R1 Grade: B-

[Starforever]

This is what I've been saying. So obvious to those who know how to study film.

Cowboys drafted another Jaylon Smith. Period.

I don't like the pick, but I will support the player.

I have a feeling several years down the road we will regret the pick, unless Parsons drastically improves on his play recognition and physically transforms his body to become more mobile and able to cut and go in the opposite direction without losing speed, quickness or momentum.

You and others, fail to understand, that is what coaching consists of; working on weak areas. Every player in the draft has flaws. If they had picked Horn or Surtain, some would find flaws in their play. Give Parsons time. In due time, you will see the difference.

 

[jterrell]

hes got 2 good legs thats a plus

People have this complaint of Jaylon but it's really just small mindedness of having that concern 4 years ago.
Jaylon has been your combined snap leader on defense the last 3 seasons.
He is durable and physical.
He's got some challenges with change of direction but most MLB have some stiffness issues with ankles and hips.
He's not that different than say Blake Martinez.

Parsons' agility scores were not off the charts good. They were fair while his size and explosion were pretty much elite.
Parsons, like Jaylon has good pass rush acumen and can dip and turn corners w good speed but don't have great shuttle type agility.

 

[conner01]

Parson allows us to not have to give 5th year option LVE
Saves us 9 mil next year
He isn’t as experienced as LVE was coming out but even more athletic and has good instincts
Instincts better than Jaylon already and will improve with experience

 

[America's Cowboy]

You and others, fail to understand, that is what coaching consists of; working on weak areas. Every player in the draft has flaws. If they had picked Horn or Surtain, some would find flaws in their play. Give Parsons time. In due time, you will see the difference.

Don't fail at all. We all know every player coming out of college has flaws (some more than others), but when have players been coached up and improved in Dallas?

 

[Malhavoc]

Yea, I am little hesitant to call him a starter day 1 as a fully healthy LVE is pretty darn good.
And if you play nickel like most teams do it might mean a bit of a ramp up for Parsons where he doesn't really star until LVE gets that first ding.
But he is certainly going to play a lot and I can see him getting some 3rd down blitz action for sure game 1.

I don’t know man.. LVE even when he got back from injury he looked a mess. Indecisive, and a bunch of bad reads and angles to the football. Maybe the change in scheme is the change he needs.

 

[Brooksey]

Sorry bud.. Play diagnosis isn’t a strength of Parsons.

He may be good at it someday but today is not that day.

A lot of Parsons being worth this pick is having to take a leap of faith which Cowboys homers will be glad to do.

He could be incredible but you don’t draft a linebacker with his character concerns and question marks on the field.

The tape don't lie..he's go the tools of an elite LB. His over aggressiveness of biting on play fakes is not the same as not being able to diagnose plays, get through traffic and make plays upfield. Two very different problems.

 

[McKDaddy]

Parsons very good in coverage.

how can you state that as a fact? it was reported that he only had 60 something coverage snaps his entire career. that is why most evaluators had coverage as an unkown which made it a risk. you just don't know if he can truly do what will be asked of him in the NFL.

if it turns out he can, then great. but you used a premium pick on a less than premium position and a player with a very important unknown aspect to this game. in other words, bad decision making could still work out but it doesn't change the fact it was questionable \ risky.

 

[Brooksey]

Tape versus collegiate guys is very different than tape versus pros.
Parsons has the same issues as Jaylon, I promise you.
He is a bit slow to diagnose plays and he doesn't really stack and shed.
He runs really fast to what his eyes see first.

Parsons is raw right now but he has an amazing ceiling.
He will need to be coached up in a scheme and you certainly hope he is a very different type player of Jaylon in year 5 but they are very similar right now in strengths and weaknesses.
Micah is going to be in a VERY new defense next year after a full year out of football.
He may well look a lot like Jaylon did last year.
OR Quinn will be a far better coach than Nolan was (not hard) and they will simply the game for Micah and let him attack with one read/key max.

He's not slow diagnosing plays and he does stack and shed...he bites on some fakes like Jaylon, he blitzes well like Jaylon. His aggressiveness can be coached, he has great instincts, Jaylon does not.

