Is Mayo elite?

[757PatsFan]

haha Maybe i over estimated Patriot Nation... I could have but I also played and still play a lot of football..

 

[Deus Irae]

Ok lets not act like Mayo is now elite because he made an athletic play to catch the ball that was coming in his direction anyway. I bet many of us on this forum could have made that play. The interception against the colts was far more impressive because he read orlovsky and laid out completly where as moss gave him a gift yesterday

haha Maybe i over estimated Patriot Nation... I could have but I also played and still play a lot of football..

Almost every catch and/or interception is one that "many of us..." could have made.

 

[karguy85]

Those interceptions the past couple of weeks were nice, athletic plays. I would love to see him get more involved in blitzing. I think that would make him a more complete player.

 

[strngplyr]

If he keeps doing this consistently (game changing plays, tackles for a loss, etc) I might change my opinion. But, I would still place him in the tier just beneath elite players. He's a solid option, and any team would take him in a heartbeat, but I don't think he is on the same level as Willis (yet, hopefully), who I do consider elite.

But calling him elite for 2 interceptions since 2008 is pretty crazy. One of them was literally tossed into his hands by Moss. Great awareness and good job being in the right spot, but it wasn't a play that he forced. Just a very solid play that anyone in position should have made.

Like I said, I still love the guy on the team, and hope hes here for a very long time, I do think he has the tools to become elite, but the defensive style simply may not allow him the free range ability to go out and make them.

 

[RodThePat]

Mayo is a good, solid LB. He is in that second tier along with guys like DeMeco Ryans, Curtis Lofton and David Harris. I have to say his career so far has been disappointing for a top 10 pick, though.

 

[JackBauer]

Mayo is a good, solid LB. He is in that second tier along with guys like DeMeco Ryans, Curtis Lofton and David Harris. I have to say his career so far has been disappointing for a top 10 pick, though.

Given the history and success rate of top-10 picks, I'd have to disagree.

 

[JFK]

Mayo is a good, solid LB. He is in that second tier along with guys like DeMeco Ryans, Curtis Lofton and David Harris. I have to say his career so far has been disappointing for a top 10 pick, though.

Where would you add Sean Lee and London Fletcher?

 

[RodThePat]

Given the history and success rate of top-10 picks, I'd have to disagree.

Well, I don't know about you, but when I'm picking that high in the first round I want to grab a guy who can be elite at his position, not merely "good" or "consistent". Had Mayo been a second round pick, I think he would get a lot more praise.

The bust rate is pretty high with any first rounder, doesn't mean you shouldn't ever be disappointed in them. I guess Ben Watson wasn't a bust than, seeing as guys drafted in the lower first round have a pretty high chance of not panning out, historically.

 

[JackBauer]

Well, I don't know about you, but when I'm picking that high in the first round I want to grab a guy who can be elite at his position, not merely "good" or "consistent". Had Mayo been a second round pick, I think he would get a lot more praise.

The bust rate is pretty high with any first rounder, doesn't mean you shouldn't ever be disappointed in them. I guess Ben Watson wasn't a bust than, seeing as guys drafted in the lower first round have a pretty high chance of not panning out, historically.

I guess the fact that I see Mayo as elite vis a vis talent as currently comprised at the position probably explains the difference of opinion.

That being said, I think any time you get a defensive cornerstone out of the top 10, that has to be considered a success.

 

[RodThePat]

Where would you add Sean Lee and London Fletcher?

Those guys are in the second tier as well, I was just giving some examples of Mayo's contemporaries. NaVorro Bowman could fit in there as well, but there might be some other guys.

 

[strngplyr]

Give Mayo credit. He's consistently making major impact plays over the past few weeks. This might be the best stretch of games he's ever put together over his career.

I've always been one saying "not elite, but very good, very consistent just not game changing" and I'm reconsidering that after the last few weeks. I'd like to see more, still, but he certainly wants to prove he's worth the contract extension he received making him one of the highest paid LB's (or the highest? i dunno what others are making) in the league.

I don't think they could have picked a better building block to lock up near permanently for this young defense to be led by.

 

[Betterthanmost]

Agree with you strngplyr, Mayo is not just getting paid for his field prowess but his attitude and dedication to his craft. You don't see Young players like him nowadays. They come out and they are like Spike, spend his time baking cupcakes and pictures of him eating cupcakes.
I doubt Mayo even has a twitter account. He wants to be good and possibly the best and does uses all the time he has to do so.
Spikes is as good as you get from the young players nowadays. They are hardworking during the time they are on the clock. Once on their own, it is time for entertainment.