Mike Mayock... "There are no Safeties in the 2008 draft worth a 1st round pick." (1 Viewer)

[BoNcHiE]

Just because there have been some good ones, doesn't mean you pick Kenny Phillips on that. Kenny Phillips is not LaRon Landry, Ed Reed, Sean Taylor. To tell you the truth he is probably comparable to Huff, who hasn't seen much success yet.

Kenny Phillips is identical physically to Sean Taylor and was a great Safety in college. What else can he do? People like to say he doesn't hit as hard as Taylor or cover as well as Reed, so what? So if he isn't some super Safety with Taylor like hitting and Reed like cover skills then he shouldn't be drafted high? He is no worse a prospect then Laron Landry at this point and Phillips is bigger and faster then he is. The combine can change things obviously, so we will see. But I don't get everyone feeling the need to downplay him constantly just because that person wants a LB or DT. You don't want him? Fine, but hes still a great Safety prospect.

 

[Bless U Boys]

I think he's more like Reggie Nelson, which is still very good, but not Landry.

 

[meily]

I just want a draft with "NFL ready" players, not a bunch of "small school projects". I know we struck gold with Evans and Colston, but last year was the complete opposite.

Talent is talent, and were ever you can find it you should get it, Demarcus Ware went to Troy (small school) he transitioned very well to the Pro's...Talent is Talent, I don't care what school you go to, if you can play you can play and nowadays not everybody can go to the big college programs (scholarships) so they go to smaller schools (and dominate) or they are overshadowed by the star on there team and get attention around this time of the year.


And I think the fact that we have found some good players from small schools shows that, that is part of our recipe for finding players over and under the radar....you gotta look under every rock.

 

[CHI-TOWNSAINT]

I agree, I really don't understand the Kenny Phillips love. It's mostly because of the Josh Bullocks hate, which isn't warranted.

Sorry, but I had to call you out on this one. Josh Bullocks was as bad this year as Jason David. They both were out of position 75% of the time and I think that is a conservative percentage.

As far as Philips, I think there will be DL and LBers at 10 that will be rated much higher. After the combine is when players come from nowhere. You will see players make leaps from 3rd round prospects to first round prospects and 1st round prospects slide to third.....ala Derek Strait from a couple years ago.

 

[GoldRush26]

He is no worse a prospect then Laron Landry at this point.

Based on what? Landry was rated as a top 10 pick consistently. The fact that Kenny Phillips is all over the place as far as his draft ranking says that people don't have a good read on him, and that concerns me.

 

[BoNcHiE]

Based on what? Landry was rated as a top 10 pick consistently. The fact that Kenny Phillips is all over the place as far as his draft ranking says that people don't have a good read on him, and that concerns me.

So Landry never fell out of the top 10 on any mock draft? Just because Mel Kiper (whos draft board is just nuts right now) and Matt Mayock have opinions on him, doesn't mean he is all over the board with rankings. Most mock drafts have him top 15. You think there was noone in the media saying Landry wasn't a top 10 pick at the time?

 

[fr3sh]

Fine by me. If he slips far enough, I wouldn't mind trading up from our second round pick to get him. Kind of like what the Chargers did to get Eric Weddle.

 

[NPs6724]

Kenny Phillips is identical physically to Sean Taylor and was a great Safety in college. What else can he do? People like to say he doesn't hit as hard as Taylor or cover as well as Reed, so what? So if he isn't some super Safety with Taylor like hitting and Reed like cover skills then he shouldn't be drafted high? He is no worse a prospect then Laron Landry at this point and Phillips is bigger and faster then he is. The combine can change things obviously, so we will see. But I don't get everyone feeling the need to downplay him constantly just because that person wants a LB or DT. You don't want him? Fine, but hes still a great Safety prospect.

Phillips may be identical physically, but that didn't translate on the field like Taylor and Reed. He has the tools, but so does Bullocks. He was known as a ballhawk and a good cover guy deep in college, but we've seen how different he is. Landry was also a better prospect than Phillips from the get-go. I'm not going by mocks, I'm going by what I've seen. Landry flat-out made way more plays than Phillips ever did. Whether it was due to the talent around them, I don't know, but Landry was consistently one of the two or three best players on a top-rated college defense for his entire career, playing more talented teams week-in and week-out. It's true Phillip LOOKS like a tremendous prospect, but so do many players. I see Phillips as a good prospect, not a great one. we need a great one at #10.

