4 Popular Cowboys Picks I Pray The Cowboys Pass On

[Aliencowboy]

1: Eric Kendricks (LB, UCLA) - Kendricks is undersize and does not have the physical traits to overcome it. Also, Kendricks is best suited for MLB with a possible fit at WLB which doesn't make sense to invest in seeing as those are the LB spots we are best at. From everything I have heard on twitter and on shows like Talkin' Cowboys the Cowboys love Anthony Hitchens.. and they love him at MLB and WLB. Sean Lee, and Hitchens can both play the WILL primarily as well as the MIKE if needed and McClain and Brinkley both can play the MIKE.. The spot we need help at is the SAM. With all that being said I would be supportive of picking Kendricks in the first if I thought he was a special player, but in my opinion he is not worthy of a 1st round pick let alone to a team that has much greater needs.

2: Byron Jones (CB, Connecticut) - I watched a ton of Byron Jones tape this week and I came away unimpressed. Jones has adequate cover ability but lacks the physicality and aggressiveness I would like to see out of a 1st round corner. I am not interested in picking a CB in the first round who wants nothing to do with tackling and isn't even a shut down corner when it comes to coverage. Peters and Kevin Johnson are much better options in the 1st round and if both are gone I like guys like Ronald Darby, PJ Williams, and Josh Shaw as options on day 2.

3: Jalen Collins (CB, LSU) - Collins is another corner who wants nothing to do with contact which defeats the purpose of him having great size and length. From the tape I watched Collins never wants to get his nose dirty and doesn't even seem to have a competitive spirit. If I want a 6'2+ CB I am going to try and get a guy like Tray Walker in the later rounds. Collins is going to be a huge bust in my opinion.. I can't see him ever starting in the league.. Dre Kirkpatrick who was a significantly better prospect and far more physical coming out of college has struggled a little and has a similar build.. Being a super tall CB does not always equal Richard Sherman.

4. Jay Ajayi (HB, Boise State) - This is the one I struggle with because I do see some positive traits but somehow he has become a top 50 player according to everyone. Ajayi is a "Power Back" who weighs 230 lbs but tries to bounce every run to the outside.. He wastes a lot of steps dancing around and stutter stepping rather than making his cut and getting upfield. I don't think his running style will translate well to the NFL. I think if people were talking about getting him in the 4th round I would be on board but in the top 3 Rounds I have guys like Todd Gurley, Melvin Gordon, TJ Yeldon, Tevin Coleman, and Duke Johnson rated better than him. I even think a guy like Karlos Williams from FSU could be a better fit for our system than Ajayi. Ajayi also shows no desire to pass block.

I'm sure many will disagree with my evaluations but that is what makes the draft fun. All these opinions are based of watching film.. I watched every film draftbreakdown.com had on all 4 prospects.

Nothing to argue with here. Nice assessment. The only argument for Byron Jones is that he can lock up with the bigger receivers in the league strength wise and high pointing the ball. I did see Jones throw Funchess out of the way and into the air to get in for a solo tackle on a screen. I don't know you get that with KJohnson.

 

[TrailBlazer]

As pure cover guys, Kevin johnson looks more natural and fluid in coverage. Byron Jones has that speed and size but when I watched him he was often falling down and didn't show great ability to change directions and make a play on the ball. Johnson plays off the line too much to protect from being beaten deep. That's my only issue with him.

M Peters
K Johnson
B Jones
PJ Williams
A Carter

Any of these guys would be solid pick in the first 2 rounds.

 

[btcutter]

Then all this talk about Hitchens being a future starter is bogus.

I happen to agree with this. He exceeded all expectations last year because no one here thought he was anything more than a special team player.
I think he's a decent player and a great insurance policy but not sure if he'll be a star and make pro bowls.

 

[Leadbelly]

Thanks for saving me the key strokes. Last time Lee made through a season healthy he was soph at Penn St. Kendricks will be productive for years.

And he turns 29 in camp. He's signed through 2019 but one more significant injury and he's probably a cut candidate.

 

[AsthmaField]

1: Eric Kendricks (LB, UCLA) - Kendricks is undersize and does not have the physical traits to overcome it. Also, Kendricks is best suited for MLB with a possible fit at WLB which doesn't make sense to invest in seeing as those are the LB spots we are best at. From everything I have heard on twitter and on shows like Talkin' Cowboys the Cowboys love Anthony Hitchens.. and they love him at MLB and WLB. Sean Lee, and Hitchens can both play the WILL primarily as well as the MIKE if needed and McClain and Brinkley both can play the MIKE.. The spot we need help at is the SAM. With all that being said I would be supportive of picking Kendricks in the first if I thought he was a special player, but in my opinion he is not worthy of a 1st round pick let alone to a team that has much greater needs.

