Draft Grades from Kiper & others... - Dallas Cowboys Forum

Risen Star · 04-29-2012

Dallas Cowboys

Needs: B
Value: C

Overall: C+

Summary: Dallas created one of the first dramas of the draft, moving up to No. 6 in a deal with St. Louis. The big question was whether they would take Mark Barron or Morris Claiborne. They went with Claiborne, and suddenly you look at their corners as a strength, adding the LSU star to a team that already has Brandon Carr. Problem is, Carr wasn't a draft pick and Dallas didn't get much after that. Tyrone Crawford is a decent player. He was my No. 8-ranked defensive end, but my first guess would be that he'll stand up. He profiles more as a depth pick as he adjusts. Kyle Wilber could stick. Really thought Dallas would get a player along the offensive line and improve the run game. I also don't see any immediate help for the pass rush. But the Cowboys can feel pretty good about landing Claiborne.

http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/draft...nfl-team-draft

Skerr41 · 04-29-2012

I love Kipers draft grades, given purely on teams abilities to follow his board. The more bad grades he gives, the worse his rankings actually were.

Risen Star · 04-29-2012

Vinny Iyer, Sporting News, loves our class....

Dallas Cowboys (A-plus)

Key picks: CB Morris Claiborne, DE Tyrone Crawford, OLB Kyle Wilber, S Matt Johnson.

What a coup: a shutdown corner, an ideal 3-4 end, an intriguing edge pass rusher and a potential starting safety. Rob Ryan can now get aggressive without getting burned.

Read more: http://aol.sportingnews.com/nfl/stor...#ixzz1tQc2E3B3

Risen Star · 04-29-2012

Maybe someone can edit the thread title, I'm just going to post whatever grades I find.

Here's Pete Prisco, CBS Sports.

Best pick: Trading up to land corner Morris Claiborne was a great move for the Cowboys. They landed the best cover player in the draft with a sharp move up to get him.

Questionable move: Not much to quibble with here, other than not addressing the depth issues on the offensive line with any of their picks.

Third-day gem: Fourth-round pick Kyle Wilber has some pass-rush ability and could end up as a special-teams player.

Analysis: It's hard to argue with moving up to get Claiborne, who gives the Cowboys their best cover player in years. They did give up a second-round pick to do it, but it made sense. I like third-round end Tyrone Crawford as well.

Grade: B+

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/s...nk-the-weekend

Risen Star · 04-29-2012

John Czarnecki, Fox Sports.

Dallas Cowboys
This team blew five fourth-quarter leads last season as Rob Ryan's defense faltered time and again. So owner Jerry Jones made the bold move to trade up with the Rams in order to take LSU's Morris Claiborne, the draft's most complete cornerback. This was a bold move, and Claiborne has no character flaws. ... They waited until the third round for their next pick. Ryan has to love the addition of Boise State defensive end Tyrone Crawford. ... Wake Forest outside linebacker Kyle Wilber also has pass-rush potential and, at worse, is a special-teams star. ... Eastern Washington's Matt Johnson will be given every chance to become a starting safety. The late-round find could be Oklahoma tight end James Hanna, who has a quick first step and possibly give Jason Witten a rest, since Witten isn't getting any younger. Grade: B+

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/C...er-team-042812

HoosierCowboy · 04-29-2012

Kiper is and annoying wonk who really likes to hear himself talk--I'd hate to have to spend a day with him.

**MichaelWinicki** · 04-29-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skerr41

I love Kipers draft grades, given purely on teams abilities to follow his board. The more bad grades he gives, the worse his rankings actually were.

He (Kiper) measures things according to his board and how well the team fills the needs that HE envisions.

You mention one fly in the ointment, i.e. how he grades players.

The other has to do with the team needs and if he has accurately gauged them.

The continuing debate is going to swirl around the G-C-G positions for the Cowboys.

Are the Cowboys that bad off or aren't they?

Did the two guys they signed via free agency improve those positions?

Are Costa, Arkin, Nagy and Kowalski going to be an improved edition from last season to this one?

