Mayo vs. DRC (Post-SB)

[rsd]

Now in light of the Super Bowl, I was curious if anyone's opinions on who the Patriots should have drafted has changed.

DRC had been getting a fair amount of hype leading up to the superbowl during the playoffs, but in my opinion he had a pretty horrid game. He made a couple of nice deflections, but I thought his tackling was poor and he let up on the long Holmes catch on the last drive.

Obviously this is one game, but now that 2008 is over who would YOU have drafted for the Patriots in hindsight?

 

[JSn]

Re: Mayo vs DRC (Post-SB)

Mayo. But there must a coaching issue on the Cardinals, the tackling was just bad all the way around.

DRC is fast, and a good player, but I think we made the best move with Mayo. He's the future and at ILB will likely be with the team a long time as a franchise player.

 

[CheerforTom]

Re: Mayo vs DRC (Post-SB)

Mayo, all the way.

DRC had a good first half yesterday and made some impressive plays but even Madden and Michaels were commenting that he needed help during the second half, he was struggling pretty badly with Holmes (who pretty much WAS the winning drive). The word with Mayo is CONSISTENT, which I'll take any day.

 

[Dagg]

Re: Mayo vs DRC (Post-SB)

Its close I loved DRC last year and he has the best make up speed in football. I think his tackling would be better if he was here in NE. I would prefer DRC personally.

 

[The_Riddler]

Re: Mayo vs DRC (Post-SB)

DRC was playing tremendous football up until the last Steelers drive and I am talking tremendous football against the Panthers, the man literally shut out Steve Smith as well as Roddy White of the Falcons. He manned up DeSean Jackson and basically took DeSean out with the exception of the bomb that DRC caught up to, tipped, and it somehow found it's way into DeSean's hands.

For the most part throughout the first 3 qtrs, DRC held his own against Holmes, a tremendous WR BTW. He came unglued completely in that last drive. DRC had a tremendous rookie year and his future and upside are off the charts, he is going to be great. Cardinal players and coaches who see him every day, in practice say themselves and I've read this that DRC is going to go down as one of the greats to ever play the position. They have never seen a man with his height accelerate and turn his hips the way he does.

Right now, he's a young fawn. Learning to stand, walk and run. He's still learning the game and I'm telling you right now. Next year with the experience he has this year, he is going to be unbelievable, everyone is saying it. Yes he had a tough "last drive". He was flat-out bad and lost on that last drive, I don't question that. But his future is off the charts. You are fooling yourself if you really believe that he is not going to be a great corner in this league.

I wanted DRC and Curtis Lofton last year with a trade-up in R2, we got Mayo and Wheatley, we'll see how it all pans out I guess.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Re: Mayo vs DRC (Post-SB)

I wanted DRC and Curtis Lofton last year with a trade-up in R2, we got Mayo and Wheatley, we'll see how it all pans out I guess.

I'm guessing, then, that DRC was in Margaritaville like the rest of the Cardinals during their 47-7 trip to the woodshed?

And, BTW, Wheatley's hops give me high hopes.

 

[ScottieC]

Re: Mayo vs DRC (Post-SB)

Now in light of the Super Bowl, I was curious if anyone's opinions on who the Patriots should have drafted has changed.

DRC had been getting a fair amount of hype leading up to the superbowl during the playoffs, but in my opinion he had a pretty horrid game. He made a couple of nice deflections, but I thought his tackling was poor and he let up on the long Holmes catch on the last drive.

Obviously this is one game, but now that 2008 is over who would YOU have drafted for the Patriots in hindsight?

I would have drafted the guy that won the Defensive Rookie of the Year award in 2008. Can you do any better??

 

[The_Riddler]

Re: Mayo vs DRC (Post-SB)

I'm guessing, then, that DRC was in Margaritaville like the rest of the Cardinals during their 47-7 trip to the woodshed?

Do you think DRC is going to be a great CB in this league ?

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Re: Mayo vs DRC (Post-SB)

Do you think DRC is going to be a great CB in this league ?

I don't know one way or the other. I'm just asking where he was, so to speak, during the Pats game.

 

[Horace's Ivories]

Re: Mayo vs DRC (Post-SB)

Mayo... although the catch-up speed of DRC was pretty awesome.

where's the dude with the tagline "DRC - the next great shutdown corner" - i would be interested in his opinion

 

[ScottieC]

Re: Mayo vs DRC (Post-SB)

Do you think DRC is going to be a great CB in this league ?

In a league that is so devoid of great corners, it's possible but who knows - The sophomore slump could hit hard.

Look at these contracts that CB are getting - It's nuts - however it's a product of not a lot of talent at the position OR the perceived need to stop guys like Randy Moss and Larry Fitzgerald in order to get to the play-offs/Super Bowl.

 

[PatsChamp88]

Re: Mayo vs DRC (Post-SB)

Mayo started out well and is only going to get better, DRC has had his games and he will only get better. Mayo however was the right choice especially since we run a 3-4 imagine with no AT this year and no Mayo that would really hurt.

