2009 NFL Draft Prospects:
Taylor Mays Profile

Strengths: Extremely rare height and long arms give him the prototype length to deflect passes … Tremendous bulk and strength … Freak of an athlete on film and has the 40 time (sub 4.4) to back it up … Elite measurables and is going to be the talk of the Combine … Prototypical center-fielder displaying elite range … High motor and intensity … Good instincts … Big hitter whom receivers fear going over the middle against … Extremely high upside … Minimal injury history … Strong work ethic.

Weaknesses: Plays with high intensity, but is not much of a playmaker; did not intercept one pass in 2008, and only has four in his career … Drops passes when in position to make plays; very poor ball skills (why he isn’t a receiver being 6’3) … Occasionally takes bad angles to the football relying on pure speed more than proper technique.

Summary: Mays is the prototype when you look at him in terms of being a rare physical specimen, but I will not give him an elite/5-star grade because he is not the playmaker such as former prospects Ed Reed, Sean Taylor and LaRon Landry. Best fit is at free safety because of his amazing range. Could end up being over-drafted based on measurables.

Player Comparison: Ken Hamlin. Like Mays, Hamlin displays great range in pass coverage, but he simply does not come up with as nearly interceptions as he should. Both players have prototypical size for a free safety and play with a mean streak. I cannot think of a more perfect comparison.





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