Good Read

[Franchise]

Not sure how many of you saw this buy thought it was a good read about Ward over Mays.

Thanks to a record of 5-11, the Browns had the luxury to choose sixth in the second round. With a top-rated cornerback in their pocket, the big question was regarding what they would do with that 38th overall selection. Some said quarterback. Others said another defensive back. Another defensive back not named Taylor Mays. For better or worse, newly drafted Browns safety TJ Ward will be compared to San Francisco’s Taylor Mays for the forseeable future. Mays had a bigger name, quite a highlight reel and was a guy that many Browns fans have been coveting for over a year. And with both players available, the Browns shunned the YouTube hero for someone that they felt better suited the future of the team, and the opinions came flying out of the word work.
Message boards, talk radio, blog comments… You name it. How could the Browns even consider passing up on Taylor Mays?
Alas, the Philadelphia Eagles selected Nate Allen one pick ahead of the Browns and Tom Heckert was forced to find the next best player on his draft board. And per Heckert himself, that player was one TJ Ward out of Oregon. Sure, the name may not as big as Mays’. But then again, Ward did not have the luxury to build his legacy while playing behind a linebacking group that featured Rey Maualuga, Clay Matthews Jr, and Brian Cushing.
Notice the drop in Mays’ production year-over-year following the departure of the abovementioned linebackers. Despite being known more for being the guy that was juked out of his shoes early in the contest, TJ Ward went on to record 10 tackles against Ohio State in the Rose Bowl. Taylor Mays, against the same Ohio State team, did not fare too well. Mays had a shot to play the Buckeyes for the second time in the season if not for losing to Oregon 47-20 earlier in the year. The last play of the game resulted in Matt Barkely’s pass being intercepted. Intercepted by TJ Ward.
“He’s a super tough kid and makes a lot of plays in the run game,” said Browns general maanger Tom Heckert. “We think he can cover – we worked him out and think he has good athletic ability.”
Sure, a lot of pundits and publications feel that the Browns reached for Ward. But a lot of those pundits and publications were not privy to the draft boards of the NFL teams that were selecting this past weekend. After all, Mel Kiper still feels that Jimmy Clausen was the third-best player in the entire pool and we all know what happend to the Notre Dame product.
What did Tom Heckert think about Mays?
“We think Taylor is a good football player too,” said Heckert. “But TJ was a guy that we spent a lot of time with and a guy that we felt comfortable with who could come in and help our defense.”
But let’s take the names out of it for a minute and go to the tape…
Giving Mays the benefit of the doubt, we can compare he and Ward over the past two seasons. Mays suited up for 25 games, recording 149 tackles (5.96 per game) - two of which were for a loss. Ward only played in 21 games over the two year period due to injuries that have been discussed ad nauseum. In said 21-game period, Ward recorded 169 tackles (8.05 per game) – eight of which were for a loss.
A lot has been made of Ward’s weaknesses when not playing the run. Looking at the fact that he only hauled in two interceptions over a two year stretch, and this concern is understandable. But also in that two year stretch, the Oregon safety broke up 14 passes. This total is higher than Mays (12), Nate Allen (five) and even Chad Jones from LSU (four).
“I think his ball skills are fine,” said Heckert. “You know they used him in the box quite a bit so he had fewer opportunities to do [record interceptions].”
“Ward was very loose in the hips, which bodes well for his coverage ability at the next level,” said Gil Brandt on Ward’s Pro Day.
But what about his speed? Mays ran a 40-yard dash that blew away his competition. That he did, with a time of 4.31 seconds. And while Mays proved that he is great in straight lines, his 20-yard shuttle time (4.24) was the slowest of the four safeties that have been mentioned in this very piece. The quickest 20-yard shuttle time? TJ Ward with 4.12 seconds.
Pat Kirwan, take it away…
“A man who runs a 4.4 40 and a 4.4 short shuttle is really a guy with straight-line speed who may not play very fast because of a lack of quickness. He is often referred to as a guy with “track speed.” Conversely, an athlete who runs an average time of 4.7 in the 40 but can hit the short shuttle in 3.9 — significantly better than the 0.5 differential — can overcome his average speed with great quickness and change of direction.”
Compared to three safeties from last season, Ward had a faster 40-time and 20-yard shuttle time than Patrick Chung, Louis Delmas and William Moore – all safeties taken in the second round. And as an added bonus, let’s compare him to the quintessential AFC North safety, Troy Polamalu, when he came out of college in 2003. Ward is almost identical in height, weight and 40-time (Polamalu ran a 4.40). Polamalu recorded 14 pass break-ups in his final two seasons, with 7.75 tackles per game.
But Mays has a nose for the ball. He absolutely crushes ball-carriers, right?
For good measure, Ward has his own fair share of YouTube sensations…
There’s a good chance that the Oklahoma State QB is still seeing stars. Heckert labeled Ward’s hitting as “infections.” He may not be as big as Mays – something that actually helps him long-term, as Mays may be moved to outside linebacker later in his career – but can hit with every bit of intensity. He’s every bit of a run-stopper that actually may be more versatile than his USC peer. And while he may have had his fair share of injuries, none of these issues have been concussion-related – something that Browns fans cannot say about Ward’s predecessor.
“I’m 100 percent,” said Ward in a post-selection conference call. “I’ll be ready for this first minicamp coming up and I am ready to contribute in any way the coaches or staff need me too.”
And finally, I would not count out the perceived character issue. It was only a matter of minutes before Mays went to the media to disparage his former coach Pete Carroll for passing on him three times. While this says a lot on its own, the fact of the matter was that Carroll felt comfortable enough with his current defense – especially newly drafted safety Earl Thomas. There was obviously something about Mays that the Browns did not like, which lead to Ward being placed above him on their draft board, for better or worse.
Whether or not the Browns made the right move will be only be shown after a few seasons of play. But judging from what we know, the measurables, the video and the commentary all show that Mays may not have exactly been the best option at 38th overall.
Only time will tell…


