3/24 Mock

[TheFinisher]

Round 1: Budda Baker | S | Washington



Round 2: Desmond King | CB | Iowa



Round 3: Montravius Adams | DT | Auburn



Round 4: Carroll Phillips | DE | Illinois

 

[Bigdog]

If we take Baker, there is no need to take King. I think King would be a better S than CB

 

[TheFinisher]

If we take Baker, there is no need to take King. I think King would be a better S than CB

I hear that argument but for me... Safety, Cornerback, whatever... both of these dudes can play either and play it at a high level. I just want playmaking defensive backs with some versatility... you employ 5 or 6 DBs the majority of the game, they'd be great additions IMO.

FWIW I think King would be a fantastic CB here.

There's just too much good film on both of these guys for me to pass them up.

 

[waving monkey]

I know it's a beat to death point but Baker's size is worrying.

 

[Bigdog]

I hear that argument but for me... Safety, Cornerback, whatever... both of these dudes can play either and play it at a high level. I just want playmaking defensive backs with some versatility... you employ 5 or 6 DBs the majority of the game, they'd be great additions IMO.

FWIW I think King would be a fantastic CB here.

There's just too much good film on both of these guys for me to pass them up.

I agree with you on that. Both players are very good and I wouldn't mind having both of them just a little concern about King's long speed. I don't know what he ran at the combine though. Good job though.

 

[AsthmaField]

I really like both Baker and King. A lot. They both have the exact mental makeup that the Cowboys want in their team. Toughness. Smarts. Love of the game. Competitive.

Baker is gonna be a very good FS from day 1.

King might be a corner or he might be a safety, but he is a natural ball hawk and a very good player. I'd take him round 2 and figure out where he could play.

It is all about finding special players... not filling needs. Both of those guys have a chance to be very good... at a position of need too BTW.

 

[Szczepanik]

I like this. Good work. Definitely realistic and turns our secondary around.

 

[Manster74]

Baker just makes plays.

 

[rockj7]

I really like both Baker and King. A lot. They both have the exact mental makeup that the Cowboys want in their team. Toughness. Smarts. Love of the game. Competitive.

Baker is gonna be a very good FS from day 1.

King might be a corner or he might be a safety, but he is a natural ball hawk and a very good player. I'd take him round 2 and figure out where he could play.

It is all about finding special players... not filling needs. Both of those guys have a chance to be very good... at a position of need too BTW.

** King seems like a tough AFC central (thinking more Steelers Ravens) type defense player they would have. That's team kind of mindset I want for this Defense

 

[tm1119]

I really like both Baker and King. A lot. They both have the exact mental makeup that the Cowboys want in their team. Toughness. Smarts. Love of the game. Competitive.

Baker is gonna be a very good FS from day 1.

King might be a corner or he might be a safety, but he is a natural ball hawk and a very good player. I'd take him round 2 and figure out where he could play.

It is all about finding special players... not filling needs. Both of those guys have a chance to be very good... at a position of need too BTW.

So much wrong with all of that...if you don't draft players that make sense to your scheme they all are going to fail. You don't draft a square peg to fill a round hole. It's like picking a 295 pound OG from a zone blocking scheme to play in your power running scheme. Thinking you can draft a player and just stick them into an unfamiliar spot and thinking they are going to succeed is crazy. Where would Budda and King play on our defense?? You going to stick Budda at SS in the box and King outside as a CB? Good luck with setting up those picks for failure.

Like it or not (I don't), but the players we draft have to make sense for Rod's scheme and with who is on the team. Making the argument for 1 of King/Budda isn't exactly easy. Both? Absolutely no way it makes sense or helps our D.

 

[AsthmaField]

So much wrong with all of that...if you don't draft players that make sense to your scheme they all are going to fail. You don't draft a square peg to fill a round hole. It's like picking a 295 pound OG from a zone blocking scheme to play in your power running scheme. Thinking you can draft a player and just stick them into an unfamiliar spot and thinking they are going to succeed is crazy. Where would Budda and King play on our defense?? You going to stick Budda at SS in the box and King outside as a CB? Good luck with setting up those picks for failure.

Like it or not (I don't), but the players we draft have to make sense for Rod's scheme and with who is on the team. Making the argument for 1 of King/Budda isn't exactly easy. Both? Absolutely no way it makes sense or helps our D.

I know you know football and I also understand you're a big draftnik like me and know prospects well... but I don't get how you think King or Budda don't fit Marinelli's scheme?

Marinelli likes corners that like to hit and can tackle well, even at the expense of a little speed. That is King to a tee. The team likes intangibles (requires them actually), and is looking for players who can make plays on the ball and actually get a turnover from time to time. Again, that is King, exactly.

I don't see King as a square peg in a round hole at all. I see a guy that can play outside or inside at CB and has the instincts and awareness to play safety, if that is what the team wants. By me saying take him in round 2 and figure out where he can play, I meant that I'm not sure if the team would want him outside at corner or in the slot or as a safety... but I think they would love to have him at one of those spots. He could play all three and he would be a fit at any of those spots, IMO. Most likely he'd play a little at more than one place, I think.

