Who is one player you were dead wrong about in recent years?

[Jipper]

But underperformed his contract horrifically.

No disagreement there

 

[kskboys]

Vander Esch. I thought he would be better and remain healthy. He was good in spurts.

Weird. Had major issues staying healthy in college.

 

[Nova]

They would have taken Brockers, and Wagner in the second. That’s been revealed.

Imagine if that deal didn’t happen. Defense would have been a lot better in the Romo years, and Wagner would still be here as an all time great Cowboy on his way to the HOF.

They just have a knack for making the wrong decision.

Brockers ended up being average but probably a better DT than any we had (unless you count Hatcher).

But Sean Lee and Bobby Wagner. Wow. What could have been.

 

[treykin32]

Emmanuel Forbes

I thought Forbes would be a solid starting CB, not a cut in less than 2 years.

Forbes is a former student of mine. I taught him when he was in middle school. I always thought he was a little too small for the league. His time in Washington was a learning process, but I think he has been better with the Rams.

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

"I got my Golden Cock!" -- Rod

[Mods, you know that was his nickname...]

 

[nalam]

Jalin Hyatt.

I was ready to use our 27th overall pick in 2023 on him thinking he'd be a great #2 receiver to pair with Lamb.

Giants took him 73 overall and he has been a bust.

Of course we took Mazi Smith there so Hyatt would have been the better pick.

So many I lost count.

Of the recent cowboys , I expected mazi and Taco to be decent but they turned out to be flops.
Around the league- Goff is a surprise , he is still QB1 , by the same token Wentz went other way.

 

[Rayman70]

Weird. Had major issues staying healthy in college.

Exactly. It was definitely telling back in college. But then he had a good rookie year. Then the injuries again. He was what he was. I guess I shouldn't have been shocked. He and Jaylon smith are 2 reasons why I'm not drafting injured players. I don't care about how they did at the combine. I'm not doing it again if I'm Dallas.

 

[The Natural]

Diggs

 

[Whyjerry]

Randy Gregory. I thought he would get it together. More dumb than I thought possible.

 

[gimmesix]

I was the EXACT same way here. Mazi was such a reach, he had 4th to 5th rounder written all over him and that is exactly what he was or should have been. Shoulda taken Ocyrus Torrence in the 2nd over Luke Noshowmaker.

He wasn't considered that much of a reach. At worst, Mazi was considered a second-rounder. According to our team, there was even a team or two in line to take him in the first if we didn't.

I can understand in hindsight that he should not have even been drafted, but I don't get upset about players busting because draft value is hard to gauge. Some players outplay their status while many aren't what teams thought they would be.

 

[kskboys]

He wasn't considered that much of a reach. At worst, Mazi was considered a second-rounder. According to our team, there was even a team or two in line to take him in the first if we didn't.

I can understand in hindsight that he should not have even been drafted, but I don't get upset about players busting because draft value is hard to gauge. Some players outplay their status while many aren't what teams thought they would be.

No hindsight here. Mazi lacked burst and lateral agility, the two musts for a DT. He was always going to bust. Jerry should've known this.

Draft value is subjective. In this case, his scouting reports screamed 4th/5th round talent. That's what we should've gone by, not some silly draft value thingie.

 

[gimmesix]

No hindsight here. Mazi lacked burst and lateral agility, the two musts for a DT. He was always going to bust. Jerry should've known this.

Draft value is subjective. In this case, his scouting reports screamed 4th/5th round talent. That's what we should've gone by, not some silly draft value thingie.

I have not seen any scouting reports that had him as a fourh- or fifth-round talent. You are pulling that out of thin air. He was a mid-second-rounder because of his uncommon strength. Most saw him as a nose tackle, and you don't generally draft those in the first round. We were among the teams who saw him as a NT who might could become a 3-tech.

Mazi topped Feldman's football freaks list for a reason. You can ignore those reasons if you like, but they are why he was a first-round pick.