No one truly knows the answer... The Cowboys think they do or they would have targeted those positions in the draft. The fact that they didn't says a great deal. Even if they hadn't traded up in the first, from all indications they would not have drafted a G or C in rounds 1 or 2. That's obviously telling.

But are they right?

We'll find out.

Texas_Pete · 04-29-2012

Dallas did the right thing by upgrading the defense through the draft. Romo was the 4th rated QB last year with an outstanding passer rating of 102.5. We were 11th in total offense. Offense wasn't the problem. Our 23rd ranked passing defense is what let us down. We've addressed that need big time.

**MichaelWinicki** · 04-29-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Texas_Pete

Dallas did the right thing by upgrading the defense through the draft. Romo was the 4th rated QB last year with an outstanding passer rating of 102.5. We were 11th in total offense. Offense wasn't the problem. Our 23rd ranked passing defense is what let us down. We've addressed that need big time.

There is some merit to that.

But on the other hand given the greatness of Romo's season I would have expected better than 11th in total offense. That's close to "middling".

The fact is they only had 5 rushing touchdowns and there were far too many pass-rush breakdowns due to the Costa, Nagy, Dockery and Free.

I expect Free to be better. Dockery is gone. Is Costa going to be better? Is Nagy? Did the two free agents that were signed improve things?

I hope so. The Cowboys must think so.

Again, we'll see.

**Sarge** · 04-29-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Texas_Pete

Dallas did the right thing by upgrading the defense through the draft. Romo was the 4th rated QB last year with an outstanding passer rating of 102.5. We were 11th in total offense. Offense wasn't the problem. Our 23rd ranked passing defense is what let us down. We've addressed that need big time.

5 rushing touchdowns is a huge problem.

stasheroo · 04-29-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelWinicki

He (Kiper) measures things according to his board and how well the team fills the needs that HE envisions.

You mention one fly in the ointment, i.e. how he grades players.

The other has to do with the team needs and if he has accurately gauged them.

The continuing debate is going to swirl around the G-C-G positions for the Cowboys.

Are the Cowboys that bad off or aren't they?

Did the two guys they signed via free agency improve those positions?

Are Costa, Arkin, Nagy and Kowalski going to be an improved edition from last season to this one?

No one truly knows the answer... The Cowboys think they do or they would have targeted those positions in the draft. The fact that they didn't says a great deal. Even if they hadn't traded up in the first, from all indications they would not have drafted a G or C in rounds 1 or 2. That's obviously telling.

[View Full Quote]

I completely agree with you.

They either have faith in their young guys developing or they're putting that faith in Callahan to 'coach 'em up'!

Obviously they didn't feel it was the need that many of us fans did.

Let's hope that they're right!

**MichaelWinicki** · 04-29-2012

Forgot to include Kosier in my post up above.

Due to injuries, age or both, he was awful, just awful and won't be back.

Addition by subtraction?

We'll see.

**MichaelWinicki** · 04-29-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by stasheroo

I completely agree with you.

They either have faith in their young guys developing or they're putting that faith in Callahan to 'coach 'em up'!

Obviously they didn't feel it was the need that many of us fans did.

Let's hope that they're right!

We remember the poor line play vs the Niners, Pats and Giants.

We miss the area of time from January till training camp when some positive things could happen with these guys as far a strength and technique improvement.

Like you say, let's hope they're right.

DallasEast · 04-29-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sarge

5 rushing touchdowns is a huge problem.

Being an old ex-lineman, I was closely watching the young bucks on the offensive line last season. Then again, how good Bilk Nagy and David Arkn can be in the mix is still largely a mystery to me.

Jason Garrett and Bill Callahan are light years ahead of me in evaluation of the interior offensive line. My hopes rest with them in improving the punch between the tackles. We must be able to impose our will in short yardage situations, especially within the redone AND keeping defenders out of Tony Romo's face up the gut.

Texas_Pete · 04-29-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sarge

5 rushing touchdowns is a huge problem.

That's true. I'm hoping that the young OL we started to groom last year will be better after a full training camp and strength training in the offseason. I'm also hoping that Vickers opens the same holes for Demarco and Felix that he opened for Arian Foster last year (who had a career year).

We should be better at running the ball this year.