A mock draft based on players the Boys are bringing in this month...

[silverbear]

As reports swirl about players the Boys like well enough to invite them to town for a visit this month, I thought it would be intriguing to attempt a mock draft involving just those players... now, I know the Boys won't draft players just from this list, but at the same time, these are players we know they have serious interest in, so let's see how a mock might work with these players... I'm not projecting any trades in this mock:

2) Jarron Gilbert, DE, San Jose State... 6-5, 286 pounds, 4.8 second 40... good size for a 3-4 DE, and unusual initial quickness for a man so large... has NFL bloodlines...

3) Dorell Scott, DT/DE, Clemson... 6-3, 310 pounds, 4.9 second 40... Ratliff's backup at NT, he can swing over to end if needed...

4a) Jason Williams, LB, Western Illinois... 6-1, 240 pounds, 4.5 second 40... played OLB in college, but might project to WILB for the Boys, basically taking over Burnett's cover responsibilities...

4b) Michael Hamlin, SS, Clemson... 6-2, 216 pounds, 4.5 second 40... I know, there's an awfully heavy emphasis on defense in these first 4 picks, but I won't be ignoring the offense altogether...

5a) TJ Lang, OG/C, Eastern Michigan... 6-4, 316 pounds, 5.2 second 40... Andre Gurode needs a quality backup...

5b) Tom Brandstater, QB, Fresno State... 6-5, 225 pounds, 4.85 second 40... if the Boys want a developmental quarterback, this is the time to claim him...

6a) Ra'Shon Harris, DE/DT, Oregon... 6-4, 300 pounds, 4.9 second 40... at his current weight, he's a DE prospect, but many scouts think he can add 20 pounds, and if he can, he'd project to DT... going with 3 defensive linemen might be a tad excessive in this draft, but I can make a case for these 3...

6b) Robert Brewster, OG, Ball State... 6-4, 325 pounds, 5.25 second 40... quality depth for the interior of the OL...

6c) Tony Carter, CB/KR, Florida State... 5-9, 180 pounds, 4.4 second 40... with these late round picks, I'm reaching a little for some likely undrafted rookie free agents that the Cowboys apparently like... Carter offers an injection of speed, and he's a lot tougher than his size suggests... alternatively, I might go with St. Paul CB Greg Toler here... he has better size, but isn't quite as fast...

7a) Dan Skuta, OLB, Grand Valley State... 6-3, 250 pounds, 4.7 second 40... this is a sleeper LB who is starting to show up on a lot of teams' draft boards, including the Boys'...

7b) Julian Edelman, WR, Kent State... 5-11, 195 pounds, 4.5 second 40... obviously too small to play QB in the NFL (the position he played in college), scouts project Edleman to WR... he might be a candidate to run the Wildcat offense... his bio reads a lot like Patrick Crayton's coming out of college, IMO... and of course, Crayton was a late round pick too...

So, whaddaya think, gang?? Could y'all live with this kind of a draft??

 

[DaBoys4Life]

I can dig it. Except for Hamlin and Scott.

 

[MarionBarberThe4th]

ouch.
5th DE w/ our 1st pick?
back up nose next?
The rest is good except Brandstater. I dont think hes much better than Davis, Teel, Harrel or any other UFA QB

I understand you were limited by your own stipulation....

 

[the kid 05]

Wheres the FB we were talkinga bout?

 

[silverbear]

ouch.
5th DE w/ our 1st pick?
back up nose next?
The rest is good except Brandstater. I dont think hes much better than Davis, Teel, Harrel or any other UFA QB

I understand you were limited by your own stipulation....

There ya go, I was working just from the list of players the Boys are inviting in for a visit... I'd be astounded if the draft actually went that way...

 

[Woods]

I could actually live with this Draft.

I like it.

Except I wish we had a more established WR with KR/PR skills a bit earlier in the Draft.

But that's not the end of the world . . . .

 

[Bob Sacamano]

I like it, although we don't get an OT to groom as Flo's replacement

 

[JIMMYBUFFETT]

I love the Hamlin pick . As much as I like Delmas and Chung , I think Hamlin and Chip Vaughn will be the most NFL ready to compete on day one .

 

[Common Sense]

I wouldn't think that would be a bad draft, although I'd probably replace one of the DL somewhere with a potential LT. Keep drafting them until one pans out. Flo might have two years left at the most.

 

[RS12]

Honestly I love this this draft. However I have a strong feeling that if one of these three players is there between 33-40 Jerry will bust a move. Those players are Beatty, Nicks, or Britt. I think Beatty will be gone but one of the recivers will be there. Most likely trading partner NE at 34. All IMO.

 

[Common Sense]

Honestly I love this this draft. However I have a strong feeling that if one of these three players is there between 33-40 Jerry will bust a move. Those players are Beatty, Nicks, or Britt. I think Beatty will be gone but one of the recivers will be there. Most likely trading partner NE at 34. All IMO.