The Browns Passed on Taylor Mays – Get Over It | WaitingForNextYear

[sofakingwhat]

Good read, I hope he is the banger we need.

[PlaygroundLegend]

Well, that article makes me feel a little bit more comfortable

but I was PISSED when we chose Ward over Mays, absolutely PISSED

[PlaygroundLegend]

It just makes me mad that we never get "the name" you know?

It really sucks, we always seem to draft players people dont really know about, we never draft the youtube champions... Im not saying its a bad thing, but sometimes those youtube champions DO pan out

[Vegasdogg]

The knock is "he is a SS not a FS."
This is not completely accurate. He was not asked to play much FS and yet he broke up 14 passes over 21 games, more than Mays, Allen and Jones @ 12, 5 and 4 respectively. You can't call Ward simply a SS just because that is how OU used him. Great shuttle and loose hips, and played CB early if I'm not mistaken. Heckert knows Mangini wants his Safeties to play both roles, and Mangini studied the kid as well. How people are stunned by the pick because they think he can't cover really aren't paying much attention to what Heckert Holmgren and Mangini are saying about the kid.

Eh, we'll see. I try not to box players into roles based on the Mockies. Heckert addressed it and likes him as a guy who can strenghten his cover abilities with good coaching while wrecking people in the box.

[BernietheKid]

People forget that Mays also had K. Rivers from the Bengals play infront of him as well. So all in all T.Mays had Rivers, Maulauga, Cushing, Matthews Jr., and Maiava playing in front of him at sometime during his first three years at USC.

Kind of makes you wonder why he had such a bad senior year? Could it be that no one was in front of him to protect/cover his lack of problem areas?

[Riffer X]

Hell, I think Mays went too high if you ask me. I think he kinda sucks. Yeah, there is a possibility he can be coached up, but he's not worth the risk where he was taken.

I just watched a quick version of the Rose Bowl last year before OSU's spring game, and Ward was all over the place. When he hit Pryor he went right down, and Pryor usually always falls forward even if he doesn't mean to. He had like 11 tackles that game I think. Thing about him is, he attacks and is not making all his tackles in a DQJ fashion, more like Bob Sanders. Factor in the guy can cover much better than people think and I believe we got a good one, a really good one. Just stay healthy kid.

@PGL, you cannot be serious. So you're saying you get excited over name guys in the media? I gotta say I'm shocked by this revelation.

[Vegasdogg]

Name guys - all the money is in the advertising and not the product.

[TheBestPlayersPlay]

Nice article.

Originally Posted by Franchise

Alas, the Philadelphia Eagles selected Nate Allen one pick ahead of the Browns and Tom Heckert was forced to find the next best player on his draft board. And per Heckert himself, that player was one TJ Ward out of Oregon.

I actually read that they had Ward rated higher on their draft board than Allen. (can't remember where though, I think it was the PD) I think (hope) this kid is going to be a stud.

[Riffer X]

Originally Posted by TheBestPlayersPlay

Nice article.



I actually read that they had Ward rated higher on their draft board than Allen. (can't remember where though, I think it was the PD) I think (hope) this kid is going to be a stud.

Don't know if you guys all know who Micheal Reghi is up here, he used to do the Cavs play by play, Orioles play by play and does a ton of college football and basketball games. He's a pretty reputable guy and you can tell he does his homework on the draft, formulating his own opinions and not just quoting the so called experts.

Anyway, he is in love with Ward, says we got a helluva player. He loves how the franchise has went to town on getting hard nosed players who like to get physical, but he says Ward is a really good cover guy too. This kid is a player for sure.

[mz.]

I completely understand the Ward pick. I do. Even where it was. The more I read about him and watch his YouTube shit, the more I dig him.

What doesn't make sense to me is why they subsequently drafted Asante, a similar in-the-box S, when they could have had a nice DL (like, shocker, Art Jones) instead.

[Neo]

The only thing I can say is let these guys prove thier worth and stop worrying about if they are big names or not. I am behind all of our draft picks and we certainly needed Safeties. I am excited for this coming season.