1st/2nd round draft picks (2016 - 2019)

VaqueroTD · Mar 13, 2022

Big_D said:
Zeke was a terrible pick because you're setting yourself up for a top dollar contract at a position that shouldn't have it. It wouldn't have been so bad if they didn't go RB and then LB in a wheelchair. That's the major problem. And even though CeeDee Lamb hasn't been all world he hardly falls in the Jaylon Smith category. Plus you have the addition of Diggs in that draft. But GOOD defense has been largely ignored prior to 2020 in lieu of the superstar skill position players.

C'mon folks, you crack me up. The best RB in the league was a horrible move? It's not Zeke's fault that his buddy Dak is a choker and the franchise couldn't build a team around him to complement the league's best running game.

Outlaw Heroes · Mar 13, 2022

VaqueroTD said:
C'mon folks, you crack me up. The best RB in the league was a horrible move? It's not Zeke's fault that his buddy Dak is a choker and the franchise couldn't build a team around him to complement the league's best running game.

It was a horrible move (surpassed only by giving him a second contract). And it was predictably horrible. The best CB in the league was a far better bet and many of us were saying it at the time. CB is a premium position with greater longevity.

Meanwhile Zeke was 'the best RB in the league' for about 2 seasons. Then he was supplanted by the guy we could have had in the 2nd round.

Big_D · Mar 13, 2022

VaqueroTD said:
C'mon folks, you crack me up. The best RB in the league was a horrible move? It's not Zeke's fault that his buddy Dak is a choker and the franchise couldn't build a team around him to complement the league's best running game.

Best RB in the league??? lol That's severely overvalued. He had no home run ability and 1 run of 60+ yards in 7 seasons. And not a single run over 47 since year 2. Sure he was good, but this right here is a classic case of what plagues this team. RB at 4 considering the whole slew of problems they had never paid off and it's still no surprise.

Stash · Mar 13, 2022

VaqueroTD said:
Maybe if you want to argue how high it was for a position that doesn't last long, I can see it not being a great pick, but it's definitely not a bust. The entire league was scared of our running game for a few years.

Really? How many years did Zeke and the Cowboys lead the league in rushing? Just how ‘scary’ was a running game that it took the #4 overall pick and multiple 1st round picks on the offensive line to build?

Never close to the needed return on investment.

Stash · Mar 13, 2022

Outlaw Heroes said:
It was a horrible move (surpassed only by giving him a second contract). And it was predictably horrible. The best CB in the league was a far better bet and many of us were saying it at the time. CB is a premium position with greater longevity.

Meanwhile Zeke was 'the best RB in the league' for about 2 seasons. Then he was supplanted by the guy we could have had in the 2nd round.

Facts.

Nova · Mar 13, 2022

I think if you want to grade drafting, you should take a bigger sample size.

Say, 2009 until the present; or when Will MClay became a factor.

2016-2019 were some “rough” years by our standards, but it would be interesting to compare them to other teams’ performance in the same drafts who drafted in roughly the same positions we did.

Instead, we compare to what we COULD have gotten, which is an unfair benchmark.

I get the sentiment, but drafting is probably the least of our issues. If anything, FA and culture neuter our drafting abilities.

wecasa · Mar 13, 2022

They like their guys no mater how average they are...

Nova · Mar 13, 2022

stasheroo said:
Really? How many years did Zeke and the Cowboys lead the league in rushing? Just how ‘scary’ was a running game that it took the #4 overall pick and multiple 1st round picks on the offensive line to build?

Never close to the needed return on investment.

I get this sentiment, too. And I’m really down on the Cowboys— more so than ever before. But you also play the cards you’re dealt. With the OL picks they were absolutely in line with the best picks that could have been taken at the time.

Big_D · Mar 13, 2022

Nova said:
I think if you want to grade drafting, you should take a bigger sample size.

Say, 2009 until the present; or when Will MClay became a factor.

2016-2019 were some “rough” years by our standards, but it would be interesting to compare them to other teams’ performance in the same drafts who drafted in roughly the same positions we did.

Instead, we compare to what we COULD have gotten, which is an unfair benchmark.

I get the sentiment, but drafting is probably the least of our issues. If anything, FA and culture neuter our drafting abilities.

What performance are we judging this on? Playoffs? That's really the only standard and it's been a huge fail. You could go back to 2009 and find stupidity ever since like the special teams draft.. the Claiborne trade up, Escobar, Bennett on and on it goes. Stupid gambles with top tier picks even with McClay here.

VaqueroTD · Mar 13, 2022

I don't get the Zeke hate. The thread is about all our draft duds and we're to assume we would have drafted the best RB in the league after the first round?

Overall, Ramsey looks like a better pick, but Zeke definitely didn't destroy the franchise.

If we're going on which player not turning into insta-Hall of Famer that may have hurt the team overall, it's definitely Dak. Biggest contract, trades/contacts/picks to WR, the whole offense is geared towards the QB.

Stash · Mar 13, 2022

Nova said:
I get this sentiment, too. And I’m really down on the Cowboys— more so than ever before. But you also play the cards you’re dealt. With the OL picks they were absolutely in line with the best picks that could have been taken at the time.

