2010 NFL Draft: Pete Carroll Leaves a Bitter Taste in Former Player's Mouths

While USC Trojan fans await the NCAA's ruling on possible rules violations by former coach Pete Carroll and his staff, two of his former college players are not waiting to sound off on the head of the former Trojan regime.

Taylor Mays, a three-year starter at safety for the Trojans, and wide reciever Damian Williams, who transferred from Arkansas, voiced their disappointment with their former coach after yesterday's NFL draft.

Mays, an incredibly gifted athlete whose instincts for the position of safety has been questioned by several draft "gurus," said he felt that he was given bad advice by Carroll, his former coach with the Trojans.

According to an article by LA Times.com, Mays said he was assured by Carroll that all the things he was concerned about, backpeddling, tackling, etc., were "fine" when he asked Carroll if he needed improvement in those areas.

Now Mays feels Carroll was dishonest about those things after Carroll and the Seahawks drafted safety Earl Thomas of Texas, the position that Taylor Mays plays.

According to the article, Mays told Bay Area reporters that, "I felt he told me the complete opposite of the actions that he took, which was definitely alarming,"

Further, Mays said, "Some things that he told me I needed to do as a football player, versus the actions that he took and who he took as a safety. I understand it's a business, but with it being a business, you just need to be honest and that's all I was asking for."

Is this a case of a spurned former player feeling betrayed by the only head coach he knew in college?

Sure, but there is more to it than that.

Taylor Mays was presumed to be a top-10 NFL pick in 2009 if he came out as a junior.

Instead, Mays shocked everyone by returning to USC for his senior year, saying he felt he had more room to grow as a player and he believed that Pete Carroll was the perfect coach to help him reach his potential.

For his trouble, Mays has seen his draft stock plummet and it has resulted in this former supposed top-10 pick falling all the way to the 49th pick.

Should Mays feel betrayed?

Damn right he should.

Taylor Mays, from a physical standpoint, is better than either Thomas or Eric Berry, the fabulous safety from Tennessee who was drafted No. 5 overall by the Kansas City Chiefs.

He is bigger and faster than either of them, although apparently he doesn't possess the "ball hawking" skills that Carroll said he found so attractive in Earl Thomas.

But doesn't that come down to coaching? Sure, instincts also play a part but for crying out loud, Pete Carroll had four years to work with this kid.

When Taylor Mays came back for his senior season, he felt he would be a better player for his trouble.

Instead, Mays has found himself being picked on the second day of the draft.

Where was Pete Carroll when Mays was making his decision to come back to the Trojans?

He was chirping in his star safety's ear, telling him that he made a good decision.

In hindsight, it was a horrible decision and one that Taylor Mays would never make again.

Meanwhile, Damian Williams has his own issues with his former coach.

Williams, a very productive "possession" wide receiver who also was an effective punt returner, saw Pete Carroll pass him over for another possession receiver from...Notre Dame, for God's sake.

Instead of turning to Damian Williams, Pete Carroll tabbed Golden Tate with his late second round pick.

Williams was taken midway through the third round by the Tennessee Titans.

In an article in the Orange County Register's online edition, Damian Williams said he was "hurt" when Carroll passed him over for Tate.

Of course, Pete Carroll has no obligation to pick any of his former players.

Instead, Carroll, along with his Seahawk front office management team, should only have the betterment of the Seahawks as his primary consideration.

Having said that, both Taylor Mays and Damian Williams should feel betrayed by Pete Carroll.

Mays saw his draft stock plummet when he came back to the Trojans and Damian Williams watched his former coach pass him over for basically the same kind of receiver in Golden Tate.

Emotions are not often dictated by logic and regardless of whether Mays or Williams are successful in the NFL, the bitter taste of the 2010 NFL draft will linger in both of these Trojans mouths for a long time.

For their sake, hopefully they will wash away that unpleasantness by making Pete Carroll rue the day he passed them over.

And that should give both of these former Trojans a taste of sweet revenge that will last long after their NFL careers are over.