 

[Webmeistro]

He is no worse a prospect then Laron Landry at this point and

This statement right here is enough to invalidate anything you say about Phillips.

Laron Landry was a better safety during his freshman summer workouts than Phillips is now. There's a gigantic gulf between the two in terms of knowing the game and making plays.

 

[BoNcHiE]

This statement right here is enough to invalidate anything you say about Phillips.

Laron Landry was a better safety during his freshman summer workouts than Phillips is now. There's a gigantic gulf between the two in terms of knowing the game and making plays.

Thank you LSU fan.

"As a junior, Phillips was named to the All-ACC 1st Team for a second straight year.[5] He started 12 games out of 12 at free safety. Phillips ranked second on the team with a career high-high 95 tackles(69 solo), made 6.5 tackles for loss, forced three fumbles, broke up 5 passes and intercepted 2 passes."

And Landry:

"He chose to forgo the lure of the NFL to return to LSU for his senior season even though many analysts projected him as a high draft pick. He was considered the top free safety in the nation and a potential All American for the season[3] Landry lived up to these expectations, starting all 13 games, earning first team All-American and first team All-SEC honors after collecting 74 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, one sack, one forced fumble, one blocked kick, and three interceptions.[2]"

Yes, huge void in deed

 

[Eeyore]

Google nfl mock draft 2008. Most big draft sites have him top 15 so no its not just "people on this board."

All of those people dislike Bullocks as well.

 

[Rich Jr]

I agree, I really don't understand the Kenny Phillips love. It's mostly because of the Josh Bullocks hate, which isn't warranted.

We watched the same games last year. It's very much warranted.

 

[birdog]

Why are you guys arguing about Phillips? The saints won't draft a safety anyway....not in the first rd!

I like to listen to experts I'm comfy with.....like Pat Kirwan for example. And Pat is extremely high on Dan Connor, and he thinks Connor will be the 1st LB selected in this draft! I read his column, but I heard him talk about Connor on Sirius, and he elaborated quite extensively about Connor. And if we are to believe what Kirwan says....Connor is the Player we really REALLY WANT! The guy is a born leader, and very cerebral, exactly what Simoneau isn't! This guy could be the next P Willis, and we should start exploring ways to move up to get him!

 

[BoNcHiE]

Why are you guys arguing about Phillips? The saints won't draft a safety anyway....not in the first rd!

I like to listen to experts I'm comfy with.....like Pat Kirwan for example. And Pat is extremely high on Dan Connor, and he thinks Connor will be the 1st LB selected in this draft! I read his column, but I heard him talk about Connor on Sirius, and he elaborated quite extensively about Connor. And if we are to believe what Kirwan says....Connor is the Player we really REALLY WANT! The guy is a born leader, and very cerebral, exactly what Simoneau isn't! This guy could be the next P Willis, and we should start exploring ways to move up to get him!

Simoneau is smart and cerebral. Thats the knock on him. He knows the game but isn't athletic enough to make plays. So a MLB simply being smart doesn't do much for me.

Conner is a reach at 10, much less trading up to get him. There are several MLB's in the second round that had just as good, and even better senior/junior seasons then him, against much better talent (Mayo and Goff).

 

[birdog]

Simoneau is smart and cerebral. Thats the knock on him. He knows the game but isn't athletic enough to make plays. So a MLB simply being smart doesn't do much for me.

Conner is a reach at 10, much less trading up to get him. There are several MLB's in the second round that had just as good, and even better senior/junior seasons then him, against much better talent (Mayo and Goff).

I'm speaking of experience.......some players who aren't considered high picks, suddenly make a move at the Senior Bowl.....like K Williams for example and end up in the top 10.

Dan Connor might be such a player....especially knowing Kirwan he was really excited about him today on Sirius....

But is still early...... I would keep a very close eye on him though, especially that we draft in the top 10