Jerod Mayo?
 

So La Canfora mentions that the Skins will have former Tennessee LB Jerod Mayo in for workouts and could be a target in the draft. To me, the linebackers we have are pretty much set, and it's just one of those positions (along with QB and RB) that the Redskins just don't have a need for.

I know Rocky's return is a question mark, but it just seems that we have far more pressing needs at OL, DL, WR and Secondary.

So it brings to mind a question: what position could the Skins draft early, say 1st or 2nd round that would make you shake your head in disbelief? Like I said, to me that would be QB, LB, and RB.

Mods: hopefully this isn't too close to "Saden's bitter Draft" thread. Merge if necessary.

Re: Jerod Mayo?
 

Maybe its recon for a draft-and-trade deal with another team. It never hurts to do your homework on everyone just in case.

Re: Jerod Mayo?
 

For me, it's QB. Unless you're in a position to draft a QB someone else needs (such as the Falcons perhaps) and are using it as leverage to trade for more picks.

But if you do that you better have the trade in place before hand

Re: Jerod Mayo?
 

While maybe not a major need I still think LB is a spot we'll address at some point in the draft based on Rocky's knees and Washington's recent injury problems.

Re: Jerod Mayo?
 

I think the Redskins draft him if:

1. They become scared off by the bust factor of Campbell and Balmer
2. They become scared off by Merlings sports hernia
3. DRC doesn't fall to them

With that said I don't really question the BPA philosophy that the Redskins have stated publically. Of course they'll all but cross out certain positions in the draft like QB unless Matt Ryan falls to them but I think last year by drafting Landry over Amobi and Cariker, the front office showed that they're willing to take the BPA.

They also might draft Keith Rivers if he falls.

Re: Jerod Mayo?
 

Plus, while I don't know a ton about Mayo everything I have heard indicates that he will be a great value in the bottom third of the first round. Kiper was saying he has top 10 talent.

I don't see our LB's as being set at all. Rocky suffered a severe injury, Washington has been hurt for the better part of three years, and Fletch is going to be 40 like next weekend. We have a certain degree of depth there, but if the best athlete available at 21 is a LB I wouldn't have a problem taking him. It has been LB play that has carried our defense for a couple years now so getting younger, faster, and better there doesn't sound too bad to me.

Re: Jerod Mayo?
 

I agree with DJNemo.
Fletcher and Washington have very limited time left and McIntosh is coming off of a severe knee injury.
It's time we spent some picks on depth at linebacker. We don't have to get the next Superstar but we do have to find quality guys that can step in a few years down the road.

Re: Jerod Mayo?
 

I think a while back (around the combine) they were looking at Beaul Bell and Ben Moffitt

I think that if we get someone like Merling we could even have some scenarios where Wilson lines up LB

Re: Jerod Mayo?
 

[quote=SmootSmack;440176]I think a while back (around the combine) they were looking at Beaul Bell and Ben Moffitt

I think that if we get someone like Merling we could even have some scenarios where Wilson lines up LB[/quote]
I really like Beau Bell a lot. I am hoping he's still around for our 5th round pick. As for Jerod Mayo I think he's a good LB, but for us to get him we would have to draft him with the 21st pick because he won't be around when we pick in the 2nd round, and to me picking a LB at #21 is a mistake when there are other quality LB's that are going to be around in the later rounds like Beau Bell, and Phillip Wheeler.

Re: Jerod Mayo?
 

I think we have more pressing needs than LB, but Fletcher is 33, Washington is 30, Rocky is coming off a major knee injury and supposedly has a degenerative knee condition in both knees, Godfrey is old and hasn't re-signed, and Blades isn't even a lock to make the roster. In other words, our LB corps is not exactly rock solid. In fact, our LB corps is riddled with question marks.

Re: Jerod Mayo?
 

[quote=Sheriff Gonna Getcha;440238]I think we have more pressing needs than LB, but Fletcher is 33, Washington is 30, Rocky is coming off a major knee injury and supposedly has a degenerative knee condition in both knees, Godfrey is old and hasn't re-signed, and Blades isn't even a lock to make the roster. In other words, our LB corps is not exactly rock solid. In fact, our LB corps is riddled with question marks.[/quote]

To my opinion we are pretty much set in linebacker corps, however we could get one in day two, and I don't really think that Mayo or Bell will be available. You get one to get depth (I like Wheeler from G-Tech, you still find him in 4th or 5th round), but you go another year with Fletcher, Rocky and Marcus, then next year you pick one on Day 1. There's no urgency in 2008 for LB's.