“It’s hard to find the right superlative to begin with. But let’s start with this: Smith does 22 reps on the bench press, but that’s with 325 (not 225). He close-grip benched 550 pounds. He vertical-jumps 33 inches. He broad-jumped 9-4 1/2. Smith, who had 37 tackles last season, has clocked a 4.41 shuttle time, which would’ve tied the best by any defensive tackle at this year’s NFL Scouting Combine, and it would’ve been better than any defensive tackle weighing 310 pounds or more in the past decade,” Bruce Feldman explains.

Simply put, there isn’t a physical test that Mazi Smith isn’t the best athlete performing. In particular, his rotations strength is off the charts. He literally maxes out Michigan’s combo-twist machine at 600 pounds. He’s the type of athlete strength coaches dream about.

 

[DandyDon]

Kevin Brooks
Mike Sherrard
Danny Noonan

 

[diamonddelts]

The attorney for Jerry Jones love child.

 

[Zekeats]

He wasn't considered that much of a reach. At worst, Mazi was considered a second-rounder. According to our team, there was even a team or two in line to take him in the first if we didn't.

I can understand in hindsight that he should not have even been drafted, but I don't get upset about players busting because draft value is hard to gauge. Some players outplay their status while many aren't what teams thought they would be.

You're wrong, Mazi looked like a late 3 at best.

 

[gimmesix]

You're wrong, Mazi looked like a late 3 at best.

I know the draft experts here know better than anyone else, but I didn't read anyone before that draft who had him lower than the second round.

Mid-second day but first-round possibility. https://www.profootballnetwork.com/mazi-smith-dt-michigan-nfl-draft-scouting-report-2023/

Round 1 or 2. https://www.nfl.com/prospects/mazi-smith/3200534d-4951-1850-a3da-289c89c7e5d4

Kiper on the pick, who he rated as a second-rounder: https://sports.yahoo.com/mel-kiper-jr-issues-surprising-203628557.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall “I have no qualms about it. Mazi Smith (26) is the best run-stuffing defensive tackle in this class, a 323-pounder who will instantly improve their run defense. Their D-line too often last season was blown up at the line of scrimmage, so adding an anchor like Smith will help the entire front seven. If you look at the other NFC East teams, Dallas needed to beef up to stop the run.”

McShay called him a plug and play NT and expected him to go at the end of the third round. https://www.si.com/college/michigan...rgh-steelers-new-england-patriots-todd-mcshay

Dane Brugler ranked him 38th among prospects. https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/onsi/news/mazi-smith-lions-scouting-report

After Dallas chose him, Brugler said: Smith plays with extraordinary power to welcome double teams or dismantle single blockers with his patient eyes and torqued hands. His football instincts are well developed to feel blocking pressures and track the football, however, he needs to be a more controlled finisher as a tackler. Smith might never light up the stat sheet with backfield production, but he will be an above-average NFL run defender and flashes pass rush potential with his natural leverage, body quickness and remarkable power. He fits multiple fronts, but he is ideally suited as a shade in the middle of the line, similar in ways to a bigger Brandon Mebane.

They were completely wrong about him, but no one who does the draft for a living thought Mazi was what many of you are saying.

 

[Manster_Mash]

Jaylon Smith. After 2018 I thought he was going to be a stud. The light-speed progression to clown was fascinating to watch.

 

[GMO415]

Never been dead wrong.

 

[J12B]

You're wrong, Mazi looked like a late 3 at best.

I think all the "draft experts" had Mazi as a late 1 to early 2nd rounder.

He wasn't seen as a reach when he was drafted.

 

[eromeopolk]

Jalin Hyatt.

I was ready to use our 27th overall pick in 2023 on him thinking he'd be a great #2 receiver to pair with Lamb.

Giants took him 73 overall and he has been a bust.

Of course we took Mazi Smith there so Hyatt would have been the better pick.

No. I know the difference between a Jonesboy and Cowboy.

OL and LB are the safest positions to draft in the NFL. That has been the best performing positions in the Jerry Dumbo GM Jones era. He does not have the football acumen to be successful at the other positions in the NFL 1st round. Some had short term success but most flame out before they could be considered for ROH or HOF. Parcells gave you the last HOF Cowboy players in Ware, and Witten. Tyron Smith is that OL fact I stated earlier. Jimmy Johnson's scout gave you LA.