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Best Safety ever to play at the U

Talent wise its Taylor by a lot but Reed had all those other things you beg for in a football player.

That said its still Taylor. He is one of the best college football players I have personally ever seen.
 
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Taylor was a physical freak. One of my all time fav canes.


Reed is the complete package you look for though, brains and the physicality and instincts.
 
I think you have to throw in Bennie Blades into the equation- I know he goes back a while but he was great!
 
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Give me Ed.

The part that most people miss about Sean while he was here, is that although talented beyond belief, he was lazy, did not have the best attitude, and got by on his physical gifts. Honestly I look at Sean as the beginning of the end of that era of greatness for UM. Whereas Ed, Reggie, Morgan, Santana and company created a culture of hard work, Sean was in some ways the beginning of the, "we'll just put on the jersey and win" culture. The fact is, he was so gifted, he could get away with it. But as we soon found out, the rest could not.

As the 2000 and 2001 classes graduated, you still had the hard working overachievers like Vilma, but the norm became guys like Sean who were lazy but super freaks. Even a guy like Winston, who was a great competitor and leader, wasn't necessarily a hard worker. Shoot the man hadn't even lifted a weight until midway through his career.

Sean was a beast, and right at the end was beginning to figure it out. But he was a knuckle head, constantly getting in trouble trying to prove he was a thug in the streets, and was not a leader or hard worker.

If you were coaching a team you would take college Ed over college Sean everyday of the week. The truly sad part is that Sean was taken from us right as the light began to come on. Would have been fun to watch him develop from there on out.
 
Lemme learner you boys...the definitive list of Miami safeties is this...

Ed Reed
Bennie Blades
Sean Taylor
Daryl Williams
Fred Marion

So it was written, so shall it is.
 
Larry said:
Lemme learner you boys...the definitive list of Miami safeties is this...

Ed Reed
Bennie Blades
Sean Taylor
Daryl Williams
Fred Marion

So it was written, so shall it is.
Click to expand...

ST was better than Blades, and honestly, he was better than Reed in college. People compare Reed's fifth year of college to Taylor's third. And still, Taylor was the most dominant, disruptive DB I've ever seen in college. He was bigger, stronger, faster and hit harder than reed, had great ball skills, cover skills and instincts. Had he not been murdered, I truly believe that he would have finished as the GOAT safety in nFL history. He just could do more than reed.
 
Taylor could do more things that Reed...but didn't do more than Reed in college or the pro game.

Bennie Blades, too, did more at the college level than Sean Taylor.

I loved Taylor, too...but as Miami Hurricanes...its Reed, then Bennie, then ST. That's just canon, friendo. Reed and Blades were two-time All-Americans...All-Conference...College Hall of Famers...at the top of Miami's INT board, Ring of Honor members, etc.

Taylor was great, but IMO, Reed and Blades just a bit greater as collegiate players.
 
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I remember arguing with my Redskin brethren leading up to the draft. The fools looked at Sean's drill numbers and since they weren't that far off from Roy Williams', assumed that he was nothing but a guy that was destined to be moved to LB because he was too big for safety. Over and over I kept telling them that they were crazy. Draft time rolls around and many Skin fans were actually unhappy about the pick. Fast forward a few months later, and they were in awe of the manimal otherwise known as Sean Taylor. I love Reed, I really do. But I'm taking Sean Freakin Taylor every single day of the week and twice on Sunday. I'll be shocked as well as blessed if anyone like him comes around again before I leave this Earth.
 
Ibisuponatime said:
Give me Ed.

The part that most people miss about Sean while he was here, is that although talented beyond belief, he was lazy, did not have the best attitude, and got by on his physical gifts. Honestly I look at Sean as the beginning of the end of that era of greatness for UM. Whereas Ed, Reggie, Morgan, Santana and company created a culture of hard work, Sean was in some ways the beginning of the, "we'll just put on the jersey and win" culture. The fact is, he was so gifted, he could get away with it. But as we soon found out, the rest could not.

As the 2000 and 2001 classes graduated, you still had the hard working overachievers like Vilma, but the norm became guys like Sean who were lazy but super freaks. Even a guy like Winston, who was a great competitor and leader, wasn't necessarily a hard worker. Shoot the man hadn't even lifted a weight until midway through his career.

Sean was a beast, and right at the end was beginning to figure it out. But he was a knuckle head, constantly getting in trouble trying to prove he was a thug in the streets, and was not a leader or hard worker.

If you were coaching a team you would take college Ed over college Sean everyday of the week. The truly sad part is that Sean was taken from us right as the light began to come on. Would have been fun to watch him develop from there on out.
Click to expand...

That went perhaps a bit further than I would have taken it, but I agree with all the main points. I'd take Ed Reed and never think twice. IMO, it's kind of like debating the 2001 team vs 2002. One was markedly more versatile and dependable but that didn't prevent tons of fans from conveniently ignoring all the comparative deficiencies and insisting we were actually better than a year earlier.

