Is Mayo Jonathan Vilma part II?

[WelshPat]

You're aware that the strength of any given draft class varies from year to year, aren't you?

Isn't it a bit early to be judging Mayo's ceiling as a player?

I don't think so, for the most part MLB is the position on D that's the easiest to contribute straight away. It's like the running back of the D.

 

[JackBauer]

Willis was taken from the "horrible" 2007 draft class.

2007 was better than 2006, and doesn't look much different from 2008 -- at least after a quick glance.

Regardless, comparing players by where they were drafted in the same round in different drafts is pretty pointless. Everyone knew Willis was a special player coming out of Ole Miss. Mayo was likened to someone like Al Wilson, which I would be fine with.

 

[JackBauer]

I don't think so, for the most part MLB is the position on D that's the easiest to contribute straight away. It's like the running back of the D.

Who plays MLB on the Patriots?

 

[WelshPat]

Who plays MLB on the Patriots?

You know what i mean, inside backers

 

[Rob0729]

I don't think so, for the most part MLB is the position on D that's the easiest to contribute straight away. It's like the running back of the D.

Except Mayo doesn't play MLB, he plays ILB which is very different especially in the two gap. It is nothing like a RB on the defense. Mayo has to learn gap responsibilities, how to shed guard blocks, and read the formations and communicate responsibilites to the rest of the defense. It also takes even MLBs to learn proper coverages.

 

[WelshPat]

Except Mayo doesn't play MLB, he plays ILB which is very different especially in the two gap. It is nothing like a RB on the defense. It also takes even MLBs to learn proper coverages.

Right, heres what i mean. Playing MLB in the 4-3, or ILB in the 3-4, it is easy to contribute early. It happens around the league all the time.

 

[JackBauer]

I thought the general consensus pre-Mayo was that the reason BB didn't draft linebackers was that it took them forever to come in and learn the system

 

[Kontradiction]

The guy was DROY. He was injured last year. He has had an up and down preseason, but that could be a product of a vanilla defense and the fact the guy in front of him are not Ty Warren. Shouldn't we wait until the season starts before we decide he isn't suited for this defense?

Nah, I think most of us would rather just jump the gun. :bricks:

 

[WelshPat]

I thought the general consensus pre-Mayo was that the reason BB didn't draft linebackers was that it took them forever to come in and learn the system

Well i disagree with the general consensus, what can I say. I just think you look at the last few years... and there are guys that were drafted in the first 2 rounds that could have come here and played well, at a simular level too Mayo.

 

[JackBauer]

Well i disagree with the general consensus, what can I say. I just think you look at the last few years... and there are guys that were drafted in the first 2 rounds that could have come here and played well, at a simular level too Mayo.

And you know this, how?

 

[WelshPat]

And you know this, how?

Because i just think some guys can play. I think David Harris can play. I think Demeco Ryans can play. Just look at the last few years, there are good linebackers every year that come in and learn their teams system. Sure, not everyone of them would be a great fit in this defense. But i think it's wrong that so many on this board just go, "We 2-gap, he can't play here".

 

[The_Riddler]

So why the **** did we trade up to pick him at 10 then? Willis was taken at 11, btw. You don't want to take "good" players with the 10th overall pick.

Could have taken the better ILB Curtis Lofton at the top of Round 2 and been much better off, could have also had DRC in that same draft. We came away with Mayo and Wheatley instead.

"It is what it is" Mayo is not playing up to expectations. Some of us can accept that and some of us can't for some reason.

Someone mentioned his responsiblity of shedding guard blocks. BINGO, WE HAVE A WINNER ! That's his main problem right now. He can't shed a guard to save himself, never mind trying to drop back into coverage, his second biggest weakness.

It's fair I think for us to expect more out of the 10th overall pick in the draft when we see others taken in rounds 2-4 outperforming him.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

Could have taken the better ILB Curtis Lofton at the top of Round 2 and been much better off, could have also had DRC in that same draft. We came away with Mayo and Wheatley instead.

"It is what it is" Mayo is not playing up to expectations. Some of us can accept that and some of us can't for some reason.

Someone mentioned his responsiblity of shedding guard blocks. BINGO, WE HAVE A WINNER ! That's his main problem right now. He can't shed a guard to save himself, never mind trying to drop back into coverage, his second biggest weakness.

It's fair I think for us to expect more out of the 10th overall pick in the draft when we see others taken in rounds 2-4 outperforming him.

I agree, Mayo is a terrible fit in our defense. He projects much better as a 4-3 MLB, aka Ryans in Houston. We need a David Harris type, that can stack and shed.

My big thing with watching Mayo is that it looks like he is trying to not make a mistake rather than trying to make a play. The same can probably be said for the entire back eight starters, but with Mayo he generates nothing for the others to feed off of. (no FF, TFL, Int's, PD's etc. etc. etc.)

Now with slower than dirt Spikes lined up next to him, Mayo is going to look that much worse before the season is done.

 

[shmessy]

Really with Spike? What has he done so far? Hit a QB in the head, got a head ..

Excellent coverage of tight ends.

 

[WhiZa]

Mayo will do better with Spikes next to him instead of Guyton and not missing a game will help too. Mayo has proven he can play in a 3-4 unlike Vilma who suffered his first year in the new scheme. I'd give him this year to prove himself again.

 

[shmessy]

Mayo will do better with Spikes next to him instead of Guyton and not missing a game will help too. Mayo has proven he can play in a 3-4 unlike Vilma who suffered his first year in the new scheme. I'd give him this year to prove himself again.

"Prove himself again"??????

You mean after that pitiful showing last year when he ripped his knee in the first game and came back three weeks earlier than anyone expected?

What a stiff.

 

[The_Riddler]

"Prove himself again"??????

You mean after that pitiful showing last year when he ripped his knee in the first game and came back three weeks earlier than anyone expected?

What a stiff.

I think we can safely say that Mayo is fairly healthy now, can we lose this excuse please, it's old.

 

[shmessy]

I think we can safely say that Mayo is fairly healthy now, can we lose this excuse please, it's old.

Of course. The ripping of his play, then, is based on what??? A few pre-season games when he is breaking in his new sidekick????

A little perspective, folks.

If pre-season performance meant everything, then Gisele Bundchen would be building a mansion in LA with Michael Bishop by now.

 

[chris66]

I have wondered this for a while. He is a very good football player but is he a good match for this scheme? Vilma had to shuffle out of a similar system with the Jets before he found any success in the middle of the Saints 4-3.

The Patriots ask a lot out of there ILBs, take on guards on one play and run with a TE on the next.

Hopefully Mayo can be the Bruschi and Spikes be the Ted Johnson. Bruschi wasn't as fast as Mayo but was much better at getting off blocks and had very good instincts in the passing game. It is not fair to compare Mayo to Bruschi but as a top 10 pick he certainly has high expectations to live up to.

Bruschi was drafted on 96' how long did it take him to be efficient

 

[The_Riddler]

Bruschi was drafted on 96' how long did it take him to be efficient

Oh boy, look, Tedy was a 3rd round pick, the 86th overall pick in the 96 draft. Mr. Mayo was the 10th overall pick. I think it is quite fair of us to expect a little bit more from this football player, it's that simple.

He's not making plays, it's not that hard to see or figure out.

Can't shed guards, can't cover TE's or RB's and even when there is a tackle, it's a typically an assisted tackle or a tackle after the LOS damage has been done. We need more, that's not cutting it.