Kiper Chat 2/15/12 - Cowboys Related questions...

[Risen Star]

Only a couple. You can read the whole thing here - http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/chat...guru-mel-kiper


Aggie (TX)

Who are some of the kick and punt returners that Dallas might look at in the middle of the draft?

Mel Kiper (1:21 PM)

LeMichael James, Oregon is one. Isaiah Pead. T.Y. Hilton, Florida International; Joe Adams, Arkansas; Janoris Jenkins, North Alabama; Brandon Boykin, Georgia.


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gobizzle (singh)

I see you have Mark Barron going to the Cowboys and Dre Kirkpatrick a few spots later...Who do you think will have the better career overall?

Mel Kiper (1:41 PM)

Mark Barron is coming off the hernia injury now. He'll be out a couple of months. But I don't think that will effect his draft status. He's big. Excellent ball skills. Punishing tackler. He can work in the box. You thought borderline first rounder at one point, but I think he's a definite first rounder now. I think Barron is the better player. Barron is at No. 12 and Kirkpatrick at 23. I debated those two for Dallas and Barron is the better player. You take the better player. He has the better ball skills and he's a safety.

[realtick]

I like Barron. He wouldn't be my first choice but I wouldn't be too mad if we dropped down a few slots, pick up an extra 3rd & a 5th, and then grab an extra cornerback or offensive/defensive linemen with the picks.

This safety class is horrible, but that shouldn't be a reflection on Barron. I think he'd be a solid backed of the 1st round pick in most average drafts.

[Risen Star]

Originally Posted by realtick

I like Barron. He wouldn't be my first choice but I wouldn't be too mad if we dropped down a few slots, pick up an extra 3rd & a 5th, and then grab an extra cornerback or offensive/defensive linemen with the picks.

This safety class is horrible, but that shouldn't be a reflection on Barron. I think he'd be a solid backed of the 1st round pick in most average drafts.

I wonder how well that pick would go over with the fans. Maybe the trade down you described would make it more popular but what if we do select him at 14?

[realtick]

Originally Posted by Risen Star

I wonder how well that pick would go over with the fans. Maybe the trade down you described would make it more popular but what if we do select him at 14?

Probably not very well. I'm sure there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

[tm1119]

Mel seems to be higher on Barron than anyone else. Hes a consensus 1st round pick, but most people have in the mid to late 20's. I think 14 would probably be a pretty big reach. I think Barron will need a strong cover safety next to him in order to thrive in the NFL, which we don't have. I just dont see the coverage skills Mel is raving about.

[Future]

Originally Posted by Risen Star

I wonder how well that pick would go over with the fans. Maybe the trade down you described would make it more popular but what if we do select him at 14?

I for one would be pretty unhappy...especially if Kirkpatrick and DeCastro are on the board.

[AsthmaField]

Originally Posted by realtick

I like Barron. He wouldn't be my first choice but I wouldn't be too mad if we dropped down a few slots, pick up an extra 3rd & a 5th, and then grab an extra cornerback or offensive/defensive linemen with the picks.

I'd rather go ahead and use the pick at #14 (DeCastro, Kirkpatrick, Jenkins, Upshaw) and then use our second and some later/future picks to move back into late round 1 and pick up Barron... but that is almost always my preference. I generally prefer fewer, more talented picks targeted vs. more JAG's just to put bodies at positions of need.

With, say, DeCastro along with Barron, the rest of the draft and free agency could be used to shore up CB, C, and pass rusher.

At the minimum we'd walk away from the draft with a blue-chip guard and a blue-chip safety... neither of which we've had around these parts since Larry Allen and Darren Woodson were roaming the sideline. Those guys by themselves would about make the draft for me.

If we had DeCastro and Barron, and we added a corner like Finnegan and a center like Wells, then all we'd really need is somebody to help the pass rush with the rest of the draft picks.