Re: Jerod Mayo?
 

Yes to Mayo. I think we'll draft a LB or two in the 3rd or lower rounds

Re: Jerod Mayo?
 

Some mock drafts have him going in the 1st round so there's no chance we'll be able to aquire him, unless we get him in the first which in my opinion would be a waste of the pick..

Re: Jerod Mayo?
 

My only issue with picking Mayo so early is that, starting LB's in the NFL are almost a dime a dozen. More importantly, there are diamonds in the rough to be had for sure. Whether its in later rounds or FA market signing or even in off of a practice squad. If need be we can find a LB or two at any given time (case in point Godfrey)

Also LB's tend to be system guys (more so than any other defensive position) so a great guy for our current 4-3 system could be ineffective in a 3-4 role (or for zone vs gap responsiblities, or rush vs pass, etc etc). Who's to say we don't get a new defensive coordinator in a year or two who implements a totally different system which Mayo might not fit into (a la Lavar). Vesting such a high pick in a guy who isn't absolutely necessary to improve our defense would be foolish IMO.

Considering the risk-reward tradeoff as well as the overall pool of starting LBs, I think it would be a stretch to pick up any LB in the 1st round. There will be CB's, D-linemen, O-linemen, and WR's available of comparable talent levels.

Re: Jerod Mayo?
 

If we were to pick someone like Mayo or Connor in the first round to me that would throw up a bunch of red flags that that pick isn't for us. That in, let's say June, that pick is going to a team that needs a linebacker...like maybe the Bengals?

Re: Jerod Mayo?
 

I know Mayo was an area high school star. Yesterday the local paper was
talking him up as a first rounder.

Right now teams are trying to throw up so many smoke screens to get someone else to tip their hand. This nothing more than high stakes poker.
Only people lying more right now are politicians.

I would love to be in the war room and watch the games being played with
the media and other NFL teams.

Re: Jerod Mayo?
 

Some interesting questions for Mayo

[url=http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/s_563376.html]Brown: NFL coaches really investigate prospects - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review[/url]

Re: Jerod Mayo?
 

I don't think that spending a pick at LB, especially if they trade down, is a bad idea, however Mayo at 21 would be a pretty awful pick. Again though, if we are talking pick 32-35 though, and we've picked up another 3rd rounder, then Mayo isn't a bad choice.

I think a WR in the first would be an awful selection. I think a Safety in the first would be an awful selection. I think a CB in the 1st, not named Antoine Cason, would be a bad selection. Offensive line or Defensive line in the first is where that pick needs to go. After the first round, many more positions become fair game. A QB in the 3rd or before would be bad. A TE or RB on the first day would be bad (but not in round 3 if the value is there).

Outside of that, anything is fair game if the value is there.

Re: Jerod Mayo?
 

I certainly don't think LB is an immediate, unquestionable need. However, as I noted above, I don't think it would be at all unreasonable if the Redskins decided to use the 21st pick on a LB.

Do we have need along the O-line? Certainly, but the projected lineup of Samuels, Kendall, Rabach, Thomas and Jansen looks good. Heyer is a work in progress and we better hope he doesn't have to start more than 1 or 2 games, but he's a decent backup. Similarly, I hope Lorenzo Alexander doesn't have to start a single game, but some believe Lorenzo Alexander could be a starting guard in the not too distant future future. We need to start planning for the future of our O-line now, but don't we need to do the same thing for our LB corps?

We also have needs at cornerback. But right now, our projected starting lineup of Springs and Smoot is good enough for me. Carlos Rogers will likely start the season on the PUP list as he is coming off major knee surgery, but isn't Rocky coming off a major injury as well? Yes Springs is aging, but Fletcher is no spring chicken. It sounds like we have have the same question marks at corner as we do at LB.