2: Byron Jones (CB, Connecticut) - I watched a ton of Byron Jones tape this week and I came away unimpressed. Jones has adequate cover ability but lacks the physicality and aggressiveness I would like to see out of a 1st round corner. I am not interested in picking a CB in the first round who wants nothing to do with tackling and isn't even a shut down corner when it comes to coverage. Peters and Kevin Johnson are much better options in the 1st round and if both are gone I like guys like Ronald Darby, PJ Williams, and Josh Shaw as options on day 2.

3: Jalen Collins (CB, LSU) - Collins is another corner who wants nothing to do with contact which defeats the purpose of him having great size and length. From the tape I watched Collins never wants to get his nose dirty and doesn't even seem to have a competitive spirit. If I want a 6'2+ CB I am going to try and get a guy like Tray Walker in the later rounds. Collins is going to be a huge bust in my opinion.. I can't see him ever starting in the league.. Dre Kirkpatrick who was a significantly better prospect and far more physical coming out of college has struggled a little and has a similar build.. Being a super tall CB does not always equal Richard Sherman.

4. Jay Ajayi (HB, Boise State) - This is the one I struggle with because I do see some positive traits but somehow he has become a top 50 player according to everyone. Ajayi is a "Power Back" who weighs 230 lbs but tries to bounce every run to the outside.. He wastes a lot of steps dancing around and stutter stepping rather than making his cut and getting upfield. I don't think his running style will translate well to the NFL. I think if people were talking about getting him in the 4th round I would be on board but in the top 3 Rounds I have guys like Todd Gurley, Melvin Gordon, TJ Yeldon, Tevin Coleman, and Duke Johnson rated better than him. I even think a guy like Karlos Williams from FSU could be a better fit for our system than Ajayi. Ajayi also shows no desire to pass block.

I'm sure many will disagree with my evaluations but that is what makes the draft fun. All these opinions are based of watching film.. I watched every film draftbreakdown.com had on all 4 prospects.

I'm kind of with you on Kendricks... although I think he will be a very good player. I've never liked spending first round picks on LB's for a 43 defense. A 34 scheme is different.

On Jones, I am decidedly not with you here. I see a physical player who can play with the big WR's that are becoming more prevalent throughout the league. I'm not saying I know for sure... but I think he will be a very good player as well.

I'm definitely with you on Collins. Love his size but other than that, I don't think he's a real good player. Maybe with coaching he improves a lot but far from a sure thing.

I like Ajayi in the second but not in the first. I see a little different back than you seem to. I think with coaching he could be very good.

Time will tell where we are right or wrong at.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

I'm kind of with you on Kendricks... although I think he will be a very good player. I've never liked spending first round picks on LB's for a 43 defense. A 34 scheme is different.

On Jones, I am decidedly not with you here. I see a physical player who can play with the big WR's that are becoming more prevalent throughout the league. I'm not saying I know for sure... but I think he will be a very good player as well.

I'm definitely with you on Collins. Love his size but other than that, I don't think he's a real good player. Maybe with coaching he improves a lot but far from a sure thing.

I like Ajayi in the second but not in the first. I see a little different back than you seem to. I think with coaching he could be very good.

Time will tell where we are right or wrong at.

Good point on not blowing a 1st round pick on a 4-3 LB.

I think Kendricks can be a productive player but I'm not seeing a "Patrick Willis" kind of difference maker. If he was there in round 2 then he would merit a lot of consideration, but not at #27.

 

[tyke1doe]

I have to disagree. Confidence and competitive nature are the two most important personality traits in a corner IMO and Peters has both of those in abundance. Peters in my favorite corner in the draft.. My only concern is that he lacks both elite top end speed and elite size.. I would like a corner to have one or the other. As for the coaching issues it is hard for me to evaluate that because I really have no idea exactly what the issues are but there have a been a lot of guys who were labeled as uncoachable and ended up having successful careers.. just have to figure out whether or not your team can handle him.

When your head coach, the one you're not at odds with, comes to you to smooth things over and you go ballistic, sorry, but I want no part of you.

 

[tyke1doe]

There are three kinds of people in this world. Those that can count and those that can't.

 

[ghst187]

If brown, Shelton, Gurley and Wayne's are gone I hope we trade back

 

[locked&loaded]

You watched a bunch of film on Byron Jones? So, like two games from a side view camera and some highlights ?

People that are judging cbs one way or another with highlight films and no all 22 camera angle are grasping at straws.

 

[theogt]

2: Byron Jones (CB, Connecticut) - I watched a ton of Byron Jones tape this week and I came away unimpressed. Jones has adequate cover ability but lacks the physicality and aggressiveness I would like to see out of a 1st round corner. I am not interested in picking a CB in the first round who wants nothing to do with tackling and isn't even a shut down corner when it comes to coverage. Peters and Kevin Johnson are much better options in the 1st round and if both are gone I like guys like Ronald Darby, PJ Williams, and Josh Shaw as options on day 2.

How does a defensive back with 223 career tackles in college get labeled as a guy that "wants nothing to do with tackling"? He averaged over 5 tackles a game. And the guy is a press corner that jams receivers at the LOS with regularity. Honestly, I question whether you're misremembering the guys name or something.