I never heard about what Parcells thought of Nicks when he went to see him, but if it went well, I would think Miami would take him with their 1st rounder.

 

[jterrell]

I would hate that draft.

None of them would have a day 1 defined role except Jason Williams and that is as nickel backer.

Dallas has almost never brought in their top targets for a workout.

 

[jterrell]

lemme try with same caveats...

2) Louis Delmas, S, West Mich --- Best all-around safety. Can cover and tackle.

3) Lawrence Sidbury, OLB, Richmond --- Greg Ellis replacement, nickel pass rusher.

4a) Jason Williams, LB, Western Illinois --- Good fit in r4 as WILB who can be a nickel guy no and long term Brookings replacement.

4b) Stephen McGee, QB, TAMU --- Better QB than he showed in that abysmal Fran offense. Tough guy with one of the better arms int he entire draft. Can run Wildcat stuff early as he learns how to QB a pro style offense. Athletic enough run Romo's playbook once he develops.

5a) Patrick Turner, WR, USC --- Lacks great speed and will suffer Mike Williams comparisons but Turner has great length and catches the ball with his hands. If he isn't too cali-cool for his own good like so many USC WRs he could be a hidden gem.

5b) TJ Lang, OG/C, Eastern Michigan --- Perfect OL backup. Can play OG or OC and call plays.

6a) Bradley Fletcher, CB/Star, Iowa --- Big CB type who ran a 4.4 40 at both his pro day and the combine. 6'1" and just under 200 pounds. Fletcher was the best Cb at the east-West Shrine game by far. Under-rated at this point.

6b) Anthony Hill, TE, NCSt --- Gets a year on Pup but has the potential to be a good long term TE. He is a value taken this late that you can stash or a year on IR.

6c) Tony Carter, CB/KR, Florida State --- I'll ride with this selection because the guy has a lot of upside. Very Jacque Reeves type pick and while he may never have ideal CB characteristics he can get on the field for you in a pinch and he is a plus special teamer.

7a) Dan Skuta, OLB, Grand Valley State --- 3-4 OLB measurables whgo could develop so it makes sense here.

7b) Julian Edelman, WR, Kent State --- This late are just throwing darts and this guy is a practice squad target through and through.

 

[Common Sense]

I honestly think Delmas will go in the mid 30s. Sidbury and Williams could possibly go a round higher too, but who knows.

 

[silverbear]

lemme try with same caveats...

2) Louis Delmas, S, West Mich --- Best all-around safety. Can cover and tackle.

3) Lawrence Sidbury, OLB, Richmond --- Greg Ellis replacement, nickel pass rusher.

4a) Jason Williams, LB, Western Illinois --- Good fit in r4 as WILB who can be a nickel guy no and long term Brookings replacement.

4b) Stephen McGee, QB, TAMU --- Better QB than he showed in that abysmal Fran offense. Tough guy with one of the better arms int he entire draft. Can run Wildcat stuff early as he learns how to QB a pro style offense. Athletic enough run Romo's playbook once he develops.

5a) Patrick Turner, WR, USC --- Lacks great speed and will suffer Mike Williams comparisons but Turner has great length and catches the ball with his hands. If he isn't too cali-cool for his own good like so many USC WRs he could be a hidden gem.

5b) TJ Lang, OG/C, Eastern Michigan --- Perfect OL backup. Can play OG or OC and call plays.

6a) Bradley Fletcher, CB/Star, Iowa --- Big CB type who ran a 4.4 40 at both his pro day and the combine. 6'1" and just under 200 pounds. Fletcher was the best Cb at the east-West Shrine game by far. Under-rated at this point.

6b) Anthony Hill, TE, NCSt --- Gets a year on Pup but has the potential to be a good long term TE. He is a value taken this late that you can stash or a year on IR.

6c) Tony Carter, CB/KR, Florida State --- I'll ride with this selection because the guy has a lot of upside. Very Jacque Reeves type pick and while he may never have ideal CB characteristics he can get on the field for you in a pinch and he is a plus special teamer.

7a) Dan Skuta, OLB, Grand Valley State --- 3-4 OLB measurables whgo could develop so it makes sense here.

7b) Julian Edelman, WR, Kent State --- This late are just throwing darts and this guy is a practice squad target through and through.

Those are definitely all players the Boys will be working out, and I think you have their values just about right, though I wonder if Delmas would slide that far...

 

[MarionBarberThe4th]

I never heard about what Parcells thought of Nicks when he went to see him, but if it went well, I would think Miami would take him with their 1st rounder.

