team would be out of their mind to select him early. Carroll likes big, in the box safeties that can support the run and disguise blitzes. He clearly favors Mays, based on everything he has said and based on Mays starting four seasons. Carroll has a particular type of defense he feels comfortable with, and yes Seattle is likely to run the same basic type of defense that USC ran under Carroll. It makes sense for Seattle to draft Mays. He fits. He has the talent. Carroll knows and likes him. He has played in Carroll’s system. It is not certain Mays will succeed, but the idea that I am covertly attempting to undermine the Seahawks FO, or make a point about mock drafts, is a desperate and prejudiced spin job.
by John Morgan on Mar 26, 2010 3:45 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
He clearly favors Mays, based on everything he has said
Yeah because we all know how all coaches aer 100% truthful leading up to the draft… if anything I think you have to take a coach raving about a player as a hint he is not interested.
and based on Mays starting four seasons.
you are totally right!! Carroll liked Mays more than he liked Drew McAllister so that means he must like him more than Eric Berry!! How could i have missed that?!?!!?!
VOID!!!
well, carroll has been boasting randomly about mays before his draft year, so i don’t believe it is just leading up to the draft.
Carroll has a good amount of control especially over the draft. Coaches who come from college into the NFL at least reach once in a draft to get a guy they had in college. however, but davis is one of the few that is comparable because guys like saban, petrino, and Spurrier didn’t have as much power in player management and the draft as Carroll has been given. Davis got significant power from the beginning and eventually became full time GM. He often reached for players he coached. This is the first time caroll has really has much power at all when drafting and history shows us that when this happens, coaches more often then not make a big reach for one of their former players.
I teach good life choices. That’s why I almost didn’t graduate High School.
Apparently, I completely misunderstood the tone of your piece then
and I’m not the only one. If I’m engaging in a “desperate and prejudiced spin job,” please accept my apologies. I was only trying to get inside your head to understand this pick which many have called “crazy” or “stupid” and caused Mocking Dan to initially think that you were blowing up the draft.
I know that the FO has recently made moves you don’t agree with and I think that you’re not a big fan of mock drafts or “rosterbating” or the type of measurables found in Madden football. Maybe I made too great of a leap here. Your more recent comments suggest that this was entirely sincere, with no insult intended to the Seahawks’ FO or football fans interested in the draft.
Woah, what?
Mays should be available with their SECOND 1st round pick- there’s no need to utilize their first on him. Absurd.
Just the 3rd best safety
Seattle has greater needs
I’d say Clausen, Spiller, or Beluga
He’s always open. He catches a lot of balls. He’s un-guardable, no matter how old he is
Great job John
I’m surprised there are so many people who don’t see that this a case of reading Carroll’s actions to date and then applying them to the draft. I mean, you even say in the actual article “This is not who I would take”.
Jesus Christ people, he explains in the article why this makes sense, and MD agrees that it makes a ludicrous amount of sense. Just read the article, then drink yourself into oblivion because this might actually happen.
Actually, that wasn't really his actual mock
That was his mock for building an offense to help Charlie Whitehurst. I’m positive he doesn’t actually believe the ’Hawks will use all of their picks on offense, he even says in the article:
This draft is designed to build around Whitehurst, but also the Whitehurst prototype. To accomplish that, every pick is geared towards adding talent to the offense. This is not meant to accurately reflect how the Seahawks will draft, only some players they could target, and a goal they could have.
by Brendan Scolari on Mar 26, 2010 1:27 AM EDT up reply actions
Ill tell you why that is dumb DJ C Raig
How does he know what Pete Carroll will do (Who isnt even the GM)?
He doesn't
But us Field Gulls are stuck in a kind of amusing loop of negativity right now. It’d be funny if it weren’t getting so very quickly tiring. And as unrealistic as the loop of optimism last year.
by Thomas Beekers on Mar 26, 2010 9:24 AM EDT up reply actions
Mike Holmgren isn't the GM.
But it’s clear he’s calling the shots.
I’m starting to believe Schneider is GM only by title.
"BANG!" - Jim Lampley's first word as a child
No I used the Browns as an example (should've clarified and I apologize)
Holmgren isn’t the GM but he’s obviously calling the shots.
