Vela: Mocking the Cowboys' First Round at 5, 10 and 15

[MichaelWinicki]

WWDTs: Mocking the Cowboys' First Round at 5, 10 and 15

Posted by Rafael at Wednesday, November 17, 2010

In this week's Wednesday edition of Wes' Weekly Draft Tips (WWDTs) I ask him to put some draft skin in the game. Based on his yet-to-be-released player ratings and on my five-position, weighted Cowboys grocery list (see yesterday's story for it) we get a look at the players the Cowboys scouts are tracking the hardest:

Cowboys Nation: The readers have a solid base of information so I don't want to take them through the same positions. I want to focus on ratings. Do you have a list?

Wes Bunting: No. What I do is look at all the players from D-I and Division II and I assign numerical grades to them. But I don't make a list because I don't want my opinions swayed. I just grade them as I see them and let the list make itself.

CN: Let's play a game then. I'm Bill Parcells and I'm giving you the grocery list. I'm sending you to the supermarket to shop for rookies. I'm calling the game 5-10-15. The Cowboys are 2-7. Those losses are in the bank and the schedule is still hard. Even if they got hot under Jason Garrett, I think 8-8 is still optimistic. But assuming they do and finish 7-9 or 8-8, that puts them around 15. If they split the games, they're picking around 10. If they struggle some more, maybe 4-12, 5-11 and they get a shot at the top 5.

Picking at 5, 10 and 15, I want you to prioritize by these positions: offensive tackle, free safety, cornerback, defensive end, though I think those last two are interchangeable, and finally, guard.

Say for starters, they're picking at 5. Say Jon Kitna gets hurt and they're still in the top 5. Looking at the players you know, looking at pick five, start at OT. If there's an OT there, let's hear about him. If there isn't an OT worthy of that pick, move down to FS. If there's nobody there, move to the next position and so on.

WB: You're going to make me work today. At five, I don't think there's a tackle who's worth your time. There's no free safety that makes sense that high. There's no guard who makes sense this high. This is where defensive line and cornerback fit.

For more... http://www.cowboysnation.com/2010/11/wwdts-mocking-cowboys-first-round-at-5.html

[Cover 2]

Great article.

It was interesting how he had Amukamara rated above Peterson.

[CowboyMcCoy]

Anyone like James Carpenter or Demarcus Love from Bama?

http://www.sportingnews.com/nfl/story/2010-08-10/2011-draft-watch-arkansas-love-stands-head-offensive-linemen-class

[CCBoy]

I'm a little less concerned with who is the winner at the end of a sixty yard sprint, than on the field maneuverability and opportunity to make a play ending or changing move. I'll take mobility and fluidity in the same ball park of speed.

[realtick]

I'd still take Peterson over Amukamara.

Amukamara is pretty good at the technical aspects, but this guy Wes is acting like he's been playing CB since his high school days with all this experience, which he hasn't, he converted from running back when he came to Nebraska.

Also, he couldn't be farther from the truth recording who has the better ball skills. Part of what makes Peterson so special is that he has terrific ball skills.

I don't say any of this to the detriment of Amukamara, because I really like him as a player too. We could do a lot worse if we picked Prince in the Top 10.

One guy I absolutely want to stay away from if we're drafting that high is Marcel Dareus. I'd much rather take a guy like Nick Fairley or Cameron Jordan that high. Dareus is vastly overrated IMO.

If we're drafting at No. 15, I wouldn't mind taking a shot at OT Derrek Sherrod from Mississippi State. Anthony Costanza is really a RT, he's been abused by good players like Robert Quinn. Costanza is a better run blocker than pass blocker by far.

[CCBoy]

I'd still take Peterson over Amukamara.

Amukamara is pretty good at the technical aspects, but this guy Wes is acting like he's been playing CB since his high school days with all this experience, which he hasn't, he converted from running back when he came to Nebraska.

Also, he couldn't be farther from the truth recording who has the better ball skills. Part of what makes Peterson so special is that he has terrific ball skills.

I don't say any of this to the detriment of Amukamara, because I really like him as a player too. We could do a lot worse if we picked Prince in the Top 10.

One guy I absolutely want to stay away from if we're drafting that high is Marcel Dareus. I'd much rather take a guy like Nick Fairley or Cameron Jordan that high. Dareus is vastly overrated IMO.

If we're drafting at No. 15, I wouldn't mind taking a shot at OT Derrek Sherrod from Mississippi State. Anthony Costanza is really a RT, he's been abused by good players like Robert Quinn. Costanza is a better run blocker than pass blocker by far.

