Patrick Willis vs. Jerod Mayo - I see some similarities

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

I think Mayo is playing almost as well as Willis did in his rookie season - Going by the first 3 weeks in their rookie seasons,the stats are pretty close and both are fully aware of where the ball is and are sure handed tacklers and ahead of their time.

While Willis started quicker as a playmaker and Mayo is moving a bit slower towards knowing where to be,I think Jerod has shown to be as good of a tackler as Willis and I think Mayo has been on the field for more plays than Willis but you have to think we may see a very close resemblance once the season ends between these two young outstanding linebackers

I am looking forward to seeing what these two guys do against the offenses in this weeks matchup.

 

[JoePats]

Willis made the pro bowl, deservedly, as a rookie. Mayo is not playing at that level yet. Obviously it's only been three games. But Willis was as good as almost anybody in the league.

 

[billdog3484]

based on the small sample size we have so far from mayo its hard to compare the two players, but id be pretty happy if he was anywhere close to willis.

 

[BionicPatriot]

Willis is outside, right? That's a lot easier to impact as a rookie than inside. Mayo will be fine.

 

[maverick4]

Actually Mayo was responsible for at least two of those huge Dolphin runs because he ran into the wrong hole, and also reports are saying he is making coverage mistakes by keying on the run too much.

All correctable and understandable for a rookie.

 

[K-Ro 25]

Willis is outside, right? That's a lot easier to impact as a rookie than inside. Mayo will be fine.

Willis is actually an inside backer as well. Of what I have seen of Mayo he seems to have the tools to be a fine LB. Interesting you guys ended you with him and might have had Rey Maluaga from USC instead had he declared. I personally think Rey is very overrated.

 

[cstjohn17]

Mayo is the future at ILB, there will be some bumps along the way but he is there to take the torch from Bruschi. I haven't seen Willis a lot as a pro but on the surface it seems like he is a little faster, a little bigger and more aggressive than Mayo.

What about David Harris from the Jets? He is a good player, up and coming ILB.

Free agent to keep an eye on, I think Barton from the Jets does a good job and he is a free agent after the year, my favorite pickup would be Crowder from Miami. Crowder and Mayo would be a real nice ILB combo.

 

[pats1]

Willis is outside, right? That's a lot easier to impact as a rookie than inside. Mayo will be fine.

Willis is an ILB in the 49ers' 3-4.

 

[tjones7]

I think they are similar type linebackers, however I would definately say that Willis is the more physically talented player... Just look at this play:

YouTube - Patrick Willis - LB with WR speed

Any time your ILB is running down a WR, you know you have something special...

I also think that Willis was going through the same growing pains that Mayo is having now, and I think that a few more games and he will be right with Willis.

 

[BritPat]

Whilst I think Jerod is a fantastic young player, and a potential pro-bowler, Willis could be one of the all-time greats at the position, the natural successor to Ray Lewis/Derrick Brooks who are the standout LB's of the last 10-15 years and first ballot HOF'ers. I think Maualuga is the best pro-prospect since Ray Lewis by the way, and could maybe surpass Willis as the next great middle/inside linebacker.

Next years MLB/ILB draft class is mouth-watering. And there's James Laurinaitis coming out too

 

[Joker]

Laurinaitis sure looked good against USC...oh wait...

 

[WhiZa]

Remember this thread a few days before the draft?

http://www.patsfans.com/new-england-patriots/messageboard/13/81516-jerod-mayo-vs-patrick-willis.html

 

[Schmo]

I don't follow the Vols, but I remember hearing about how Mayo looked confused at the beginning of last season when he was initially moved to ILB. By the end of the season he was worthy of a 1st round draft pick. If he is going through the same "growing pains" as last year, he will definitely be comparable to Willis.