Saban on hot mic calling MLaw a reach

[DuncanIso]

The draft is over. Where a guy was drafted has absolutely ZERO bearing on the direction of his career. The only things that matter now are is he a hard worker and will the coaches put him in a position to succeed. Every person who follows the draft knows Malachi Lawrence is a good football player.

Mazi

 

[DuncanIso]

It's not just about drafting college players with great attributes and durability, but those that have a will to improve and win and are adaptable. Any selected college player being a bust is possible but not necessarily probable. At this juncture we have to wait and see how the regular season unfolds with drafted players, otherwise we are just pissing into headwinds.

MLaw has excellent speed and is athletic.

Not strong vs run.

His combine and scout report has him mid/late 2nd round. Pick 54?

So Dallas can expect criticism.

Especially after they blew a 1st on Mazi by doing basically the same thing.

 

[speedkilz88]

MLaw has excellent speed and is athletic.

Not strong vs run.

His combine and scout report has him mid/late 2nd round. Pick 54?

So Dallas can expect criticism.

Especially after they blew a 1st on Mazi by doing basically the same thing.

He played a decent amount of 5t at ucf which is why some downgrade his run stopping. At 251 pounds he's an OLB like DeMarcus Ware. Ware was also considered a late riser by the media.

 

[ratkinson]

Then he couldn’t hack it when the current model of CFB resembles more of the pro game. The ability to move to a different school or get paid for your

Saban was very critical of the current CFB pay system (NIL- Portal) when it was approved.

Saban seemed threatened that Alabama, along with the other Power Four conference schools, would no longer have sole access to the best players in the country.

The new system leveled the playing field. Saban even took a shot at Deion after Travis Hunter (CB) committed to Jackson State U. Coach Saban publicly speculated that Hunter was paid 1mil in NIL money, which Coach Prime denied.

The two coaches later hugged it out after Saban retired from coaching.
Now they're getting paid to appear in that stupid AFLAC commercial with that stupid duck.

 

[9darter]

It's just odd that they weren't worried about missing out on him at all when they traded back.

Exactly.

 

[CWR]

Well, I guess we will never know for sure and it won't matter if he becomes a good player. It's just odd that they weren't worried about missing out on him at all when they traded back.

Supposedly they were concerned the 49ers were going to take him if they went further back. The article obviously proves nothing, but he was a 30 visit and there are several article tying him to the niners pick prior to the draft.

https://ninerswire.usatoday.com/sto...entified-as-ideal-pick-for-49ers/89682018007/

 

[exciter]

https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profo...e-pick-a-reach-on-hot-mic-changes-tune-on-air

So, apparently, Saban didn't consider this guy a first round pick and thought he would be a day 2 sleeper. But, what does the GOAT know?

There's no question he was a reach. He slotted somewhere in the 32 to 40 range (by practically everyone) so it not that big.
He's being projected to the SAM in every scouting report I could find. He's going to need development in run awareness and to add 10 pounds before taking over the position from Gary in 2 seasons. Doesn't mean he can't provide significant snaps and production in the meantime as long as you realize his sack ceiling is 6 to 8 on the high end!

 

[Chocolate Lab]

There's no question he was a reach. He slotted somewhere in the 32 to 40 range (by practically everyone) so it not that big.
He's being projected to the SAM in every scouting report I could find. He's going to need development in run awareness and to add 10 pounds before taking over the position from Gary in 2 seasons. Doesn't mean he can't provide significant snaps and production in the meantime as long as you realize his sack ceiling is 6 to 8 on the high end!

I already posted the article with Jehemiah, Brugler, Schrager, Yates, Reid, and Zierlein having him go in the 20s.

And what is this about him being a Sam? He'll be the weakside outside backer in a 34. He's a speed guy, not like Gary at all.

 

[exciter]

I already posted the article with Jehemiah, Brugler, Schrager, Yates, Reid, and Zierlein having him go in the 20s.

And what is this about him being a Sam? He'll be the weakside outside backer in a 34. He's a speed guy, not like Gary at all.

He's a straight line track runner. Doesn't have the bend to play weak side. Why he had minimal sack production.
Might want to resign yourself to that reality!

 

[kskboys]

Scouts > coaches when it comes to player evaluations.

And it's not close.

 

[kskboys]

It's also funny because wasn't the consensus before the draft started that there was what, around 12 or 13 first round prospects in this class? So if they were all picked before 14-17, what were the other teams supposed to do if there wasn't first round talent to pick? Reach. But Dallas got the pretty good player they wanted and two other players on top of it. While it might have been a "reach," they go their value out of it. You can't magically steal a prospect from another team or summon up a new one. You have to pick from what's available.