The offensive line picks don’t bother me nearly as much as the running back pick does. But it’s also frustrating that despite all of that investment, they still can’t manage to effectively run the ball. And they got pushed all over the field by the 49’ers. That’s inexcusable.

Big_D · Mar 13, 2022

VaqueroTD said:
I don't get the Zeke hate. The thread is about all our draft duds and we're to assume we would have drafted the best RB in the league after the first round?

Overall, Ramsey looks like a better pick, but Zeke definitely didn't destroy the franchise.

If we're going on which player not turning into insta-Hall of Famer that may have hurt the team overall, it's definitely Dak. Biggest contract, trades/contacts/picks to WR, the whole offense is geared towards the QB.

It's not Zeke hate, it's taking a position that you can't afford to overpay. Now they're stuck and it's a huge problem. And having him even with a top tier line back in the early days amounted to nothing. Why? because the D got ran over on a regular basis and they were never financially in position to fix it even if they knew how.

SlammedZero · Mar 13, 2022

Nova said:
I think if you want to grade drafting, you should take a bigger sample size.

Say, 2009 until the present; or when Will MClay became a factor.

2016-2019 were some “rough” years by our standards, but it would be interesting to compare them to other teams’ performance in the same drafts who drafted in roughly the same positions we did.

Instead, we compare to what we COULD have gotten, which is an unfair benchmark.

I get the sentiment, but drafting is probably the least of our issues. If anything, FA and culture neuter our drafting abilities.

Agreed. I get what the OP is trying to get across, but it's easy to cherry pick with the draft when trying to make a point. I'm sure there have been plenty of 1st round picks that have flamed out across the NFL in that timeframe.

This is not me excusing the Cowboys' front office or saying they're great at drafting. Just saying a lot of teams probably have similar stories.

conner01 · Mar 13, 2022

Oz-of-Cowboy-Country said:
Not good enough to keep is not good enough to keep. Doesn't matter if you're talking about cars, women, a job, or employees. Not good enough to keep is not good enough to keep.

You couldn’t keep them all anyway
That’s why you only give second contracts to elite players and replace good players in the draft
You can’t afford to keep everyone
But just because a player isn’t signed to a second contract doesn’t mean he was a bad pick
The biggest mistakes we’ve made in the draft have generally came when we drafted for need
Drafting for need is a recipe for failure
That’s how you get guys like taco and hill
Also trust your scouts, not coaches
Coaches are not very often great evaluators of college talent. Input is fine but the guys who watch college games for a living are there for a reason. They too should be evaluated regularly to see if they are correct in their assessment also
We let our last DC talk us into bad players and why you would listen to a guy who never watched a player play is beyond me
I’m sure they watch tape but how much time do they really put into it? It’s just not possible that a position coach can watch enough tape between the end of season and draft to be having that much input

Gaede · Mar 13, 2022

Those picks weren't good. But why stop at 2019? Oh, because the next two picks were Ceedee and Parsons.

If you're going to criticize, at least be fair. We've had both great picks and horrible picks with the current regime doing the drafts.

conner01 · Mar 13, 2022

Big_D said:
Zeke was a terrible pick because you're setting yourself up for a top dollar contract at a position that shouldn't have it. It wouldn't have been so bad if they didn't go RB and then LB in a wheelchair. That's the major problem. And even though CeeDee Lamb hasn't been all world he hardly falls in the Jaylon Smith category. Plus you have the addition of Diggs in that draft. But GOOD defense has been largely ignored prior to 2020 in lieu of the superstar skill position players.

Some positions are just not first round positions
A RB is one of them
On top of that a RB is the last position I would give a second contract at a high price
Drafting Zeke to me was a mistake but we compounded that mistake when we extended him
When he didn’t want to play on the 5th year option we should have traded him right then
Many teams have proven you can get effective RB’s outside of the first

Techsass · Mar 13, 2022

Zordon said:
Ever since they got Dak in the 4th round they (along with the media) have anointed themselves draft savants. It’s not true.

Having hit on a bunch of 1st round Olinemen helped their sales pitch.

Big_D · Mar 13, 2022

Gaede said:
Those picks weren't good. But why stop at 2019? Oh, because the next two picks were Ceedee and Parsons.

If you're going to criticize, at least be fair. We've had both great picks and horrible picks with the current regime doing the drafts.

You stop at 19 cause Garrett and his philosophy stopped there also. The drafts got better. No trade ups. They don't all work out but definitely smarter in the past 2 years.

conner01 · Mar 13, 2022

fivetwos said:
He come the "they find starters" arguments.

Yeah let's "start" Xavier Woods and tell ourselves we nailed that one. If we are honest Donovan Wilson isn't much better.

Not the only examples.

Woods had 108 tackles, 3 ints, 2 FF and a sack last year
Total bust lol

Praxit · Mar 13, 2022

..looking like bust, as of now. Dang...

1st/2nd round draft picks (2016 - 2019)

VaqueroTD

Well-Known Member

Outlaw Heroes

Well-Known Member

Big_D

Well-Known Member

Stash

Stash

Nova

Ntegrase96

wecasa

Well-Known Member

Nova

Ntegrase96

Big_D

Well-Known Member

VaqueroTD

Well-Known Member

Stash

Big_D

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SlammedZero

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conner01

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Gaede

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conner01

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Techsass

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Big_D

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conner01

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Praxit

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