Pats use #10 to pick Mayo
Posted by Rick on April 26, 2008
The New England Patriots selected ILB Jerod Mayo of Tennessee with the tenth pick of the NFL Draft.
Reaction: This guy was not even on my radar, because the Pats never take a linebacker this high. But he looks like a great fit for the 3-4 scheme that relies on the top-notch defensive line to free up linebackers to make plays. While I expected a corner to be selected, this is consistent with the Patriots’ philosophy of counting on the front seven and filling in the secondary with role players. While I like the move, we still have a hole at corner.
Here’s the scoop from NFL Draft Countdown:
Jerod Mayo
Height: 6-11/4 | Weight: 242 | 40-Time: 4.54
Strengths:
Very athletic…Has excellent timed speed and quickness..Physical and plays bigger than he is…Has terrific range and does a great job in pursuit…Reliable tackler and will deliver the big hit…Smart with good awareness and instincts…Has a non-stop motor…Fluid & smooth in coverage…Versatile…Productive..Nice program pedigree.
Weaknesses:
Undersized and doesn’t have either the ideal height or bulk that you look for..Has trouble taking on and shedding blockers…Needs to be protected up front…Just a marginal blitzer…Durability may be an issue…Probably not a good fit for everyone.
Notes:
The next in a long line of top Volunteer linebackers…Can project inside or outside depending on the defensive scheme and has experience at both…Best fit may be as a middle ‘backer in a Cover 2 or on the weakside..Not a traditional thumper but he will prove awfully attractive to teams that are willing to sacrifice some size for speed…He will draw comparisons to Al Wilson and those are reasonably accurate.
Career Statistics
Year GP TKL TFL SACK PBU INT
2004 DNP - - - - -
2005 6 13 0.0 0.0 0 0
2006 12 83 12.5 5.0 1 0
2007 14 140 8.5 1.5 2 1
Totals 32 236 21.0 6.5 3 1
NFL Draft Countdown commentary: I knew the Pats weren’t going to go cornerback here and I figured it would be a linebacker in some shape or form but I have to admit I didn’t really see it being Jerod Mayo. With that said Mayo is a guy who was really moving up draft boards in the last month or so and this probably breaks the heart of Rod Marinelli in Detroit. For New England I like the pick a lot, even if it is a slight reach. Junior Seau may not be back, Tedy Bruschi is going to hang up his cleats any year now and there was no depth to speak of inside. Mayo is athletic, fast, smart and productive, which is usually a pretty good combination, and he fits the profile for what the Patriots look for in a player.
