Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network first reported the defender's latest stop. He noted Mays will be reunited with defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr., who he worked with during his time at USC.
Mays carried a lot of hype coming out of college as a prospect with tremendous physical attributes who could develop into a high-impact defender, either as a safety or linebacker. In turn, the San Francisco 49ers took a chance on him in the second round of the 2010 draft.
One year later, the 49ers traded him to the Cincinnati Bengals for a seventh-round pick. It illustrated how much his stock dropped in such a short time, and not much changed over the next four seasons.
Mays provided defensive depth for the Bengals while also playing on special teams. He never started to show signs that he could become a reliable three-down player on defense, however. It illustrates the risk associated with "workout warriors," as Ryan Riddle of DraftMetric.com explained:
It's something the Raiders franchise has experience with, per Steve Corkran of RaiderBeat.com:
The 27-year-old former college star is going to continue getting chances because coaching staffs always believe they might have the key that can unlock his potential. The fact he continues to bounce around the league at such a rapid rate doesn't bode well for that breakthrough, however.
As he heads to the Raiders, he'll join a safety group that already includes starters Charles Woodson and Nate Allen. If he makes the final 53, his role will likely remain much the same as in the past as he provides depth in the defensive backfield while getting snaps at linebacker and on special teams.
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Article Source: Bleacher Report - Oakland Raiders