 

[mayoclinic]

Re: Mayo vs DRC (Post-SB)

I like DRC and always have, but Santonio Holmes embarrassed him on several plays in the SB, not just the last drive. I was left more wondering what if we'd taken Holmes at 21 in 2006 draft than whether we should have taken DRC in 2008. Mayo is just too good to have passed up, no matter what.

 

[Synovia]

Re: Mayo vs DRC (Post-SB)

In a league that is so devoid of great corners, it's possible but who knows - The sophomore slump could hit hard.
.

There isn't a lack of great corners. They're just tough to evaluate, in that they absolutely can't be evaluated without evaluating the pass rush.

 

[Scouse Patriot]

Re: Mayo vs DRC (Post-SB)

Mayo. Was very clear from the off we badly needed younger help at ILB and going back I'd still rather us have took a linebacker.

 

[GostkowSKI]

Re: Mayo vs DRC (Post-SB)

As good as DRC has looked at times, I shudder to think what our LB situation would have looked like this past season, or long term, without Mayo.

 

[Deus Irae]

Re: Mayo vs DRC (Post-SB)

Now in light of the Super Bowl, I was curious if anyone's opinions on who the Patriots should have drafted has changed.

DRC had been getting a fair amount of hype leading up to the superbowl during the playoffs, but in my opinion he had a pretty horrid game. He made a couple of nice deflections, but I thought his tackling was poor and he let up on the long Holmes catch on the last drive.

Obviously this is one game, but now that 2008 is over who would YOU have drafted for the Patriots in hindsight?

Pre-draft, this board seemed split among 3 players: Mayo, Gholston and DRC, with Gholston having the most firm detractors and DRC having the most people unsure because of his college background. I personally wanted Clady, and there were some others who were thinking my way. It seems to me that anyone who didn't favor Gholston feels pretty damned good about their preference right now, no matter how well the others are doing.

Clady had a brilliant rookie season and looks as if he could be the 10yr+ rock to an offensive line. Mayo won DROY, and looks like he's the type to put in all the effort needed to keep making himself better. DRC looks to have the same sort of talent that his cousin does, without having to deal with the dysfunction of San Diego (Can you believe that San Diego is more dysfunctional than Arizona? That seems almost like Twilight Zone material to write.).

So, on the bright side, most people can be thrilled with their preference. On the even brighter side, the Jets' pick looks like a bust so far. It's a win/win scenario.

 

[ScottieC]

Re: Mayo vs DRC (Post-SB)

There isn't a lack of great corners. They're just tough to evaluate, in that they absolutely can't be evaluated without evaluating the pass rush.

That does not make sense. Please explain.

And if the "market" was flush with "GREAT Corners" the contracts (i.e. Franchise Tag $$ No's) for great corners would not be as high as it is now - It's higher than WR's.

 

[rsd]

Re: Mayo vs DRC (Post-SB)

Clady had a brilliant rookie season and looks as if he could be the 10yr+ rock to an offensive line. Mayo won DROY, and looks like he's the type to put in all the effort needed to keep making himself better. DRC looks to have the same sort of talent that his cousin does, without having to deal with the dysfunction of San Diego (Can you believe that San Diego is more dysfunctional than Arizona? That seems almost like Twilight Zone material to write.).

So, on the bright side, most people can be thrilled with their preference. On the even brighter side, the Jets' pick looks like a bust so far. It's a win/win scenario.

Deus - out of curiosity would you take Clady or Mayo right now given what we know so far?

I can appreciate the talent of Clady, but imo Defense and specifically ILB was such a need coming into this past season I really don't think I can say I'd rather have Clady over Mayo long-term. I think the Patriots really lucked out (much in the same way Wilfork was such a fit for them) with Mayo, by not only getting an extremely talented player but also getting a guy who plays a position that was in such need for the team as well.

I think the Patriots OL (last year's SB and the first quarter of this season not withstanding), really became solidified over the course of the season. Although I can see the Patriots picking up some guys to groom in this year's draft since a lot of the guys are aging and/or contracts are coming up soon. I would be surprised if they took an OL 1st round though, unless a true stud fell to them.

 

[rsd]

Re: Mayo vs DRC (Post-SB)

That does not make sense. Please explain.

And if the "market" was flush with "GREAT Corners" the contracts (i.e. Franchise Tag $$ No's) for great corners would not be as high as it is now - It's higher than WR's.

This is why I think the Patriots/BB have valued CBs at a relatively low rate in comparison to the rest of the league.

We have seen that virtually any "great" corner will give up plays if he has to chase a WR for long enough. I think the Patriots realize this and therefore don't value CB quite as much (that is to say, "break the bank" for Asante for example). They do realize talent is important, don't get me wrong, but I think they know that it's pointless to pay a guy a ton of money if they don't get any pressure on the QB.

Look at the teams who have had some of the most success recently: Patriots, Giants, Pitt, Arizona, Indy, Baltimore, San Diego. I would not describe any of them having a "stud" cornerback. Those guys play for Oakland and Denver (and possibly a couple more). I think these teams have some solid to VERY good CBs. In San Diego's case, you could see a huge drop off in their defense with Merriman out. Cromatie played rather poorly this year for them, and I don't think its a coincidence.


Obviously a weakness this past year is that they often failed to deliver enough pressure but I think that is a separate issue.