 

[Starforever]

This is getting dumber by the post.
Watch 2 years of Ray Lewis film and I bet you can find a play where misdirection fooled him a few times.
If a player doesn't react to the play action bozos like this would say they are slow to react. When they do react bozos come out and say they get fooled and lack the metal side of the position.

These same posters that hate the pick, missed the plays of Surtain and Horn being burnt; it happens. Just give the coaching staff and the players time to work together.

 

[CATCH17]

The tape don't lie..he's go the tools of an elite LB. His over aggressiveness of biting on play fakes is not the same as not being able to diagnose plays, get through traffic and make plays upfield. Two very different problems.

It’s all projection and you don’t draft guys with his question marks that high.

Cause if all he does is play forward and sideways it’s a waste.

 

[Brooksey]

how can you state that as a fact? it was reported that he only had 60 something coverage snaps his entire career. that is why most evaluators had coverage as an unkown which made it a risk. you just don't know if he can truly do what will be asked of him in the NFL.

if it turns out he can, then great. but you used a premium pick on a less than premium position and a player with a very important unknown aspect to this game. in other words, bad decision making could still work out but it doesn't change the fact it was questionable \ risky.

I think Parson's will be one of the better coverage LB's

 

[Jake]

- Jimmy chart says DAL won trade with 170 point pick 84 for dropping 2 spots which is 100 points. +70 points is pretty extreme.

Only means something on draft day, and the team trading back had better win on the chart. The team wanting to move up needs to pay.

But the players will ultimately prove who won the trade.

- Team now has two Jaylons.

Bingo.

Some seem to think that's a good thing.

 

[jterrell]

Parson allows us to not have to give 5th year option LVE
Saves us 9 mil next year
He isn’t as experienced as LVE was coming out but even more athletic and has good instincts
Instincts better than Jaylon already and will improve with experience

I don't think they were picking up that option either way but yes this cements it and you don't have to get nervous about getting a LB in round 2.

He doesn't have great off-ball instincts and is basically the same guy as Jaylon there. But he can certainly develop them if allowed to practice.
--one issue NFL guys have is lack of practice. It's crazy how little they actually practice in pads.
Far less than high school teams.

One side benefit could well be getting Sean Lee to 180 and take a job this year. Hire him as a specific coach basically just for his collegiate LB U homeboy from Pennsylvania,

 

[Starforever]

Don't fail at all. We all know every player coming out of college has flaws (some more than others), but when have players been coached up and improved in Dallas?

Did you know, Dallas has a new D-Coach?

 

[CATCH17]

He's not slow diagnosing plays and he does stack and shed...he bites on some fakes like Jaylon, he blitzes well like Jaylon. His aggressiveness can be coached, he has great instincts, Jaylon does not.

I hope you’re right but those of us who have actually watched his games know that everything you’re saying is a leap of faith that’s not on tape yet.

He’s a freak athlete so he could do it but my gosh it’s not even that important of a position and you can find good linebackers all over the draft so to take one you don’t know can defend the pass is very risky.

 

[Rockport]

Unbelievable. You draft arguably the best defensive player in the draft at 12, get an extra pick and you give that selection a B-.

Yeah don't get it. But there are many CZ members who are GM's here. They know it all, just ask them.

 

[Brooksey]

everything you’re saying is a leap of faith that’s not on tape yet.

I put the tape up, you want some more tape?

 

[Rockport]

I hope you’re right but those of us who have actually watched his games know that everything you’re saying is a leap of faith that’s not on tape yet.

He’s a freak athlete so he could do it but my gosh it’s not even that important of a position and you can find good linebackers all over the draft so to take one you don’t know can defend the pass is very risky.

That's what coaching is all about. Use him initially as a pressure player and work on his pass defense. He's a rookie for Christ sakes. All rookies need to work on something.

 

[Verdict]

Good points but I just can't list a con that is about 2 CB's that were not available when we drafted.
Was Surtain good enough to give up our 2nd or next years first to move down and get him? I'm not ready to say yes.

I believe we need to rate a pick based on available players at that selection only.

I very seldom agree with you, but this is not one of those times. I don’t know how you fault a team for not drafting a player that they did not have the opportunity to draft.

That’s almost like saying I am faulting the Cowboys for not drafting three players in the first round without moving up to draft them.

 

[Rockport]