I watched Sean Taylor virtually every play from the 2002 FAMU game forth. Initially he was very stiff, taking terrible angles early in 2002 and dropping several interception opportunities. I remember when he dropped to the turf for the push up self punishment. Obviously he improved markedly but there was always an underlying aspect of a guy who made plenty of mental errors and wasn't as involved as he should have been, then partially covered up for it with the huge hit or interception. Fans went crazy and called him a freak, ignoring the long stretches he was all but invisible. We played our safeties deeper beginning in 2002, almost like Baltimore's style with Reed the past few years, so it allowed Taylor plenty of time to make the marquee play when the quarterback made a mistake. Reed a year earlier, and beginning late in 2000, was considerably more instinctive and fluid. Taylor certainly wasn't capable of rotating forward to read and disrupt the Nebraska option in key situations, as Reed did without even having to think about it. Taylor was a long strider who took time to change directions in tight quarters while Reed at his peak could burst and adjust on a dime. Heck, he still has plenty of that but due to injury problems he saves his best for playoffs. The Ed Reed in January these days is far more energetic and physical than the guy who struggles through much of the regular season.

Granted, Ed Reed developed later as a Cane but I always thought Sean Taylor was one of our more overstated players. Top talent but the highlight package plays and athletic build allowed fans to place him at a level he didn't warrant, play after play. Similar in the NFL. He was coming around as a person but minus the tragic death I don't think he would have reached the magical NFL plateau that's so comfortably assigned to him.
 
sean taylor and its not even close.. reed is good but he also had better players around him to make him that good.. put Talyor on that ravens defense and we're talking back to back superbowls.. **** taylor made big time plays to get sorry *** washington into the playoffs...
 
Ethnicsands said:
Larry said:
Lemme learner you boys...the definitive list of Miami safeties is this...

Ed Reed
Bennie Blades
Sean Taylor
Daryl Williams
Fred Marion

So it was written, so shall it is.
Click to expand...

ST was better than Blades, and honestly, he was better than Reed in college. People compare Reed's fifth year of college to Taylor's third. And still, Taylor was the most dominant, disruptive DB I've ever seen in college. He was bigger, stronger, faster and hit harder than reed, had great ball skills, cover skills and instincts. Had he not been murdered, I truly believe that he would have finished as the GOAT safety in nFL history. He just could do more than reed.
Click to expand...

I'd venture to say every UM coach would take Reed over ST. Not to mention the admiration and respect he garners from other players and coaches in the NFL. Belicheck is probably the hardest coach to please or impress, and he has nothing but effusive praise for Reed.
 
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Awsi Dooger said:
Granted, Ed Reed developed later as a Cane but I always thought Sean Taylor was one of our more overstated players. Top talent but the highlight package plays and athletic build allowed fans to place him at a level he didn't warrant, play after play. Similar in the NFL. He was coming around as a person but minus the tragic death I don't think he would have reached the magical NFL plateau that's so comfortably assigned to him.
Click to expand...

Wasn't just Canes fans who held him in such high esteem. Check out this story from before his death:

Gregg Williams has been in the NFL for going on two decades and says Taylor is "the best football player I've ever coached -- by far"

"If he stays healthy and really learns to play within the defense," Williams says, "he can be the best that ever played the position."


http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/trainingcamp06/columns/story?columnist=smith_michael&id=2546843
 
DMoney said:
Awsi Dooger said:
Granted, Ed Reed developed later as a Cane but I always thought Sean Taylor was one of our more overstated players. Top talent but the highlight package plays and athletic build allowed fans to place him at a level he didn't warrant, play after play. Similar in the NFL. He was coming around as a person but minus the tragic death I don't think he would have reached the magical NFL plateau that's so comfortably assigned to him.
Click to expand...

Wasn't just Canes fans who held him in such high esteem. Check out this story from before his death:

Gregg Williams has been in the NFL for going on two decades and says Taylor is "the best football player I've ever coached -- by far"

"If he stays healthy and really learns to play within the defense," Williams says, "he can be the best that ever played the position."


http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/trainingcamp06/columns/story?columnist=smith_michael&id=2546843
Click to expand...

This. I dont know how else to say it. i've seen everyone who's played football in the last 37 years. Sean taylor is the best athlete ive seen play defense. And hes the best defensive player ive seen in college. And hes the most talented safety ive seen. Ad had he not been killed, im sure id say hes the best safety ive ever seen.

I love ed reed, but hes not close to sean athletically. And taylor wasnt just an athlete. He had skills, instincts, heart, timing and drive.
 
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CANE1775 said:
I remember arguing with my Redskin brethren leading up to the draft. The fools looked at Sean's drill numbers and since they weren't that far off from Roy Williams', assumed that he was nothing but a guy that was destined to be moved to LB because he was too big for safety. Over and over I kept telling them that they were crazy. Draft time rolls around and many Skin fans were actually unhappy about the pick. Fast forward a few months later, and they were in awe of the manimal otherwise known as Sean Taylor. I love Reed, I really do. But I'm taking Sean Freakin Taylor every single day of the week and twice on Sunday. I'll be shocked as well as blessed if anyone like him comes around again before I leave this Earth.
Click to expand...

.
 
Sean Taylor was that rare safety who was equally adept at driving running backs into the turf in the box, while still being able to punk a guy like Randy Moss on jump balls 50 yards down the field.. he was a complete safety in every sense of the term.. and he scared the absolute **** out of the guys he hit on the field.. pretty sure he is the reason terry glenn lost his desire to play football, same could be said for terrell owens and a host of other persons he destroyed... ed reed never inspired the fear that sean taylor did and Ed Reed is the smartest safety i have ever seen play...

Sean Taylor had it all and his timing and ability to play the ball in the air i have personally never seen another guy his size be able to do that, it just wasn't natural...
 
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