I know a lot of people are hoping that we use a high round draft pick on a wideout. I too think we could use another wideout and wouldn't be happy to see us start the season with Anthony Mix as our #3 receiver. But, I don't think we'll get a lot of added value out of a rookie wideout. History shows that few rookie wideouts put up decent numbers. Guys like Randy Moss and Dwayne Bowe are the exception, not the rule. Moreover, supposing we draft a rookie wideout in the first round and Jason Campbell throws for 3,100 yards, it's not as though a lot of those yards are going to go to the rook. Moss will probably rack up 1,100 or so yards, Cooley will probably snag passes for another 700, ARE will likely get somewhere around 500 yards, and Portis another 300 yards, leaving about 500 yards for guys like Yoder, Mix and the rookie. Finally, there should be plenty of decent WR prospects available in rounds 2 or 3.

So, while I'd like to see us draft a guy like Merling, I wouldn't be shocked or particularly upset if we drafted Mayo in the first and targeted wideouts, O-linemen, etc. in rounds 2, 3, and 5.

Re: Jerod Mayo?
 

[QUOTE=GTripp0012;441259]I don't think that spending a pick at LB, especially if they trade down, is a bad idea, however Mayo at 21 would be a pretty awful pick. Again though, if we are talking pick 32-35 though, and we've picked up another 3rd rounder, then Mayo isn't a bad choice.

I think a WR in the first would be an awful selection. I think a Safety in the first would be an awful selection. I think a CB in the 1st, not named Antoine Cason, would be a bad selection. Offensive line or Defensive line in the first is where that pick needs to go. After the first round, many more positions become fair game. A QB in the 3rd or before would be bad. A TE or RB on the first day would be bad (but not in round 3 if the value is there).

Outside of that, anything is fair game if the value is there.[/QUOTE]

What if, as some have speculated, Mike Jenkins falls all the way down to #21?

Re: Jerod Mayo?
 

I wouldn't want Jenkins at that spot. I'm just not sold on him. I'd rather see Laws or Lawrence Jackson at 21, if we can't land Albert, Williams, or Merling.

Cason is my top-rated Corner. Ahead of DRC, ahead of McKelvin, ahead of Talib, ahead of Jenkins.

Re: Jerod Mayo?
 

[QUOTE=GTripp0012;441283]I wouldn't want Jenkins at that spot. I'm just not sold on him. I'd rather see Laws or Lawrence Jackson at 21, if we can't land Albert, Williams, or Merling.

Cason is my top-rated Corner. Ahead of DRC, ahead of McKelvin, ahead of Talib, ahead of Jenkins.[/QUOTE]

Yeah I'm with you on Cason. I wanted him last year when he was rumored to be coming out in the 2007 draft.

I'm torn between Laws and Balmer. I imagine you're not sold on Balmer because of his relative inability to succeed until this year.

Anyhow, several people "in the know" speculate that Jenkins and-surprsingly-Gholstong are the most likely to fall way way down. The key is really what the Falcons do at #3

Re: Jerod Mayo?
 

I could see Gholston slipping to 7, with the Pats sitting there, even though the Jets would be crazy to pass on him and let the Pats grab him.

Anyway, that is pretty much why I'm not sold on Balmer (though I did give him a first round grade). I don't often plug my own stuff, but I feel that this is relevant in this case:

[URL="http://mvn.com/nfl-draft/2008/04/19/mvn-writers-mock-draft-21-washington-redskins-dt-trevor-laws-notre-dame/"]NFL Draft University | MVN - an NFL Draft blog » Blog Archive » MVN writers mock draft: 21. Washington Redskins - DT Trevor Laws, Notre Dame[/URL]

The risk on Balmer isn't that bad, since multiple year starters who break out as Seniors tend to be the real-deal, but of course, I keep saying "beware the career year". If all Balmer's season really was turns out to be a well-timed career year, then he's not going to be successful in the NFL. You don't really have that risk with Laws.

Re: Jerod Mayo?
 

[quote=GTripp0012;441283]Cason is my top-rated Corner. Ahead of DRC, ahead of McKelvin, ahead of Talib, ahead of Jenkins.[/quote]

Cason would be a nice choice..

Re: Jerod Mayo?
 

[quote=GTripp0012;441283]I wouldn't want Jenkins at that spot. I'm just not sold on him. I'd rather see Laws or Lawrence Jackson at 21, if we can't land Albert, Williams, or Merling.

Cason is my top-rated Corner. Ahead of DRC, ahead of McKelvin, ahead of Talib, ahead of Jenkins.[/quote]
I think Trevor Laws and Lawrence Jackson are big reaches at #21, no matter who's off the board, especially when they're projected as early to mid 2nd rounders. I just don't think that they would be good value picks at the #21 spot.