Why Jabril Cox fell to round 4

coult44

Well-Known Member
Messages
7,313
Reaction score
7,099
Weaknesses
  • Plays upright from the second level too often.
  • Doesn't appear to be a very quick processor from inside.
  • Early play quickness limited by excessive thinking.
  • Lacking patience necessary to decipher misdirection.
  • Loses pursuit leverage and occasionally overflows cutback lanes.
  • Needs to become more aggressive taking on blocks.
  • Gets outside shoulder covered more than he should.
  • Inconsistent reading lane choices and blocking scheme.
Basically, he's Jaylon Smith. Slow to diagnose and react....... easily fooled on misdirection....wrong lanes ect. I'm not sure this defense can have 2 LBs like this........

look at Jaylens draft sheet, all these they said he did good. “they” have no clue
 

atlantacowboy

Well-Known Member
Messages
18,076
Reaction score
24,789
CowboysZone ULTIMATE Fan
look at Jaylens draft sheet, all these they said he did good. “they” have no clue

His draft evaluations were pre-injury and therefore not relevant. Many teams thought Jaylen would never play again. He made a remarkable comeback but he is clearly not the same player he was at ND.
 

CT Dal Fan

Well-Known Member
Messages
11,439
Reaction score
20,315
His draft evaluations were pre-injury and therefore not relevant. Many teams thought Jaylen would never play again. He made a remarkable comeback but he is clearly not the same player he was at ND.

This is true, but the Jaylon Smith we saw from late 2017 through the 2018 season looked a lot like the Notre Dame version. I just don't know what's happened to him the past two seasons and if he can ever get back to that level.
 

atlantacowboy

Well-Known Member
Messages
18,076
Reaction score
24,789
CowboysZone ULTIMATE Fan
This is true, but the Jaylon Smith we saw from late 2017 through the 2018 season looked a lot like the Notre Dame version. I just don't know what's happened to him the past two seasons and if he can ever get back to that level.

I think he got his big pay day and now its about protecting his health. His play dropped after Jerry gave him that contract during the Zeke holdout for absolutely no good reason.........and good for him. He worked his butt off and made his money in the NFL after that tragic injury. But i'm a cowboy fan first and he's trash on the field now.
 

Jarntt

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,302
Reaction score
5,841
This is true, but the Jaylon Smith we saw from late 2017 through the 2018 season looked a lot like the Notre Dame version. I just don't know what's happened to him the past two seasons and if he can ever get back to that level.
Jaylon had one good year in 2018. But even in that year he didn’t look like the guy that played at Note Dame. The same stop and go and change of direction wasn’t there. It did seem like his straight line speed was a little better in 2018 than since then which I have no explanation for other than perhaps not being in the same shape? He also just looked like an out of control spaz the last two year. There were so much movement with his arms flailing etc when he tried to put his head down and run that it just looked awkward.
 

CalPolyTechnique

Well-Known Member
Messages
27,233
Reaction score
43,941
Cox’s strong suit is his coverage abilities without a doubt. He’s a willing participant in run defense but he does not play with a lot of urgency; he’s not a guy that’s going to fill a lane and lay out a RB. It’s hard to explain, but he looks disinterested against the run at times. He’s also not the most physical guy.

I’ll have to create some cut ups to illustrate what I’m talking about.

It will be interesting how we utilize him. Hopefully, we can emphasize his strengths. Folks shouldn’t expect him to be one of the primary guys in turning the run defense around.
 
Last edited:

GimmeTheBall!

Junior College Transfer
Messages
36,298
Reaction score
16,894
He wasnt drafted to start, so Im good with basically a red shirt season, working behind Smith and Neal, doesnt have to get starting snaps and allows the shoulder to heal completely.
Would love to hear a medical update if anyone has come across one.

You tell them, Typhus chap!
 

Prossman

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,142
Reaction score
278
Despite what the general feeling is about Jaylon, all LBs have been over used and abuse on this defense, playing a behind a bad DL and bad scheme.
I bet Jaylon and LVE both have better season now with some LB help and DL improvement, might be just what they needed.
Agreed.Our linebackers are not the take on a 320lb guard type of guys. They are sideline to sideline runners. defensive tackle upgrade will allow them to do that vs getting beat up .
 

CowboyoWales

Well-Known Member
Messages
5,577
Reaction score
4,028
Cox’s strong suit is his coverage abilities without a doubt. He’s a willing participant in run defense but he does not play with a lot of urgency; he’s not a guy that’s going to fill a lane and lay out a RB. It’s hard to explain, but he looks disinterested against the run at times. He’s also not the most physical guy.

I’ll have to create some cut ups to illustrate what I’m talking about.

