Mayo Ranked 8th in Scout's Rookie Power Rankings

[IcyPatriot]

http://profootballexperts.scout.com/2/754565.html

With the NFL season inching closer, Scout.com's NFL Draft Analyst Chris Steuber selects one 2008 draft choice from all 32 teams and creates his Rookie Power Rankings. The rankings are based on a player’s situation, potential playing time and overall impact on the team.

Personally I would have moved Chad Henne from #1 to @ #10 and Mayo should be at least #5. Early Doucet doesn't even belong on the list.

They had:

1: Chad Henne - Dolphins - 57th pick.
2: Kevin Smith - Lions - 64th pick.
3: Chris Long - Rams - 2nd pick.
4: Glen Dorsey - Chiefs - 5th pick.
5: Matt Ryan - Falcons - 3rd pick.
6: Kenny Phillips - Giants - 31st pick.
7: Matt Forte - Bears - 44th pick.
8: Jerod Mayo - Patriots - 10th pick.
9: Sedrick Ellis - Saints - 7th pick.
10: Darren McFadden - Raiders - 4th pick.
11: Joe Flacco - Ravens - 18th pick.
12: Jacob Hester - Chargers - 69th pick.
13: Vernon Gholston - Rats - 6th pick.
14: Derrick Harvey - Jaguars - 8th pick.
15: Keith Rivers - Bengals - 9th pick.
16: Aquib Talib - Bucs - 20th pick.
17: John Carlosn - Seahawks - 38th pick.
18: Desean Jackson - Eagles - 49th pick.
19: Ryan Clady - Broncos - 12th pick.
20: James Hardy - Bills - 41st pick.
21: Rashard Mendenahall - Steelers - 23rd pick.
22: Malcom Kelly - Redskins - 51st pick.
23: Dan Conner - Panthers - 74th pick.
24: Early Doucet - Cardinals - 81st pick.
25: Kentwan Balmer - 49er's - 29th pick.
26: Mike Jenkins - Cowboys - 25th pick.
27: Chris Johnson - Titans - 24th pick.
28: Patrick Lee - Packers - 60th pick.
29: Frank Okam - Texans - 151st pick.
30: Philip Wheeler - Colts - 91st pick.
31: John Sullivan - Vikings - 187th pick.
32: Beau Bell - Browns - 104th pick.

 

[signbabybrady]

how is Chad Henne's situation better than everbody???


Mayo and Phillips are in good Situations

 

[IcyPatriot]

how is Chad Henne's situation better than everbody???


Mayo and Phillips are in good Situations

There's no way Henne sees the field much this year except for injuries.
He based on the fact that he will compete to be starter. Parcells won't let him be thrown to the wolves ... Bill is too smart for that.

 

[otis p. driftwood]

There's no way Henne sees the field much this year except for injuries.
He based on the fact that he will compete to be starter. Parcells won't let him be thrown to the wolves ... Bill is too smart for that.

But if he does get on the field, he's got Long to protect his blindspot, and didn't they get a couple of other OL beasts in the later rounds?

Or maybe they figured that since he wouldn't have to play, that was a good situation?

You supposed the Gholston ranking is because of the Rats sucking and not having anyone to coach him well, or because they think he's going to be a workout warrior more than an on field beast?

 

[IcyPatriot]

You supposed the Gholston ranking is because of the Rats sucking and not having anyone to coach him well, or because they think he's going to be a workout warrior more than an on field beast?

I think Gholston will be an above average player at best. His move was to overpower linemen in college and that's not going to work for him in the NFL.

He's a good pick but a top 10 pick is supposed to have franchise ability in them ... great player .. leadership and all the rest.

Mayo seems to have those qualities .. the ability to lead our defense when his time comes to be the leader.

 

[BelichickFan]

Not sure why Henne wouldn't play at some point this year, he was a four year starter in a major conference with a team that played a lot of big games. Rookie QB can, and do, play and Henne should be as ready as just about any of them.

 

[BritPat]

I think Gholston should be higher, personally. And I think he's being unfairly 'branded' now that he's a Jester. He's in a good situation, the Jets D-line should be better now that they have someone physically capable of playing NT, and their LB's are better now than a year ago without his adddition. Personally, I think for the next 5 years or more, he's going to be a pain in the backside. Jason Taylor lite, at least.

 

[nelly57]

Given BB rated him one of the highest LBs in the draft, I'm looking forward to seeing how he plays. IMO, that was the biggest need in this team.


Gholston may rate up there in terms of playing time but his impact is questionable. Converting to a 3-4 OLB from DE doesn't happen overnight.

 

[BelichickFan]

Converting to a 3-4 OLB from DE doesn't happen overnight.

Merriman, Ware, Wimbley all had an instant impact, the conversion can happen very quickly for those talented enough.

 

[VJCPatriot]

Not sure why Henne wouldn't play at some point this year, he was a four year starter in a major conference with a team that played a lot of big games. Rookie QB can, and do, play and Henne should be as ready as just about any of them.

Henne ranked as the #1 impact rookie though? Gimme a break. This list lost credibility right at the top.

 

[BelichickFan]

Henne ranked as the #1 impact rookie though? Gimme a break. This list lost credibility right at the top.

Agreed - but I do think some of this year's QB will be starting by year's end.

 

[arrellbee]

Historically, after 3 or 4 years, it's a good draft year if over a third of the 1st round picks are still everygame starters - or are even in the league at all.

