Some people may disagree with me on this, but I really liked the Draft coming before Free Agency. I think it provided us more reason not to reach for Draft picks. Usually after Free Agency you know exactly which holes are left and you focus your draft there. This way we instead focus Free Agency on the holes left by the Draft, and if we had by chance filled the holes we can save the money it costs and possibly have more chances at Compensatory picks for guys we lose if any qualify.
It is purely a strategic preference for me, but I do prefer it.
Okay, we didn't move up to get Patrick Peterson and worse I had to see the hated Cardinals take him. I'm fine with that. The price it cost Atlanta to get to where we might have moved up (Cleveland at 6) just wasn't going to be worth the move. I said all along that he had to be there and he wasn't. So that is a moot point anyway and I never dwell on guys we don't get. Unless he has a good game against us I doubt I'll mention him much down the road. I will consider him like Patrick Willis, a player I liked but we didn't get. Move on. I did the second he was not there any more.
I never bought into Mosley's stuff about Castonzo and Watt at 9. I really didn't believe we would trade down either but my final pre-Draft thread I did discuss it because with Jerry you never know. For example, who knew he wouldn't make a single Draft day trade? Raise your hands. I didn't. I was however, pretty certain if Tyron Smith was there at 9 we were going to take him.
I admit often, I am a Pac 10 homer. I love this pick. The kid is an absolute mauler. His attitude is perfect for the job we need him to do. In fact, you can say that about most of the kids we took. I am going to tell you something that I firmly believe we will see during Jason Garrett's time as our Head Coach. He is going to draft to fit his systems. Pittsburgh does that. People thought they reached for Lamarr Woodley. They plugged him in and it was perfect. I do not mind this approach to a Draft.
So what is Garrett's system? Aggression. Come out aggressive, stay aggressive, and finish hard. I believe this is why he wanted Rob Ryan. I believe this is why he wanted Jimmy Robinson. I believe this is why he wanted Mike Woicik back in Dallas. He is going to get guys who play aggressive on both sides of the ball and Special Teams.
Tyron Smith does this. He's very good at blocking kicks by the way. Much like Flo used to do, he gets his big ole paw up there quickly and tips low trajectory kicks.
Smith's main job however we all know. Keep Tony Romo vertical so the pinball machine bells and lights work. When Tony goes horizontal, this team flat lines. It took a very special season with a mid season coaching change and an amazing effort by Jon Kitna (I once again admit he shut me the hell up) to keep last season from being far worse than it ended up.
I believe Smith could be moved to the Left side, but I wouldn't. Who cares about LT and RT paychecks? I don't. Erik Williams used to be our best O-lineman. Rayfield Wright used to be our best O-lineman. They both played RT, not LT. You can put your best guy at RT, and yes, I do think he is going to be our best guy on the OL.
I know many were upset about the Bruce Carter pick because of the ACL injury. I understand that completely. However, I don't mind the team going after a talented football player and they did. Bruce Carter is a heat seeking missile and he is going to end up a starter in Dallas for a long time. I am saying this right now, he is better in coverage than Sean Burnett was. Rangy, versatile and comes with his lunch pail packed. People hate the pick right now. They won't hate it once he hits the football field. I know 2011 is sort of iffy for him given the injury. I believe he will play. He blocked 5 punts at North Carolina. I love that nose for the ball stuff.
If Andy Dalton had not been drafted by the Bengals he would have been our pick at 40 and then people really would have complained. So less complaining is good.
I knew that barber was likely on his way out. High price and low production. It's really too bad because there really is no questioning his heart. The problem is his body no longer responds to what his heart strives for. So I am not at all surprised we took a RB. I was a little surprised we took one in the 3rd round with Will Rackley still there. I know they liked Rackley. I am assuming they felt Murray and Arkin was preferable to Rackley and whomever the RB in the 4th would have been. Again, go for your system. If Murray better fits Garrett's system it matters. How would he fit better/ I am assuming as a receiver out of the backfield and Special Teams contributions.
I knew nothing about David Arkin except one thing. Every draft guide or scouting report I read on him said he was either mean or nasty. Now if he can just add some evil and wicked he is the perfect OG. One of my all time favorite O-linemen was Kevin Gogan because he was evil, wicked, mean, and nasty. If Arkin can do that, and listening to him you think that is what he wants so bad his blood boils, then this was an outstanding pick. I knew nothing about him before the pick. I hope I can't stop raving about him around the time Camp gets here, and yes we will have football.
I think Dwayne Harris is the steal of our Draft. Miles is not a slot WR, though he can play there. Roy is not a slot WR, though he too can play there. Dez is not a slot WR, though he can play anywhere. A true slot WR is a great weapon on any football team. The slot WR is the guy who isn't afraid to be in the middle of the field with people zeroed in to get him. If you saw the videos posted of Harris you know he likes the traffic and often beats the traffic. I honestly believe this kid will be a pleasant surprise on this Offense and he will add on Special Teams too. I know many of you hate that, but it is a very real part of winning.
My apologies to the Zone member who gave me the heads up about Joshua Thomas back in February, but I cannot remember who it was and I don't want to sift though all the PMs trying to find it. I wish I had paid better attention. Everything that poster told me about Thomas is what the scouting reports say about him.I looked at him several times in my Mocks for the late rounds, but I never put him in any of them. He's going to be a depth player, but at our thinnest position and if Newman is cut as some speculate (including me) it is even thinner. He is a Cowboys fan who is living his dream and his attitude seems great about what he wants to do.
It is no secret that I love Fullbacks. Fullback is the opposite end of the spectrum from Kicker for me. Fullback is real football. Fullback is about sacrifice every single play. It is about blitz pickup, hole opens, and it is about being the ball carrier's wingman as he gets the glory. Ask any FB if he'd rather score the winning TD or open the hole for the winning TD and most will tell you open the hole.
I paid no attention to Shaun Chapas. None at all. I was too fixated upon Owen Marecic early and Henry Hynoski late. I even got discouraged when there were never any links of Hynoski to the Cowboys. I was actually afraid we might go into 2011 with Gronkowski again. Understand something, I like Gronk. He is a Wildcat alum like me and he is a hard worker. But I never shy away from getting better at any position and the Cowboys clearly ranked Chapas higher than Hynoski. If he improves the position, this is a great late win.
I never even considered Bill Nagy either. I figured he would not get drafted and he almost didn't. Made it by that much.
I never get too upset when Offensive linemen are drafted from Boston College or Wisconsin. Both seem to turn out some great players on the OL. You still see the occasional bust, but when you get a good one they are a good one for a long time. That is what I hope happens with Nagy. I hope he was there just because of the injury and he is a good one in the making.
