LB Sean Lee may be the 2010 version of Jerod Mayo or Ernie Mills.

[Lomax to Green 84]

LB Sean Lee may be the 2010 version of Jerod Mayo or Ernie Simms.

Meaning that he is a guy who most "draft experts" label as a late 2nd or early 3rd rounder, but come draft time will be taken in the first round.

I have a Pro Football Weekly 2008 draft guide that lists Tennessee linebacker Jerod Mayo as the 65th best player in the draft and a projected 3rd round selection. The USA Today Sports Weekly magazine had their top 64 players and Mayo wasn't even on their initial list.

The guy who started to make a buzz about Jerod Mayo was NFL Network's Mike Mayock. Mayock was the first guy that I heard who said that Mayo had the type of skills necessary to be a first round pick. By the time mid April rolled around Mayock had Mayo listed as a top 10 selection and he took alot of criticism for that prediction. As it turned out, Mayock was correct and Mayo went 7th overall to the Patriots. Mayock also was the first guy to start the buzz about Florida State linebacker Ernie Simms back in 2006. The Sporting News Draft Guide had Simms rated as a late 2nd/early 3rd round selection. Pro Football Weekly had him as a solid 2nd round pick. Mayock once again was the first guy to list him as a solid first rounder and actually had Simms as high as #5 overall on his board. Simms ended up going to the Lions at #9 and their was alot of buzz about Dennis Green being interested in Simms with the Cardinals choice at #10.

I bring this up because Mike Mayock made quite a few complimentary statements about Penn State linebacker Sean Lee during the combine. He mentioned numerous times about Lee's terrific intangibles and ability to be an everydown linebacker in a variety of schemes. Now that Lee has proven that he is also a very fast and athletic guy (4.5-4.6 40 time), I really suspect he is going to be a guy who rises fast on draft boards. Mayock at the combine said that Lee was a guy who could sneak into the 1st round if he showed that he was fully recovered from the knee injury.

Lee in alot of ways sounds like a Jerod Mayo type of linebacker. Fast, fundamentally sound, and very smart. The Cardinals are mentioned as a team that is bringing him in for a personal workout. I think this may be a guy on their radar for the #26 selection. He sounds like a guy who may be able to buck the trend of Cardinal first round selections under Whisenhunt and start right away, which may be what they will need this year in their 1st round pick.

 

[BigDavis75]

Ernie Sims...I think Ernie Mills was a Steelers player back in the day.

 

[PJ1]

I honestly believe the knee injury is what dropped him and will keep him out of the first round. Would love for the Cards to get him though.

 

[Lomax to Green 84]

Ernie Sims...I think Ernie Mills was a Steelers player back in the day.

My bad, yep I meant Ernie Simms.

 

[Shogun]

Sporting News ALWAYS tries to be different with their rankings.

Ernie Sims was always considered a first round guy. Not lottery, but a solid Top 20 guy.

 

[Ed Burmila]

And Ernie Sims has been lousy, like 99% of the midget LBs from college who think that speed will be enough to carry them in the NFL.

 

[Timm Rosenbach]

And Ernie Sims has been lousy, like 99% of the midget LBs from college who think that speed will be enough to carry them in the NFL.

Wrong. Ernie Sims has been a very good LB. You just have to watch the Lions to see it

 

[cardpa]

Maylock is spot on concerning Lee. He simply plays all phases of the game well and is very intelligent.

 

[Buckybird]

...or Buster Davis

 

[Crazy Canuck]

...or Buster Davis

Mike Mayoch was not a supporter of Buster's, I remember it well.

 

[Buckybird]

Mike Mayoch was not a supporter of Buster's, I remember it well.

Mayoch is a pretty bright fella too, I like his analysis.

 

[Catfish]

After watching the draft on NFL network last year, I have gained a whole lot of respect and acclaim for Mayock. His analysis was superior to everyone else among the talking heads last year. He made ESPN look silly and inadequate. I listen carefully now when Mayock speaks of upcoming talent. He has EARNED my respect.

 

[PACardsFan]

Maylock is spot on concerning Lee. He simply plays all phases of the game well and is very intelligent.

Dead-on correct. I discussed this kid more in depth on another thread. I live in PSU country, so I watched this guy play quite a bit. Barring injuries, he is a solid football player. I wouldn't hesitate to draft this kid!

 

[artp]

LB E Sims is OK and still may be Playoff quality. This year will tell the tale

 

[dogpoo32]

I finally got NFL Network through my cable company. Meaning I will not have to watch the draft on ESPN this year! Thankfully...

 

[CardLogic]

Lee in alot of ways sounds like a Jerod Mayo type of linebacker. Fast, fundamentally sound, and very smart. The Cardinals are mentioned as a team that is bringing him in for a personal workout. I think this may be a guy on their radar for the #26 selection. He sounds like a guy who may be able to buck the trend of Cardinal first round selections under Whisenhunt and start right away, which may be what they will need this year in their 1st round pick.

The Cardinals are set to go in just about any directon in the draft. The most pressing need, as I see it, is to select someone for WILB in one of the first two rounds. If McClain and Weatherspoon are gone they may feel that they will still get quality at the #58 pick. But Lee won't last that long, in my opinion. It wouldn't be terrible to take him at #26.

 

[Stout]

The Cardinals are set to go in just about any directon in the draft. The most pressing need, as I see it, is to select someone for WILB in one of the first two rounds. If McClain and Weatherspoon are gone they may feel that they will still get quality at the #58 pick. But Lee won't last that long, in my opinion. It wouldn't be terrible to take him at #26.

You know, I'm thinking that it might happen like that.

 

[Monty]

I like what ive seen of Lee but i would not be happy at all if we took him at #26. He is a bit of risky pick as there are still several question marks surrounding him. If we do keep the 26th pick and dont trade down itd have be used for somebody who is considered to be in the top echelons of their position and im afraid Lee is not that. If draft him it'd most likely be because we reached for an ILB at that pick because it is a big hole in our team. If the top ILB's such as Weatherspoon and McClain are gone id much rather take a top cornerback or OLB like Brandon Graham, Sergio Kindle or Jerry Hughes.

Of course this is all questimation and is all dependent on who is there at #26 but as long as i feel we didnt reach ill be fairly happy with who pick at 26 due to the great depth in this draft in our areas of need.