Realtick, your draft eye come this time of year, really is getting much better.

[realtick]

Realtick, your draft eye come this time of year, really is getting much better.

Well thank you CC.

[BigWillie]

Amukamara is pretty good at the technical aspects, but this guy Wes is acting like he's been playing CB since his high school days with all this experience, which he hasn't, he converted from running back when he came to Nebraska.


Actually, he has.

Prince played CB and S both in high school as well as RB, but only wanted to go to a school that recruited him as a RB. He came to Lincoln, spent about 5 minutes of one practice at RB, and was switched to CB.

Here's a highlight video of him from HS. There are some clips of him playing DB in there ..

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[realtick]

Actually, he has.

Prince played CB and S both in high school as well as RB, but only wanted to go to a school that recruited him as a RB. He came to Lincoln, spent about 5 minutes of one practice at RB, and was switched to CB.

Here's a highlight video of him from HS. There are some clips of him playing DB in there ..

qo6t70x4f2E

Thanks for the info.

I know he ran for over 2,000 yards as a senior in high school.

One other thing regarding Prince, I keep seeing him listed at 6'1", but I'd be willing to bet he measures out around 5'11" come the combine.

[UnoDallas]

I know Nick Fairley has been getting a lot of press about hitting the QB late

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I don't know he has to clean that type of play up

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[Cover 2]

I know Nick Fairley has been getting a lot of press about hitting the QB late

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I don't know he has to clean that type of play up

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Wow. It seems like there is one in every draft class.

[TD-33]

As bad as it is to be picking that high, potentially having two very young top corners would be pretty nice.
Now if we could get them coached up....

[Apollo Creed]

I'll take either of the CBs to be honest. Peterson plays well against some touch competition in the SEC and has a physical skill set that I haven't seen in a long time.

However Peterson is more of an athlete and Prince is more of a football player. LSU is notorious for pumping out some serious busts as of late as well, so I'm starting to pump the breaks a bit on the PP hype. Nebraska's defense also is very comparable to the NFLs and I think Prince would need less coaching up than Peterson would.

I see us going DB high in the draft this year and I see us picking between 6-14 so one of these two guys could very well end up being Cowboys next April.

[Shadowy329]

I know Nick Fairley has been getting a lot of press about hitting the QB late

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I don't know he has to clean that type of play up

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Looks like a future Steeler to me.

[BigWillie]

Thanks for the info.

I know he ran for over 2,000 yards as a senior in high school.

One other thing regarding Prince, I keep seeing him listed at 6'1", but I'd be willing to bet he measures out around 5'11" come the combine.

Prince measured out at 6'0 even back in the spring for conditioning drills at Nebraska. Do not really think it matters though since he showed off a 41' inch vertical during all that testing as well. :D

TBQH, I don't even think he is the best DB in that secondary. He gets overshadowed, but Alfonzo Dennard has outplayed Prince by quite a bit. And that is with Prince having a rock solid season.

[realtick]

I know Nick Fairley has been getting a lot of press about hitting the QB late

I don't know he has to clean that type of play up



He has for sure, lol.

I know some might not like it, but I like the fact he's a mean SOB.

This defense needs some of that. We don't need to be looking for the next Greg Ellis IMO.

Besides, I think he'll clean it up once it starts costing him financially in the pros.

[GimmeTheBall!]

Great article.

It was interesting how he had Amukamara rated above Peterson.

I'm impressed. Not a fan of Norvell, but he would do.

[realtick]

Prince measured out at 6'0 even back in the spring for conditioning drills at Nebraska. Do not really think it matters though since he showed off a 41' inch vertical during all that testing as well. :D

TBQH, I don't even think he is the best DB in that secondary. He gets overshadowed, but Alfonzo Dennard has outplayed Prince by quite a bit. And that is with Prince having a rock solid season.

I'm sticking to my guns, we can revisit this when the combine comes. I say he's somewhere in the 5'11ish range. Not calling you a liar or anything.

Come draft time we always get the annual 6'9" monsters that turn out to be 6'5" or 6'6", et cetera.

Even if he is 5'11", that's plenty adequate for the position.

[casmith07]

I want Peterson and then Amukamara, in that order. We need insurance for Terence Newman. He's still playing at a high level, but I'd rather not go through some more Jacques Reeveses and Mario Edwardses.

[garyv]

I personally would like Gabe Carimi OT in the early 2nd Round.