As for Budda, he is a pure FS and IMO would be a fit in just about anyone's defense. He's very good, tough and makes plays all over. How he doesn't fit our offense, I don't know. Byron Jones would have to get moved back to CB (which he can do and fill a need there) to make room to bring in Baker, but he would walk in as the best safety in Dallas since Woodson.

So, I don't agree that they don't fit the Cowboys defense. I agree that you shouldn't take players that don't fit your team, of course. That would be bad, and frankly, if I don't think they fit, then I wouldn't advocate drafting them.

 

[gmoney112]

I'd just put Byron at SS and King at CB.

I like King. He's a better player than athlete and is never hurt. He's going to be a good player for somebody and I'd have np playing him at CB

 

[tm1119]

I know you know football and I also understand you're a big draftnik like me and know prospects well... but I don't get how you think King or Budda don't fit Marinelli's scheme?

Marinelli likes corners that like to hit and can tackle well, even at the expense of a little speed. That is King to a tee. The team likes intangibles (requires them actually), and is looking for players who can make plays on the ball and actually get a turnover from time to time. Again, that is King, exactly.

I don't see King as a square peg in a round hole at all. I see a guy that can play outside or inside at CB and has the instincts and awareness to play safety, if that is what the team wants. By me saying take him in round 2 and figure out where he can play, I meant that I'm not sure if the team would want him outside at corner or in the slot or as a safety... but I think they would love to have him at one of those spots. He could play all three and he would be a fit at any of those spots, IMO. Most likely he'd play a little at more than one place, I think.

As for Budda, he is a pure FS and IMO would be a fit in just about anyone's defense. He's very good, tough and makes plays all over. How he doesn't fit our offense, I don't know. Byron Jones would have to get moved back to CB (which he can do and fill a need there) to make room to bring in Baker, but he would walk in as the best safety in Dallas since Woodson.

So, I don't agree that they don't fit the Cowboys defense. I agree that you shouldn't take players that don't fit your team, of course. That would be bad, and frankly, if I don't think they fit, then I wouldn't advocate drafting them.

King will be mediocre at best if he plays outside in the NFL and Byron isn't getting moved to CB. That's why they aren't fits.
Go back and watch the senior bowl practices with King in 1 on 1 drills. He just doesn't have the foot speed to cover NFL WR's on a consistent basis in my opinion. I think both have a chance to be good single high safeties, and Budda can probably even play slot CB. But we have both areas covered already so therefore they don't make a lot of sense. We need an outside CB that can beat out Nolan Carroll and a SS that can beat out Heath. Byron is a FS, if the team thought he could play CB he would have been there last year.

 

[AsthmaField]

King will be mediocre at best if he plays outside in the NFL and Byron isn't getting moved to CB. That's why they aren't fits.
Go back and watch the senior bowl practices with King in 1 on 1 drills. He just doesn't have the foot speed to cover NFL WR's on a consistent basis in my opinion. I think both have a chance to be good single high safeties, and Budda can probably even play slot CB. But we have both areas covered already so therefore they don't make a lot of sense. We need an outside CB that can beat out Nolan Carroll and a SS that can beat out Heath. Byron is a FS, if the team thought he could play CB he would have been there last year.

I appreciate the answer and although I disagree to an extent, what you say is probably much closer to what will actually happen in the draft (i.e. the team wouldn't take both King and Baker.)

I do think the coaches think Jones could play CB if they asked him to. Heck, safety is the more difficult position to play and Jones is plenty athletic enough to play on the outside. They pretty much put Byron at FS because they needed someone good there and that is where he could make the biggest impact. If the team had another option for FS (like Baker) I think they'd be just fine moving him back to corner. I also think Baker is a better FS than Jones (although I do think Jones is good there).

Like I said though, I doubt it happens. I typically see things very similarly as you... but we can't agree all the time, lol.

 

[cjlopez]

I appreciate the answer and although I disagree to an extent, what you say is probably much closer to what will actually happen in the draft (i.e. the team wouldn't take both King and Baker.)

I do think the coaches think Jones could play CB if they asked him to. Heck, safety is the more difficult position to play and Jones is plenty athletic enough to play on the outside. They pretty much put Byron at FS because they needed someone good there and that is where he could make the biggest impact. If the team had another option for FS (like Baker) I think they'd be just fine moving him back to corner. I also think Baker is a better FS than Jones (although I do think Jones is good there).

Like I said though, I doubt it happens. I typically see things very similarly as you... but we can't agree all the time, lol.

EDGE CHARLES HARRIS
MISSOURI
60: R2P28

TE BUCKY HODGES
VIRGINIA TECH
92: R3P28

S MARCUS WILLIAMS
UTAH
134: R4P27

CB MARQUEZE WHITE
FSU
212: R6P27

RB DONNELL PUMPHREY
SAN DIEGO ST.
229: R7P10

EDGE TARELL BASHAM
OHIO
247: R7P28

WR