It will be interesting how we utilize him. Hopefully, we can emphasize his strengths. Folks shouldn’t expect him to be one of the primary guys in turning the run defense around.

It's one of the themes of the draft. Rather than drafting all round Jack-of-all-trades who averages out as BPA, we've looked at players with specific skills which help in a specific scenarios/downs.

It goes with Quinn's approach that he likes playing his players to their strengths.

BTW - having two shoulder operations I wonder if Cox has been somewhat reluctant to tackle on the one side....it takes time to feel 100% making full contact.
 

CWR

Well-Known Member
Messages
23,425
Reaction score
34,126
His draft evaluations were pre-injury and therefore not relevant. Many teams thought Jaylen would never play again. He made a remarkable comeback but he is clearly not the same player he was at ND.

Right he isn't the same player, but the injury has nothing to do with his lack of football intelligence and instincts. Even if he was 100% he needs to be put in a simple, simple scheme to minimize his bad decisions. He and LVE also appear to be hugely dependent on good DT play.
 

CalPolyTechnique

Well-Known Member
Messages
27,233
Reaction score
43,941
It's one of the themes of the draft. Rather than drafting all round Jack-of-all-trades who averages out as BPA, we've looked at players with specific skills which help in a specific scenarios/downs.

It goes with Quinn's approach that he likes playing his players to their strengths.

BTW - having two shoulder operations I wonder if Cox has been somewhat reluctant to tackle on the one side....it takes time to feel 100% making full contact.

Was that the case (two shoulder injuries)? I didn’t know that. That could have played a role.

I think his talent in coverage is so good you had to take him in the 4th round. Hopefully, with further distance from those surgeries and more coaching, he can develop into a complete linebacker.

I can see him rotating into certain coverages on obvious passing downs, carrying RBs and TEs.
 

erod

Well-Known Member
Messages
37,772
Reaction score
58,270
Yup..Just like all the experts missed on Brady and Prescott…it happens
And many others.

Still, those are 1 in 50 players. Is Cox 1 in 50? Hopefully, but probably not.

The hope is he'll be very much like Damien Wilson and Anthony Hitchens, who started in Kansas City and won a Super Bowl. That'd be plenty good enough.
 

RustyBourneHorse

Well-Known Member
Messages
36,527
Reaction score
42,320
Try to keep up. This is a counter to all those posters who have him penciled in as an upgrade to our current LB crew. There is a reason he's in round 4.

To be fair, a 5th round LB would be an improvement over the LB crew we had last season. I think Cox will be helped by the fact we have Parsons at LB and what should be an improved secondary. Therefore, Cox should be fine imo.
 

Cowfan75

Well-Known Member
Messages
6,960
Reaction score
7,769
Weaknesses
  • Plays upright from the second level too often.
  • Doesn't appear to be a very quick processor from inside.
  • Early play quickness limited by excessive thinking.
  • Lacking patience necessary to decipher misdirection.
  • Loses pursuit leverage and occasionally overflows cutback lanes.
  • Needs to become more aggressive taking on blocks.
  • Gets outside shoulder covered more than he should.
  • Inconsistent reading lane choices and blocking scheme.
Basically, he's Jaylon Smith. Slow to diagnose and react....... easily fooled on misdirection....wrong lanes ect. I'm not sure this defense can have 2 LBs like this........

He's got a long, long way to go to learn to signal 4th down like Smith.
 

TheMarathonContinues

Well-Known Member
Messages
74,173
Reaction score
69,132
This is true, but the Jaylon Smith we saw from late 2017 through the 2018 season looked a lot like the Notre Dame version. I just don't know what's happened to him the past two seasons and if he can ever get back to that level.
I actually don't think he did. I thought he was great in 2018 but even then it still didn't look like the player we saw at ND.
 

TheMarathonContinues

Well-Known Member
Messages
74,173
Reaction score
69,132
Try to keep up. This is a counter to all those posters who have him penciled in as an upgrade to our current LB crew. There is a reason he's in round 4.

There's a reason everyone falls. There's a reason Dak fell. There's a reason Darius Leonard fell. You pretending to know why he fell and posting his "weaknesses" doesn't make it true. Guys fall in the draft. It happens. We have no idea how he will translate to the NFL.
 

ThreeandOut

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,866
Reaction score
4,210
Can't wait for the sequel thread "Why Nahshon Wright was a Surprise 3rd Round Pick."
 

xtreme_2k

Well-Known Member
Messages
262
Reaction score
299
You mean the experts who passed in him for rounds?
Same experts that missed out on players like Tom Brady, Bart Starr, Tony Romo, Shannon Sharpe, Richard Dent, list goes on and on....
 
Top