"BANG!" - Jim Lampley's first word as a child
I honestly think it is a team effort. Holmgren is president but does want it his way. Heckert isn’t just a pawn, but definitely has similar ideas. Andy reid was a holmgren prodigy and Heckert worked for several years with Reid and knows what types of players Reid looks and the types he looks for are very similar to what holmgren looks for…
yes he is calling the shots, but Heckert really isn’t just a pawn there.
I teach good life choices. That’s why I almost didn’t graduate High School.
God I hope this happens.
To watch the Seachickens switch from one horrible safety to another would just help the Niners that much more. Plus Field Gulls are a bunch of babies who will ban you for nothing.
by Mullester on Mar 26, 2010 1:38 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Taylor Mays is a first round talent
How can you say he is no good? The 49ers would trade every safety they have straight up for Taylor Mays.
by darwithabar on Mar 26, 2010 2:27 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
the jerkstore is open for business
6 picks in and you’ve already got this d making it all about himself. Thanks for ruining everyone else’s hard work.
VOID!!!
by dt3 on Mar 26, 2010 2:35 AM EDT via mobile reply actions 1 recs
Unless that is a magic link that somehow transports us all back 12 months so we can tell Taylor Mays to come out last year whats the point. Thats the only way you can justify Mays going top10 (especially when Berry is still on the board).
Sorry about the bad shtick… He is not defending himself, he’s just writing up the same scouting report we have all seen 100×. Pointing out how one dimensional he is is not really defending yourself.
VOID!!!
Really?
All of the pieces read to me as justifications why someone would make the pick while arguing that it would be a bad idea. They read like long-form backhanded compliments of Mays. They read like arguing why Al Davis would select DHB, not whether it would be a good idea for him to.
Then there’s this:
http://www.fieldgulls.com/2010/3/25/1390556/seahawks-mock-draft-building-a#33291931
Like most, you are piecing together predigested information from experts. The only way the pick is outrageous, even slightly, is because amateur draftniks are down on Mays.
The pre-draft process is full of bulls__t and misdirection.
by ninjasocks on Mar 26, 2010 3:46 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
As someone from Southern California
Who watches a lot of Pac-10 football, his draft stock according to the experts is too high. He should be in the bottom half of the second, maybe the top half of the third.
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Mays is good and will be
Mays was a top 10 pick before last year and now people think he is no good because last year he did not play well supposedly. He had 96 tackles more than all but one other safety (Barry Church). His career interceptions are only 5 but that is close to the average for all the safeties coming out this year. Last year he had to play differently because the LBs were all new starters at SC.
If you put him in a pro defense where he does not have to cover for the LBs then he will be pretty damn good. He can hit and may never have many INTs but that does not mean he wont put fear into receivers.
In this mock Berry would be good too. But reading these posts it seems like people think that Berry is head and shoulders above Mays. It’s all good. Keep thinking that.
And why wouldn’t Carroll get one of his players to come play in his defense? Makes a lot of sense to me. Mays will know the defense already and can come in and play right away without spending a lot of time learning the defense.
It is not like Berry is that much better than Mays that it is just a crazy pick. He MAY be slightly better but not by much and he would have to learn Carroll’s defense. maybe taking Mays this early is not a good idea to the Berry fans but if Carroll wants his guy he is not assured of getting him at 14.
I like the pick and he is going to be a pretty good pro. Bet on that!
Funny.
There’s really no need to bash a well-explained pick as if any of us know exactly how the draft will turn out. NFL front offices’ draft boards will certainly look far different than what we expect.
At one point, Mays was running neck-and-neck with Berry for the title of best safety in the draft, and just because the media/fans latched on to the idea that he has poor instincts doesn’t mean that the Seahawks believe it too.
Even if I disagree, a pick like this, aided by proper reasoning, gives me more food for thought than a half dozen other cookie cutter mocks.
by Abrantes on Mar 26, 2010 12:48 PM EDT reply actions 3 recs
absolutely not
only al davis can pull a stunt like this. mays will be gone by 20 probly.
Rockets>>>>>>Jazz
Texans>>>>>>>Titans
Super Mario>>>>>>>Vince Young
From Arizona Cardinals fans:
Thanks for wasting all of your draft picks Pete.
Lifelong Arizona Cardinals/Chicago Bears fan.
I can't stand fair-weather/bandwagon fans, stick with your team, throughout the good and the bad.
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