Offhand, after the first 10-12 picks, the next 40-50 had very similar grades. There was not a standout player left.

 

[kskboys]

I already posted the article with Jehemiah, Brugler, Schrager, Yates, Reid, and Zierlein having him go in the 20s.

And what is this about him being a Sam? He'll be the weakside outside backer in a 34. He's a speed guy, not like Gary at all.

Yeah, that's like polar opposite.

 

[Doomsday101]

Nobody is making that claim. Saban is now a talking head pundit and that's his opinion, and all I did was post it.

The question is........ did Parker want Lawrence or did he just need an edge guy and Lawrence was the next man up at the position? We move up one spot to ensure we got Downs. We moved back out of 20 before drafting MLAw....... so we apparently weren't concerned about getting jumped for him. Everything I have read about the kid implies that he's a project. He has the athletic ability and the hustle to be really good. But, it might take a few years..............as it did with DLaw who was a second rounder.

After the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft concluded on Thursday night, Cowboys vice president of player personnel, Will McClay, proved that was the case.

He revealed that Parker was sending pictures of Ohio State safety Caleb Downs and UCF edge rusher Malachi Lawrence to him all week long to remind McClay those were the guys he wanted.

And, that's exactly who the Cowboys ended up with. In fact, Jones made sure Dallas came away with Downs by trading up one spot to get him.

https://www.si.com/nfl/cowboys/onsi...las-cowboys-round-1-recipe-jerry-jones-cooked

 

[Jipper]

if he turns into a very good starter or more (probowler, etc.) nobody will give a crap in a couple years....lets see how he pans out

 

[DuncanIso]

After the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft concluded on Thursday night, Cowboys vice president of player personnel, Will McClay, proved that was the case.

He revealed that Parker was sending pictures of Ohio State safety Caleb Downs and UCF edge rusher Malachi Lawrence to him all week long to remind McClay those were the guys he wanted.

And, that's exactly who the Cowboys ended up with. In fact, Jones made sure Dallas came away with Downs by trading up one spot to get him.

https://www.si.com/nfl/cowboys/onsi...las-cowboys-round-1-recipe-jerry-jones-cooked

looks like McClay was getting a lot of pressure to get on board with the picks.

Odd how a 34 year old rookie DC was able to do that to someone like McClay.

Parker did an end around on McClay? Sounds like it.

I remember the look McClay had when he was trying to justify the Mazi pick also. But he didnt want it. 8/

 

[DuncanIso]

I already posted the article with Jehemiah, Brugler, Schrager, Yates, Reid, and Zierlein having him go in the 20s.

And what is this about him being a Sam? He'll be the weakside outside backer in a 34. He's a speed guy, not like Gary at all.

problem is...his NFL draft profile had him mid/late second round.

and not even the best Edge.

9th ranked Edge
54 Overall rank
82 Grade

 

[Doomsday101]

looks like McClay was getting a lot of pressure to get on board with the picks.

Odd how a 34 year old rookie DC was able to do that to someone like McClay.

Parker did an end around on McClay? Sounds like it.

I remember the look McClay had when he was trying to justify the Mazi pick also. But he didnt want it. 8/

Dallas hired a 34 year old DC to come in and transform this defense, I think you give him what he feels he needs. Parker was working with McClay not against him. Parker worked these players out and sat down and did interviews with these players it is not like he was blindly throwing names out.

 

[DuncanIso]

Dallas hired a 34 year old DC to come in and transform this defense, I think you give him what he feels he needs. Parker was working with McClay not against him. Parker worked these players out and sat down and did interviews with these players it is not like he was blindly throwing names out.

Could be damage control by McClay.

"He revealed that Parker was sending pictures of Ohio State safety Caleb Downs and UCF edge rusher Malachi Lawrence to him all week long to remind McClay those were the guys he wanted."

That way, no one can blame McClay for those two picks.

Rookie DC goes behind McClay to the boss. Will has to be onboard with the 2 picks. both picks getting slammed in the media.

 

[Doomsday101]

Could be damage control by McClay.

"He revealed that Parker was sending pictures of Ohio State safety Caleb Downs and UCF edge rusher Malachi Lawrence to him all week long to remind McClay those were the guys he wanted."

That way, no one can blame McClay for those two picks.

Rookie DC goes behind McClay to the boss. Will has to be onboard with the 2 picks. both picks getting slammed in the medi

lol, what damage? Parker got the guy he wanted, period. You don't have to like it but then you don't coach the team. I think it is more important that a coach gets guys they feel can do the best within what he wants to do.

 

[SlimBig]

It's not a reach if you don't have a 2nd rd or early 3rd pick.
Our next pick was 70 picks away.