[GloryDaysRBack]

Originally Posted by tm1119

Mel seems to be higher on Barron than anyone else. Hes a consensus 1st round pick, but most people have in the mid to late 20's. I think 14 would probably be a pretty big reach. I think Barron will need a strong cover safety next to him in order to thrive in the NFL, which we don't have. I just dont see the coverage skills Mel is raving about.

Both NFP and Draftcountdown have Barron ranked as top 15 players... Average joes who don't know anything and that haven't seen Barron play are the ones who are low on him

[tm1119]

Originally Posted by GloryDaysRBack

Both NFP and Draftcountdown have Barron ranked as top 15 players... Average joes who don't know anything and that haven't seen Barron play are the ones who are low on him

Lol, cause I have a different opinion that means I don't know anything? And please never try to back yourself up with nfldraftcountdown.com. That site is a joke. I could also easily name 2 random websites that have Barron ranked way below the 20th player overall 2 months before the draft. It would be that hard. Let me know if you want to have an intelligent conversation on the subject though.

[Hoofbite]

Who is the last safety to be picked in the top half of the 1st round who was even worth a piss?

The best I can find is Troy Pollymolly at #16.

Suppose Roy Williams had a couple of good years in him but I'd like to hope the team is looking for a guy who will play well for a little longer than 3 or 4 seasons.

I guess the jury is still out on Earl Thomas and Eric Berry.

Safety just isn't the way to go in the top half of the 1st round.

Sean Taylor was probably as gifted of an athlete as you'll find but he was pretty damn bad at times, down right awful at others. Unfortunate that he passed away all together but it looked like he was finally starting to come around in that shortened season of his.

LaRon Landry was drafted high, he's on the outs in Washington.

Count me out of wanting a safety as the 1st round pick.

[GloryDaysRBack]

Originally Posted by tm1119

Lol, cause I have a different opinion that means I don't know anything? And please never try to back yourself up with nfldraftcountdown.com. That site is a joke. I could also easily name 2 random websites that have Barron ranked way below the 20th player overall 2 months before the draft. It would be that hard. Let me know if you want to have an intelligent conversation on the subject though.

Scott Wright is one of the most accurate mock drafters out there. If he has Barron ranked #11 overall in this entire class, it's probably for good reason

[Tex]

Originally Posted by AsthmaField

I'd rather go ahead and use the pick at #14 (DeCastro, Kirkpatrick, Jenkins, Upshaw) and then use our second and some later/future picks to move back into late round 1 and pick up Barron... but that is almost always my preference. I generally prefer fewer, more talented picks targeted vs. more JAG's just to put bodies at positions of need.
.

Getting Decastro, Upshaw, Jenkins etc.. at 14 and then moving back into the late first for Baron would be a great 1'st round. Just not at 14 please.

Trading down in the first and getting Glenn or even Koonz and then up again for Baron would work fine for example. Thats a first round I could be very happy with in a trade down scenario. I think Baron will be a solid pro. But we need CB/OL and some kind of speed at OLB to get pressure before we need to draft a safety at 14. Give me Jenkins or Kirkpatrick at CB at 14 before we take a safety please.

Tex

[Joe Rod]

I would say that I need to brush up on watching the kid play, so I have to use the opinions of others at this point. BUT, if the man is another Troy P., well, we have been missing that type of player in the Defensive backfield for a very long time and boy could we use that in the defense right now.

[jobberone]

Don't think Barron will be there in the bottom of the first.

[Risen Star]

Originally Posted by Tex

Getting Decastro, Upshaw, Jenkins etc.. at 14 and then moving back into the late first for Baron would be a great 1'st round. Just not at 14 please.

Trading down in the first and getting Glenn or even Koonz and then up again for Baron would work fine for example. Thats a first round I could be very happy with in a trade down scenario. I think Baron will be a solid pro. But we need CB/OL and some kind of speed at OLB to get pressure before we need to draft a safety at 14. Give me Jenkins or Kirkpatrick at CB at 14 before we take a safety please.

Tex

I'd much rather have a safety than a CB.