Cowboys Nation: Playing the Contingency Game - Mock 3.0

[CCBoy]

Cowboys Nation Mock 3.0: Playing the Contingency Game
Posted by Rafael at Friday, January 28, 2011


http://www.cowboysnation.com/2011/01/cowboys-nation-mock-30-playing.html



When real NFL teams assemble to go through their final mocks, they run through a contingencies in their trail mocks. Every team has its ''pet cats'' to use one of Bill Parcells' pet phrases, but it has to be prepared when the clock starts.

What happens if the guy you absolutely, positively love is taken one spot ahead of you? You need to be cold-blooded. You need to have a plan. Is a fall-back player or players ready? Do you have trade-down partners lined up and a deal at your fingertips? A GM can't panic.

Today, I'm gonna play that game. Cameron Jordan has been a priority player here since I started putting mocks together, and his Senior Bowl week did nothing to change my preference for him. But what if teams sitting in front of the Cowboys have now moved him to the top of their wish lists?

I'm going to present this scenario: The 49ers take him. We can argue in-thread whether Jim Harbaugh will or won't, but this is an execise in preparedness. What do you do if he's gone?....

[jobberone]

Take a CB. If they're gone then try to trade down and pick up an OT. If that can't happen then you take the top player on your board regardless of position. I'd be on the look for an OLB.

[CCBoy]

Might this be the projected group, facing callers and players falling:

3-4 OLB-Quinn, Miller, A. Smith
OT-Soldier, T. Smith
DL-Jordan
CB-Prince

[TheCount]

I'm not particularly fond of this mock but I like the players, odd.

[VACowboy]

I like it, the first two picks especially.

[jnday]

I`m just not into the Tyron Smith pick. He has only played ROT, 30lbs underweight and he will not be a starter for a couple of years. Stength has been a weakness and I look at him as a project player. With the 9th pick , I would like to have a starter in his first season.

[realtick]

I'm not against taking Tyron Smith as others are because of his weight, however I might have a hard time taking him at #9 because of the uncertainty of whether he could start immediately. I'm saying all this without knowing how he'll show up at Indy.

Not opposed to taking a DB in the 2nd round, but I don't like Jimmy Smith. The kid has no taste for run support and is a piss-poor tackler. We don't need anymore of those guys in our secondary.

I'd flip the DeAndre McDaniel pick for OG Watkins in the 3rd round.

[Bigdog]

I would absolutely be thrilled if some of those buys he mentioned actually dropped but I know that will not happen. If the draft turns out that we get

Smith
Harris
Young
Watkins
Marcic
Scott

That would just be an incredible draft and A++ draft in my book.

[burmafrd]

this is the first year in a long time that I have not seen one guy I like as a Pet Cat. Veldheer was mine last year. He looks like he will be a good LT.
Smith is such an athlete but he is just too light to take high. Even if he can pack on the necessary 20-30 lbs he is going to need at least a year to do it. No way do you take a guy that needs a year in the top part of the first rd, really questionable for the whole first round.

[28 Joker]

Bunting talked about how he heard scouts talking about Tyron Smith. Some believe that he has a wide base and played a whole lot closer to 300 pounds than some believe.

Smith is a legit red chip player with big upside, and he is a great run blocker. You don't pass on that kind of upside at OT, when the guy would project to start at RT, at some point into the year. He could start from the get go in Dallas. The Cowboys have started much worse than Smith, including in 2005 and 2010.

His off season will be big time to watch, because if his weight is where teams want it, he's going to be a top 15 pick, imo. I don't see the Lions passing on him at 13, because Stafford needs to be protected. If the Lions could draft him at 13, he would at least be in play for the Cowboys at 9, imso. Now, the Cowboys may not take him, but he should be in play at 9.

Smith is the guy I want over Jordan at 9. It's long past time to pick from the top of the offensive line bucket of ice cream.

What if Free gets hurt? Smith can swing over with and have a fighting chance. He's only 20, and he has big upside at LT.

There are only 4 or 5 blue chip players in this draft, I think. Smith is a big time red chip player. Why not take him at 9 if he has the off season that merits it?

[28 Joker]

For the people wanting to trade down at 9, if you are getting calls, Smith is probably the guy a team like Detroit would go up to 9 to get. Other teams in the teens may want him, too. (Giants, Colts, Chiefs)

# 9 is going to be a really good player who can help you. Smith is that type of player. You stay at 9 and take him.

I'd take him over Jordan, because I want to give Tony Romo and the skill players every chance to succeed. I'm going to score points and keep Romo upright and open holes for Felix Jones. Smith gets to the second level with ease. He can pull.

[gmoney112]

For the people wanting to trade down at 9, if you are getting calls, Smith is probably the guy a team like Detroit would go up to 9 to get. Other teams in the teens may want him, too. (Giants, Colts, Chiefs)

# 9 is going to be a really good player who can help you. Smith is that type of player. You stay at 9 and take him.

I'd take him over Jordan, because I want to give Tony Romo and the skill players every chance to succeed. I'm going to score points and keep Romo upright and open holes for Felix Jones. Smith gets to the second level with ease. He can pull.

I expect after the Combine, Smith will be the #1 OT on the board, by far.