2016 Draft Class - One of the Best Ever?

[Clarkson]

No two draft picks have ever made as much of an impact on one side of the ball in their first years than Prescott and Elliott.

 

[PJTHEDOORS]

Don't forget Rico, who I think will be a very good player next year for the Cowboys. And Darius Jackson was a good pick also. I think he will be starting for Cleveland next year.

Good in potential. Didn't show much in preseason for us.

 

[DFWJC]

If Dak continues to do what he's doing, it's an epic draft.

Zeke has been a monster. I Iiked him on draft day but he wasn't my top choice--which was to trade down some and get a 2-3 early picks for one. Then maybe get a guy like Howard later. Needless to say, I'm freaking thrilled with Zeke!

Add in Brown, Maliek, the potential of Jalen Smith (big if there), maybe tapper, etc....huge draft so far, at this early stage.

 

[YosemiteSam]

Little bit early this for right? Don't you need to see how the players actually playout over there careers with the Cowboys?

 

[Baileyneverfailey]

We can't begin to judge how good the class is until we see more, but from what we've seen from the rookies obviously we're excited. If Dak is a quality NFL starting QB in the 4th round, that alone would make it a good draft. It took us so long between Aikman and Romo, and we might have taken our next franchise QB in the 4th.

Zeke is a beast, Collins is beasting, Brown has been huge for our defense. If Smith becomes a pro bowl likebacker and Tapper is another starter in 3 years, then we may be talking best ever for our team.

 

[TwoCentPlain]

Good in potential. Didn't show much in preseason for us.

I thought Jackson looked good in preseason. Don't remember much but he must have made a good impression on the Cowboys and he was picked up immediately by Cleveland after he was cut. If Cleveland didn't claim him, I'm guessing at least 6-10 other teams would have put him on a roster.

 

[Bluefin]

LINK

The only three NFL teams with more than 50 starts by rookies this season are Cleveland (67), Chicago (62) and Dallas (51). The Browns and Bears are a combined 4-26. That’s mind-boggling.

And these have been world-class starts for the Cowboys as well: Zeke and Dak in the mix for NFL MVP, Anthony Brown the highest-rated cornerback on the team the last two months and Maliek Collins leading all rookie defensive tackles with 5.0 sacks. Along with the Bears’ Leonard Floyd, Collins is also one of two rookies with at least five sacks, a fumble recovery and a forced fumble.

And Stephen Jones told me last week that the team expects second-round pick Jaylon Smith to be 100 percent for the start of training camp. He was fifth on the Cowboys’ original draft board before his knee injury in Notre Dame’s bowl game last year. Just incredible to think about this draft class and what they could be going forward, never mind just this season.

 

[Gameover]

Goes without saying

You might try to make sure Risen can't see this.. he won't likey

 

[Kaiser]

Roger, Mel and Bullet say hi.

Way too early to tell obviously, but Dak, Zeke and Jaylon Smith have just as much potential as those three.

Also the 1964 draft didn't produce much else but those three, this draft may produce some above average starters like Collins and Brown. Plus guys like Tapper, Frazier, Gathers and Andy Jones all have the potential to be starters.

 

[Kaiser]

Don't forget Rico, who I think will be a very good player next year for the Cowboys. And Darius Jackson was a good pick also. I think he will be starting for Cleveland next year.

UDFA Andy Jones on the Practice Squad could be a contributor as well. Dwayne Harris was a draft pick that spent a year on the PS before joining the active roster, Jones could follow a similar path.

 

[Sepia]

If Dak and Zeke continue to thrive, and Jaylon meets his potential, we got three Top 5 picks in one draft. In terms of value, I'd like to see how that compares to other "best draft" years.

 

[Vinnie2u]

2005 Draft had.. Ware , Spears, Burnett, Barber, Ratliff, Cris Canty. Pretty Damn good.

 

[lkelly]

Also note that drafts many years ago went far more rounds.

The 2016 draft was in essence 8 rounds (when you add in the compensatory picks) with 32 teams drafting.

The 1975 was 17 rounds with 26 teams picking.

The 1964 draft was 20 rounds with 14 teams picking. Funny enough, Staubach wasn't even the 1st QB the Cowboys picked that year.

It's a little bit easier to hit on players with 17+ rounds and fewer teams picking.

 

[PJTHEDOORS]

The 1991 draft was pretty awesome (we had tons of picks).

1991
1 - Russell Maryland
1 - Alvin Harper
2 - Dixon Edwards
3 - Godfrey Myles
3 - Erik Williams
7 - Leon Lett
12 - Larry Brown

 

[bark]

A nod to the dirty dozen

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

It's good , but not as good as our 1933 draft haul:

1. George McHenry - Citadel
2. Pat "Lefty" Lowell - Army
3. Ron "Leather Head" Reagan - Eureka College
4. Don "two-steps" Sutherland - Alabama
5. Orrin Hatch - BYU

 

[Rockdoc]

I thought Jackson looked good in preseason. Don't remember much but he must have made a good impression on the Cowboys and he was picked up immediately by Cleveland after he was cut. If Cleveland didn't claim him, I'm guessing at least 6-10 other teams would have put him on a roster.

after seeing Dunbar this year, we should have kept jackson. maybe Dunbar will finish his comeback next year.
will see a lot of him tomorrow.

 

[xwalker]

With all the talk of Zeke and Dak, I think we tend to forget the other huge picks in this draft to date:

1. Elliot- NFL rushing leader, Pro Bowler, possible MVP - A+
2. Smith - Top 5 player before injury, 2017 starter - Incomplete
3. Collins - Starter, 5 sacks / 15 hurries - A
4. Tapper - Pass rusher / injured at training camp - Incomplete
4. Prescott - Pro Bowler, possible MVP A+
5. Brown - Starter, 1 INT - B
6. Frazier - S/T - C

If Smith and Tapper end up being what their potential is, we might have two more starters. This class may end up being one of the best ever.

Beware if you say "best ever" somebody will beat you down with something from 40 years ago.

You could say that Adrian Peterson is the best RB and you'll get a dozen posts saying is was Jim Brown.

It could definitely be the best of the Jerry era, which is saying something considering the Jimmy Johnson drafts.

 

[waving monkey]

UDFA Andy Jones on the Practice Squad could be a contributor as well. Dwayne Harris was a draft pick that spent a year on the PS before joining the active roster, Jones could follow a similar path.

He was catching everthing till pre-season games started then he disappeared.I have high hopes

 

[cityochamps]

Yeah like some others here have stated it could very well be but too early to tell, I like it allot so far and would go as far to say at least as of today it's one of the top 3 ever and again could turn out much better