A Closer Look at William Hayes, DE, Winston-Salem State

by Jimmy on May 1, 2008 10:19 AM CDT in 2008 Draft Comment 16 comments

This pick was probably the most surprising one of the draft. It is not that I don’t think Hayes will end up being a good player for the Titans, but they probably could have gotten him in the 6^th round. Why they traded up to get him in the 4^th round is beyond me.

Hayes seems to be a pass rushing prospect. He has a lot of the physical tools necessary but just hasn’t put it all together yet. He has good size at 6’2 258. The Titans will probably bulk him up a little bit, and Jim Washburn will light a fire under him to get him to play full speed on every snap.

Here is a philosophical draft question: There is a really good chance that the Titans could have gotten Hayes in the 4^th round without trading up. Let’s say Hayes turns out to be a 4 time Pro Bowler. Does that make it worth giving up the picks to move up and get him, or is this a dumb pick even if he turns out to be really good (obviously not as dumb, but still dumb none the less)?

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His performance

In no way will vindicate the FO. Had the Saints taken Marquis Colston in the first round. The draft is about maximizing value. By drafting someone too early/unnecessarily trading up, you are giving up value. If we assume that he could have been taken later…the FO doesn’t get a pass, because for all we know, the pick given up to get Hayes could have been another 4 time Pro Bowler or better.

However, to the FO’s credit, there is no way we could know if another team had plans to draft him before us. While unlikely, without this information, it’s hard to say “what if.”

by SuperHorn on May 1, 2008 10:44 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Woops

What I meant to say about Colston, is that the Saints wouldn’t have looked like geniuses if they took him on the first day even with his production. By taking someone earlier than necessary, you are giving up value elsewhere.

by SuperHorn on May 1, 2008 10:51 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

There must be some reason...

they moved up. Did they suspect another team had the same interest? I wish some reporter would ask Jeff Fischer or someone on the staff what the reasoning behind the trade was. Without any info I feel like it’s hard to judge. Assuming they could have gotten him with the pick they traded, it seems like this was a dumb move even if Hayes turns out to be a Hall of Famer.

by longtitan on May 1, 2008 10:47 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Wins

I think if he turns out to be a good pick then it wont matter to me or anyone else that they moved up (probably unnecessarily) to draft him.

The only thing that matters to me is wins, and if this guy helps us win then he will be apart of a successful draft.

I do wonder why they traded up to get him. I can think of no reason other than maybe they traded up to get Jeremy Thompson, and then GB stole him out from under them. That doesn’t seem likely tho since we had already drafted Jason Jones. Washburn is so high on Hayes, and I don’t seem them intending to take all three DEs.

Like Superhorn said, we don’t know who else might have been intending to take Hayes. I doubt the media would take the time to ask Scouts about him when it’s easier just to say the Titans were reaching.

by theologic on May 1, 2008 10:47 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

The catch to this whole idea

Is that nobody knows how all of these teams’ boards were really structured: we’re basing a players positioning on TV personalities and two overly coifed draftniks’ opinions. For example, people several said Stevens was a bit of a reach at where we got him, and ESPNs Scouts Inc. said this in their pre-draft scouting report: “With all of that in mind Stevens projects as a late fifth round pick or early sixth round pick.”

Sounds like a reach right? Well Dinger was on 106.7 and said Stevens was already on the phone with Ozzie in Baltimore when we called to say we were drafting him, because Baltimore was going to take him with the VERY NEXT PICK if we didn’t!

Just saying that unless you have a Polaroid of a team’s draft board, we’re all guessing about who had whom where…

THAT is why production matters more than value to me personally (and also why Earl should have been our 2nd round pick, but c’est la Titans).

Please allow me to adjust my pants, so that I may dance the good time dance - Clutch

by August West on May 1, 2008 11:00 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Thank you.

I heard this, but couldn’t remember if it was Stephens or Hayes he was talking about.

by hartley on May 1, 2008 11:36 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Also, everybody loved the Ben Troupe pick because it was 'great value'

How is his value now?

Please allow me to adjust my pants, so that I may dance the good time dance - Clutch

by August West on May 1, 2008 11:03 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Great point!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/titanfan/collections/72157601060895054/

by Titanfan on May 1, 2008 11:45 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I doubt they traded up without a reason.

But the cost of the trade wasn’t a lot, so maybe it wouldn’t be what you might call a “good” reason. For that, I fall back on what Theologic said: maybe they were trading up to try to get someone who ultimately turned out not to be there. That sounds dumb, but at the cost of a fifth or sixth round pick, the truth is that it might have been a chance worth taking even though it didn’t work out. Remember: you can only trade if you can find a trading partner. I bet they did the best they could to get as close as they could to picking whomever they really wanted, and it just didn’t go exactly like they wanted.

‘Least they took a shot w/out giving away the farm. Lots of teams gave away the farm this year to make moves.

DannoE

Go read FRIDAY MAD SCIENCE at www.paperbackreader.com
Go Titans!

by DannoE on May 1, 2008 12:24 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

The cost of the trade was considerable

We gave away a fifth in order to move up in the 4th to snag Hayes. Until someone gives me reliable information that this guy was ever on anyone’s draft board for Rd# 4, we’ll call it a classic Reinfeldt reach. Maybe we should call him “Reach-around” Mike. A buddy of mine coined the term “Dr. Reach” for ol’ Mikey this weekend. I like that one too.

MR guy loves speed and workout warriors and doesn’t seem too adept at structuring draft-day trades that looks to outside observers like the Titans got any value.

In two or three years, when people come back to look at this year and last year’s draft class, let’s just hope that the team is not hopelessely battling for 4th place behind the Texans. I watched the post-draft press conference at titansonline.com and I must say, Reinfeldt did not do really do anything to alleviate the poor optics of the draft. You gotta be kidding me! He owes a detailed explanation to the fans; he should articulate his philosophy and convince us that he made the best decisions, because from my perspective he is just burying himself. The whole “Trust me, you’ll see in a couple years this was a good draft” approach to PR is a luxury he has not yet earned in Nashville. Until we get past the 1st round of the playoffs, Reinfeldt is on my sh!tlist.

by BeansCarter on May 1, 2008 5:12 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

There's the Beans I remember!

Please allow me to adjust my pants, so that I may dance the good time dance - Clutch

by August West on May 1, 2008 9:14 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

sometimes ya just gotta reprazent, ya know?

by BeansCarter on May 1, 2008 10:22 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Not Dumb at All

Considering how many first-rounders turn out to be busts, getting a pro-bowler in the 4th round is commendable, regardless of how they got there.

by Rustmeister on May 1, 2008 1:57 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

A good player is a good pick

Any other way of trying to score the draft requires psychic powers. I have those, but I doubt any of the rest of you do.

by numbertenox on May 1, 2008 6:24 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

How would it

be dumb to give up a couple of middle round picks to get a 4 time pro bowler? Maybe they feel as though probably getting him in the 6th wasn’t enough, they wanted to be sure they get their 4 time pro bowler in the 4th. Maybe they felt like someone else was in the hunt for him. Maybe they were right. Just maybe.

by Big Bad Bulluck on May 2, 2008 10:47 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Who can say if it is dumb?

Who can actually say that Hayes is a 6th round guy? Nobody in here or the so called experts expected that no WRs will be drafted in the first round? Hayes was obviously high in the Titans board and would’ve “probably” been high also with other teams. As he was “probably” a 6th rounder.

The only fact here is Hayes was high on the Titans board and FO made sure they got him.

Go Titans!

by Pinoy Titan on May 3, 2008 8:52 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs