Ex-NFL scout Bryan Broaddus on how Cowboys passed on Eagles' RB LeSean McCoy in 2009

[Seven]

Originally Posted by erod

Don't you think we'd be better off if we had contributing players on the team from a draft four years ago?

Not a single guy is still here. That's actually hard to do.

Of course. However.......it was yet another blunder of a thousand blunders.

Originally Posted by Rack Bauer

Wow.

Nothing screams progress like wallowing in yesterday. You still pissed about Moss?

[wileedog]

Originally Posted by theogt

It would have beyond stupid to take McCoy at that point in time. Everyone would have panned the pick, because it would have made no sense whatsoever.

Might have gotten panned that day, but would anyone be panning having McCoy on this team right now?

[xwalker]

Originally Posted by erod

Don't you think we'd be better off if we had contributing players on the team from a draft four years ago?

Not a single guy is still here. That's actually hard to do.

Most rookies sign 4-year contracts. The 2009 draft mattered most in 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012. It is now 2013 and time to move on from 2009. If the players had been great, then they would be expensive to sign for 2013. The Cowboys could sign another team's successful FA for the same cost.

The Cowboys will lose 1st round pick Mike Jenkins; however, he would have required a contract similar to Brandon Carr if he stayed healthy. The real value in Jenkins was what he was able to contribute under his rookie contract.

[cujo]

Originally Posted by theogt

It would have beyond stupid to take McCoy at that point in time. Everyone would have panned the pick, because it would have made no sense whatsoever.

Who cares what everybody thinks? You build your draft board and you stick to it no matter what because that's your job, regardless of what the fan base thinks. lol How would we look now for taking McCoy? Pretty damn good, I'd say.

[cujo]

Originally Posted by burmafrd

immediate need is a reality. you just have to make sure those you pick are worthy of that round pick. As long as you get a real player whether he is BPA or for need does not matter.

Wow. Just wow.

[speedkilz88]

Originally Posted by Wolfpack

Not a single pick from that draft (2009) is on the team right now.

Victor Butler was on the roster in 2012 and he's a free agent.

[Wood]

What I would be curious about is how high was McCoy slotted on cowboys board. We keep hearing he had 1st round grade but that covers alot of ground. I still think you take best player available. Biggest problem here is Jerry always thinks he is just a 'trade' or 'draft pick' away from going to super bowl. What he doesn't realize is his teams don't even marginally resemble what Super Bowl winning teams do.

[nickjamesw43]

It's amusing to me that some people say it's 2009 let's move on. Trust me right after the draft occurs this board will be filled people clamoring to wait three years before evaluating a draft. For the record I think there is some merit to this view. However you can't be intellectually consistent and then say let's ignore past draft mistakes three to four years after they happen. Especially when the same decision maker and much of the same front office that remains on the team.

This isn't just a case where the pick didn't work out. This was a poor drafting decision period. You could not possibly construct a better example for why you should draft the best player available. If you are not willing to take him why is he even on the board?

I don't have perfect information is a fan. When Tom Ciskowski says we take best players available I typically believe him. We did take both Lee and Carter and that worked out well. I'm hoping we have more Lee and Carter type picks and less passing on first round talent type picks in the future.

[nickjamesw43]

Originally Posted by xwalker

Most rookies sign 4-year contracts. The 2009 draft mattered most in 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012. It is now 2013 and time to move on from 2009. If the players had been great, then they would be expensive to sign for 2013. The Cowboys could sign another team's successful FA for the same cost.

The Cowboys will lose 1st round pick Mike Jenkins; however, he would have required a contract similar to Brandon Carr if he stayed healthy. The real value in Jenkins was what he was able to contribute under his rookie contract.

You are failing to take into account that there's a limit to the players available in free agency. A cornerstone type player like a Ware or Witten is usually not available. Even when they are there are usually only a few giving them a lot of leverage. Unless you are willing to grossly overpay you can't guarantee you will be able to sign them.

I will agree that you are right on Jenkins though. He is a good player but replaceable. I think most good teams teams have managed to both draft and perhaps resign cornerstone type players while having some good players playing on their rookie deals.

[CoCo]

Originally Posted by speedkilz88

Victor Butler was on the roster in 2012 and he's a free agent.

John Phillips too.

[CoCo]

Originally Posted by xwalker

Most rookies sign 4-year contracts. The 2009 draft mattered most in 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012. It is now 2013 and time to move on from 2009. If the players had been great, then they would be expensive to sign for 2013. The Cowboys could sign another team's successful FA for the same cost.

The Cowboys will lose 1st round pick Mike Jenkins; however, he would have required a contract similar to Brandon Carr if he stayed healthy. The real value in Jenkins was what he was able to contribute under his rookie contract.

Fair point for rounds 3 and beyond. 1st round picks sign for 5 years though I think (hence Jenkins & Felix just now being FA's). 2nd rounders I want to say are 5 as well but I could be wrong.

We had no 1st in 2009 (Roy11) but started the day with a 2nd til we traded down.

[JonJon]

Originally Posted by InmanRoshi

The context changes nothing. The Cowboys not only passed up the best player on the draft, but then reached for self believed immediate needs. The ramifications? The worst of all worlds. None of the "needs" were filled because they picked sub optimal players who were incapable of filling them, and now the best player on their board has since went on to become a Pro Bowler for a position that is currently a "need" on the team.

Thus the reason why drafting for need almost always gets you in trouble. Self perceived "need" fluctuates wildly from moment to moment, and filling "needs" with rookies carries low success rate given that most rookies are not ready to play immediately (and many never pan out, period). You're better off just getting the best talent on the board and filling "needs" by taking fliers on low cost, low investment free agents who can plug and play right away.

I am in with this line of thinking. There are some situations where taking the absolute best player on the board can actually cripple your team (see the Lions and drafting WR's) but for the most part, you take the BPA. The problem comes when teams aren't in a position to draft BPA due to bad contracts, bad free agent signings, and bad drafting.

In the scenario above, the Cowboys actually found themselves in position to take the BPA. They had a star QB, a star WR, a star TE, 3 Pro-Bowlers on the offensive line, a sack-happy defense, two good CB's, and a capable safety. The team also had an influx of talent from the previous draft. The only true position of need was possibly LG and SS.

But instead of sticking to the board and taking the BPA, the Cowboys opted to "bolster" the special teams unit.

Mistake #1 was trading multiple picks including the 20th overall for Roy Williams, a player that at the time had only had one great season and was living off of hype.

Key players that were on the board at pick #20 (1st Rnd): C ALex Mack, OT Michael Oher, WR Hakeem Nicks

Mistake #2 was trading down out of the 2nd round for a 3rd and 4th.

Key players that were on the board at pick 51 (2nd Rnd): G Andy Livitre, RB LeSean McCoy, OT Phil Loadholt, S William Moore

Mistake #3 While Dallas continued to bolster the special teams with the likes of Jason Williams, a player considered a huge reach at the time, other teams were finding quality starters in the likes of Mike Wallace and Ladarius Webb. And for the "hindsight is 20/20" comment that is sure to follow, these were the players that many of us were calling for prior to and during the draft. Instead, we were left asking "who?" when the Cowboys selection was announced as we scrambled to find the latest articles on said player and watched any obscure youtube clip of who these guys were. The said part is that we are still asking, "who?"

Like it or not, the crap fest that took place on the dates of April 25-26 of 2009 set our franchise back. We would have been much better off just staying put and taking the BPA. If the team had taken McCoy, they could have leveraged a player like Tashard Choice in a trade for a future pick while he still had trade value.

[KB1122]

Originally Posted by Romo 2 Austin

Sometimes need is more important then talent.

If you had #1 and #2 overall this year would you have drafted Luck & Griffin (with no intent to trade). No.

Um, yes.