It will be interesting to see if this guy picked the right top third or not. Being a cynic, I would guess he is no better at picking the real NFL talent than the teams themselves - so if that is the case, on the order of 8 of the top 12 in his list won't even be starting on a regular basis. So F.B.N.'s question is a really good one. Analyze away.

 

[DarrylS]

INterestingly Jake Long does not even make the list, guess that Miami did not get good value and had to reach..otoh, looks like we got pretty good value in Mayo.

 

[nelly57]

Merriman, Ware, Wimbley all had an instant impact, the conversion can happen very quickly for those talented enough.

Def agree that the conversion can happen quickly. In addtion, it didn't hurt during Merrimam's and Ware's rookie year, each played with some very good MLBs; guys like Edwards and Nguyen.

 

[Brady'sButtBoy]

Thankfully, a thread on something other than the Pat's minor rule infraction.

When you consider how awful the Dolphins were last year it's quite reasonable to think that a guy with a big arm and some fire in his belly like Henne will have the biggest impact on his team - he doesn't have to be an all-pro, just solid and the Fins will be a very different team. I bet Henne plays from the start, sorry Mr. Beck.

Contrast that with Mayo stepping into the #2 Defense in the NFL - Jerrod would have to play like an absolute star to make #8 on this list from the way the writer says he calculates it, FWIW.

 

[c_nice_37]

I think Gholston should be higher, personally. And I think he's being unfairly 'branded' now that he's a Jester. He's in a good situation, the Jets D-line should be better now that they have someone physically capable of playing NT, and their LB's are better now than a year ago without his adddition. Personally, I think for the next 5 years or more, he's going to be a pain in the backside. Jason Taylor lite, at least.

Just curious - who is their NT? Jenkins? I don't see him as a 3-4 NT but if he can recover what he once was he could make me eat my words.

Also, I was never high on Gholston, just didn't dominate enough consistently. Definite boom / bust and now that he is with the Jest I hope for the latter. If Pace can be who they paid him to be, it should help out Gholston a lot.

 

[Ring 6]

I think Gholston should be higher, personally. And I think he's being unfairly 'branded' now that he's a Jester. He's in a good situation, the Jets D-line should be better now that they have someone physically capable of playing NT, and their LB's are better now than a year ago without his adddition. Personally, I think for the next 5 years or more, he's going to be a pain in the backside. Jason Taylor lite, at least.

I said it when people wanted the Pats to draft him, and I'll say it again now. Gholston was a TERRIBLE pick as a 3-4 OLB. Especially in a 2gap system. He does not hold up well at the point of attack. He will not be effective rushing the passer from the OLB spot, being blocked by OTs. He can make plays if the scheme frees him up, but who in the NFL can't? If he stays at 34 OLB he will be the biggest bust of the first half of this years draft. If he ends up a 43 DE in a one gap system, he can be a good player.
His strengths are based on quickness, anticipation, and gambling for the big play. None of those are very usefull for a 3-4 2 gap OLB. He will get manhandled in the running game. His pass rush coming from the OLB position eliminates the 2 gap DE ability to beat the blocker off the line, choose a gap, gamble etc.
I may be wrong. I am a huge Buckeye fan, and I loved him as Buck, but could see in all the games I watched him that he was far, far better suited to being a 43 DE than a 34 OLB, and also a one gap player rather than 2.
This is where I see most poor draft choices come from. Teams project that a guy can do what is needed at a position significantly different than the one he excelled at. The skillset needed for a 34 2 gap olb is dramatically different than the skillset needed for a 43 one gap DE. Even as far as rushing the passer, the skills in doing it from thise 2 different positons are very different. What happened here, and happens often is people fell in love with Gholstons measurables, so decided they could fit a square peg in a round hole. The comments that 'he started as a LB at Ohio State" were ludicrous to me, and an obvious stretch to fit him into a projection.
There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that if Gholston had the skill set to play OLB Ohio State would have left him there. They value LBs much more than DEs. In the end the Jets are trying to convert Gholston to a position at the NFL level that he was converted away from at the College level. All of the reasons he was converted away are much more maginified in the NFL as well.

 

[Ring 6]

Thankfully, a thread on something other than the Pat's minor rule infraction.

When you consider how awful the Dolphins were last year it's quite reasonable to think that a guy with a big arm and some fire in his belly like Henne will have the biggest impact on his team - he doesn't have to be an all-pro, just solid and the Fins will be a very different team. I bet Henne plays from the start, sorry Mr. Beck.

Contrast that with Mayo stepping into the #2 Defense in the NFL - Jerrod would have to play like an absolute star to make #8 on this list from the way the writer says he calculates it, FWIW.

I dont know how Henne is expected to have a bigger impact than Matt Ryan? Thats bizarre.

I hope Henne is annointed the Dolphin QB. After seeing him play poorly, especially in the clutch, against all of the top competition he faced at Michigan, we will be stepping backward 2 years and having the Dolphins with Joey Harrington Jr trying to lead them out of the abyss.

 

[Ring 6]

Merriman, Ware, Wimbley all had an instant impact, the conversion can happen very quickly for those talented enough.

But the fact that some players have converted says nothing about whether he can. Merriman and Ware do no tplay in 2gap systems either.
The question isnt whether a college DE can become a pro OLB, the quesiton is whether Gholston has the skillset to do so.

 

[Kontradiction]

You guys have already brought up Henne, but I'm not quite sure Kevin Smith even belongs on that list. I used to go to UCF once upon a time and have actually seen Kevin Smith play in person. He's an amazing athelete and a great running back but there is no way he belongs at #2 on that list. I'd put him at #22 if anything.