Ive said this a few times but, Parcells will never take a WR round 1. Britt and Robeskie are rising, maybe both to the 1st round. Hakeem Nicks has way more question marks. Work ethic, size, consistency. Hes going to drop and be the 7th WR taken IMO. After Crabtree/Maclin, DHB, Britt, Robeskie, and Harvin

 

[silverbear]

Ive said this a few times but, Parcells will never take a WR round 1. Britt and Robeskie are rising, maybe both to the 1st round. Hakeem Nicks has way more question marks. Work ethic, size, consistency. Hes going to drop and be the 7th WR taken IMO. After Crabtree/Maclin, DHB, Britt, Robeskie, and Harvin

You might be right about him falling, but I find your criticism to be overly harsh...

First off, there are no questions regarding his work ethic... yeah, he gained 14 pounds when he weighed in at his Pro Day, but he'd hurt his hamstring, and couldn't work out... but in normal circumstances, he's known as a hard worker... here's what NFL Draft Scout has to say on the subject:

Nicks applies himself in practices and games. He is a self-starter in the training room and an adequate student. He is a team leader and takes pride in that role

I've said it before, I see a little Michael Irvin in Nicks... I've seen him play in the ACC, mostly against the Virginia Cavs... but it's not just my eyeball assessment at work here, again I turn to to NFLDS for some analysis that reminded me of the Playmaker:

Good strength and lateral agility to fight through press coverage. Sneaky downfield speed. Good burst out of his breaks to generate separation, especially on slants. Rare body control for a player of his size. Can contort his body in space to make the spectacular reception. Sticky hands. Can snatch out of the air or absorb with his body when he feels an impending big hit. Knows where the sidelines, down markers and, most important, end zone are. Good height and leaping ability for the fade. Rare strength, balance and agility to turn short and intermediate catches into long gains. Good vision to cut back against the grain...

...he has more than enough power and good hand usage to get a clean release off the snap. He shows excellent balance and crisp cutting ability, demonstrating the agility and flexibility to make adjustments in his route without having to throttle down. He has very good body control, doing a nice job of settling in the soft areas and displays the vision and burst to come back when the pocket is pressured... He is fluid in his movements and has sharp stop-and-go action...

...Nicks is a good competitor with a strong desire to come out victorious. After never losing a game during his prep days, he knows what it takes to play with swagger. He is the type who thrives getting the ball in his hand in pressure situations. He has enough competitiveness for the position and plays with toughness, competing on every down...

Hmmm, he's a big, physical receiver who excels on slants and working the sidelines... he plays with a "swagger"... yup, that sounds Irvin-esque to me...

So if he did fall to pick 51, I'd be happy to see the Boys claim him...

 

[MarionBarberThe4th]

I think I said this before, but he reminds me of Stallworth(on the field). Hell make a big play or two, but hes not consistent, not really a chain mover and disappears far too often. And 14 lbs. w/ a tweaked hammy? What happens if he goes down w/ a real injury?

I could definetely see the Giants amd Eagles grabbing Britt and Robeskie at 28/29. Leaving Nicks to fall as the run on tackles and DB's begins. Maybe to 53(NYJ), 54(Min), 56(Mia), or 57(Balt)

 

[texmex]

The cowboys recent history suggests OL, LB, or secondary will be targeted in early rounds. They like fast CBs too, as Newman, Jenkins, and Scandrick all had very good 40 times. I think defensive line they feel they can get good value in the later rounds. They have never made WR a priority on draft day. The highest they've taken a receiver since Antonio Bryant was Skyler Green, and we saw how well that worked out. I would be shocked if the cowboys draft a WR in the first 5 rounds.

Based on SilverBear's mock, I would only make some slight adjustments, only did the first 8 pics.


51. Duke Robinson - G, Oklahoma
69. Lawrence Sidbury - OLB, Richmond
101. Jason Williams - LB, Western Illinois
117. Michael Hamlin - S, Clemson
156. Bradley Fletcher - CB, Iowa
166. TJ Lang - C/G, Eastern Michigan
172. Tom Brandstater - QB, Fresno State
197. Rashon Harris - DT, Oregon

 

[Silverstar]

The cowboys recent history suggests OL, LB, or secondary will be targeted in early rounds. They like fast CBs too, as Newman, Jenkins, and Scandrick all had very good 40 times. I think defensive line they feel they can get good value in the later rounds. They have never made WR a priority on draft day. The highest they've taken a receiver since Antonio Bryant was Skyler Green, and we saw how well that worked out. I would be shocked if the cowboys draft a WR in the first 5 rounds.

Based on SilverBear's mock, I would only make some slight adjustments, only did the first 8 pics.


51. Duke Robinson - G, Oklahoma
69. Lawrence Sidbury - OLB, Richmond
101. Jason Williams - LB, Western Illinois
117. Michael Hamlin - S, Clemson
156. Bradley Fletcher - CB, Iowa
166. TJ Lang - C/G, Eastern Michigan
172. Tom Brandstater - QB, Fresno State
197. Rashon Harris - DT, Oregon

I generally agree, but I don't see an immediate need to get Robinson though. Just because Kosier got injured last year, doesn't mean he sucks and I want to send him packing now.