BGN 2010 Mock Draft Pick #34 - The Detroit Lions

With the 34th pick in the 2010 BGN Draft, captain nodar selects...

Taylor Mays - S, USC

We solidified the LT position by picking Russell Okung 2^nd overall. Giving Stafford a stud LT should pay immediate dividends.

While a pass-rushing end such as Everson Griffen would fill a major need, the prospect of pairing Louis Delmas with an elite safety is too appealing to pass up, so the Lions take Taylor Mays. Mays will have his growing pains as a pro, but he can hardly do much worse for a team that finished dead last against the pass in 2009.

At 6-3, 230, Mays is a physical beast at the safety position. The main knock on him is that his elite speed (sub 4.4) does not translate to the field, particularly in coverage. Regardless of this alleged shortcoming, Mays is outstanding in run support, and it is certainly quite probable that with his amazing athletic skill set, his coverage skills will improve in time.

Under the guidance of Jim Schwartz and Gunther Cunningham, Mays will be afforded the tutelage to improve his coverage and ball skills to excel as a saftey in the NFL. Combined with his linebacker-esque run stopping skills and devastating ability, he should team with Delmas to create what could easily become, over the next season or 2, the best safety tandem in the NFC.

Next on the clock will be kingmcnabb5 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Previous picks: #1 Ndamukong Suh, #2 Russell Okung, #3 Gerald McCoy, #4 Sam Bradford, #5 Eric Berry, #6 Trent Williams, #7 Jimmy Clausen, #8 Bruce Campbell, #9 Bryan Bulaga, #10 Derrick Morgan, #11 Rolando McClain, #12 Sergio Kindle, #13 Joe Haden, #14 C.J. Spiller, #15 Mike Iupati, #16 Jason Pierre-Paul, #17 Anthony Davis, #18 Kyle Wilson, #19 Brandon Graham, #20 Dan Williams, #21 Dez Bryant, #22 Tim Tebow, #23 Charles Brown, #24 Sean Weatherspoon, #25 Earl Thomas, #26 Terrence Cody, #27 Maurkice Pouncey, #28 Ryan Matthews, #29 Jared Odrick, #30 Patrick Robinson, #31 Devin McCourty, #32 Jerry Hughes, #33 Demaryius Thomas