Knotamus
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This is the time of year when Cowboy fans get to drool over draft picks and/or dissect player acquisitions. And why not? As a fan, I love projecting what a player may or may not be and how they inevitably will fit with the team. Its all in the name of making our beloved team better, or atleast we hope so.
Like many of us, I have watched most of the highlights of our draft picks including the UDFA. Being that Dallas apparently signed 15 players with draftable grades from their draft board, this years yield has a lot to like. One in particular, is former Memphis RB Tony Pollard.
If I’m being perfectly honest, I was in the camp for Dallas to find a true 3down RB to back up Zeke for insurance against injury, etc. Tony wasn’t a total surprise pick, as he was a 30 Visit. What’s interesting is that he apparently was Kellen Moore’s guy. That alone is intriguing because of how versatile Pollard is. Is this a sign of the offensive changes that Moore is expected to create?
I’ve heard mixed reviews from fellow fans of what Pollard is or what he’s capable of doing. Well.. I personally believe Pollard will be dynamic. I’m not ready to say ‘Kamara’ like Stephen Jones notably compared him, but I can definitely see the similarities that inspired such high praise.
My first thought were gadget guys like Lucky Whitehead, Lance Dunbar and Tavon Austin who have been mostly a disappointment. At 6’0” 200+lbs.. physically, Pollard looks to be more than just a gadget. Whitehead seemed to be a undersized Wr w/speed, attempting jet sweeps only; Dunbar seemed to be an undersized RB w/speed that could catch; Austin is a Wr w/speed that can’t handle RB duties.. the only thing they have in common with Pollard is SPEED. Pollard ran a 4.38 40. (He ran a 4.5 at the combine after dealing with food poisoning..Chipotle strikes again!). The main trait that Pollard has above the forementioned, Pollard has toughness. He isn’t afraid of contact and wont get broken in half when tackled(I.e. Dunbar). He’s capable of reading his blocks, running in the middle of the OL, Jet sweeps, catching passes, making plays, and taking it to the house. In short.. he’s everything Dallas hoped from the former guys and then some.
Don’t get me wrong, he’s not going to make anyone forget Zeke, but he sure will be fun to watch when he does have the ball in his hands. It seems Moore may be willing to use Pollard’s strengths more than Linehan ever could. Like other teams, I believe Moore will implement more ‘college like’ plays that will benefit both Zeke and Dak. Defenses will have to account for another player capable of big plays out of the backfield. This “3rd” option will loosen running lanes for Zeke and to a lesser extent for Dak on QB option/draws. This should also slow defenses down a tick. Throw in a healthy OL w/ depth, Dak, Zeke, and Pollard could flourish together. Not to mention what it could mean for the wideouts and are young TEs.
Sorry if this was long, but I’m excited about his potential. And with no real competition, Pollard should get many opportunities to display his talents. Im a defensive guy, so typically my pet cats are on that side of the ball, but this year I think I’m going to make an exception... lol, or atleast have one of each. I added a link below.
Like many of us, I have watched most of the highlights of our draft picks including the UDFA. Being that Dallas apparently signed 15 players with draftable grades from their draft board, this years yield has a lot to like. One in particular, is former Memphis RB Tony Pollard.
If I’m being perfectly honest, I was in the camp for Dallas to find a true 3down RB to back up Zeke for insurance against injury, etc. Tony wasn’t a total surprise pick, as he was a 30 Visit. What’s interesting is that he apparently was Kellen Moore’s guy. That alone is intriguing because of how versatile Pollard is. Is this a sign of the offensive changes that Moore is expected to create?
I’ve heard mixed reviews from fellow fans of what Pollard is or what he’s capable of doing. Well.. I personally believe Pollard will be dynamic. I’m not ready to say ‘Kamara’ like Stephen Jones notably compared him, but I can definitely see the similarities that inspired such high praise.
My first thought were gadget guys like Lucky Whitehead, Lance Dunbar and Tavon Austin who have been mostly a disappointment. At 6’0” 200+lbs.. physically, Pollard looks to be more than just a gadget. Whitehead seemed to be a undersized Wr w/speed, attempting jet sweeps only; Dunbar seemed to be an undersized RB w/speed that could catch; Austin is a Wr w/speed that can’t handle RB duties.. the only thing they have in common with Pollard is SPEED. Pollard ran a 4.38 40. (He ran a 4.5 at the combine after dealing with food poisoning..Chipotle strikes again!). The main trait that Pollard has above the forementioned, Pollard has toughness. He isn’t afraid of contact and wont get broken in half when tackled(I.e. Dunbar). He’s capable of reading his blocks, running in the middle of the OL, Jet sweeps, catching passes, making plays, and taking it to the house. In short.. he’s everything Dallas hoped from the former guys and then some.
Don’t get me wrong, he’s not going to make anyone forget Zeke, but he sure will be fun to watch when he does have the ball in his hands. It seems Moore may be willing to use Pollard’s strengths more than Linehan ever could. Like other teams, I believe Moore will implement more ‘college like’ plays that will benefit both Zeke and Dak. Defenses will have to account for another player capable of big plays out of the backfield. This “3rd” option will loosen running lanes for Zeke and to a lesser extent for Dak on QB option/draws. This should also slow defenses down a tick. Throw in a healthy OL w/ depth, Dak, Zeke, and Pollard could flourish together. Not to mention what it could mean for the wideouts and are young TEs.
Sorry if this was long, but I’m excited about his potential. And with no real competition, Pollard should get many opportunities to display his talents. Im a defensive guy, so typically my pet cats are on that side of the ball, but this year I think I’m going to make an exception... lol, or atleast have one of each. I added a link below.
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