Bengals Draft Depot

I'm on the Earl Thomas bandwagon, but I can also see and make a case for Taylor Mays. The AFC North is a smashmouth division that he would fit in perfectly. Rooney from the Steelers recently said that they need to get back to smashmouth, run the football offense. They could very easily go offensive line in rounds 1 and 2, possibly landing Iupati, a Guard who will be a punishing run blocker. If that happens all the top 3 teams in the division will be run first teams and Mays could be key in stopping Baltimore and Pittsburgh's running game. Mays 40 time at the combine was the talk of the weekend as most had him clocked in the 4.3's. For someone his size that is an amazing time and Mays could very well be the best athlete in the entire draft.

Positves for Mays are obviously his size and speed. I can't ever remember a Safety prospect as big as he is with that kind of straight line speed. When he gets going downhill he has good balance and delivers punishing hits on the ball carrier or possible receiver. Players will think twice about going over the middle against the Bengals if he's in the mix. Between Mays and Maualuga the Bengals D could strike fear into opposing offenses. In pass coverage he has excellent range due to his straight line speed being elite. He can run down ball carriers in the open field. In zone coverage he is very reliable, it's man where he struggles. As far as his run stopping ability he plays the run better than alot of Linebackers play the run. He is a student of the game and has excellent work ethic which is something about Mays that doesn't get talked about much.

Mays has some negatives but I do believe with the right coaching they can be overcome and as of now the Bengals have the right coaching in place. His agility is questioned as he has stiff hips and doesn't turn and run very quickly, negating that elite speed. When the ball is in the air he isn't very good at tracking or finding the ball. He struggles in man coverage and teams in the NFL are getting more pass happy. More and more TE's are being split out as receivers and he would have to cover sometimes. He's inconsistent with his angles, sometimes taking horrible angles that have led to some very big plays. Instead of going for the ball he opts to make the big hit instead and when he tackles he doesn't always wrap up trying to deliver the knock out blow.

All these negatives aside Mays will be an excellent fit in the AFC North. He can play the run better than any other Safety in the draft, maybe in the NFL currently. With Zimmer and Lewis in house he has 2 defensive gurus that were former DB's teaching him the game. If he can be refined with the measurables he has he could be the best Safety in football and possibly the best defender in football. His size and speed can not be taught and that gives him an advantage over other players from the get go. If Mike Zimmer can get the most out of him the sky is the limit to what he can accomplish, and I believe Zimmer will, but for how long Zim could easily be offered a HC job next offseason. With one of the best corner duos in the NFL on the defense he doesn't have to be elite covering man to man. When in zone he does well because of his ability to diagnose the play so quick. I think Zim will make Mays a Troy Polumalu type of player that is given the freedom to roam due to his good instincts and ability to sniff out the play. That is if he's the pick. Mays along with a good nickel corner could make the Bengals defense the best in the NFL.