ABQCOWBOY
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Have thought about this draft and while I would love to get an impact OL or DL at 18, I just think that they are going to be gone. With that in mind, here you go.
Edit: As a caveat, if one of the impact OLs or DLs are there, obviously this changes and we take that player at 18. This is based on the very real possibility that all of those players are gone.
1st Rd (Pick 18) - Jamar Taylor CB/FS Boise St University 5'11" 192 lbs.
[youtube]DMHLTcEs3bI[/youtube]
I gave a considerable amount of thought to this pick and while I would have liked to have gotten an impact Lineman here, I believe that the three biggest needs are interior OL, DT and Safety. It's possible that Vaccaro may be on the board here but I am doubtful of that and I believe that Taylor will end up being a better fit for what we are trying to do in the Tampa2. I've watched this player his entire College Career. He is, IMO, the best DB prospect that has come out of Boise St. in recent years. I believe he can play CB in the NFL and be pretty decent at that. Having said that, I believe his best fit is Safety for us. He can do it all. Cover, play in space, tackle, blitz, intercept the ball and bring it to the house. He's a 4.37 DB with excellent agility, excellent strength and superior football intellect. He's also a leader on and off the field. He's not a guy you are going to have to worry about seeing on ESPN for the wrong reasons. You take him and he is the FS you are looking for to run your Defensive Backfield in a Tampa2. If Church and Johnson work out, then you have depth at both Safety and CB. Because he's also a starting quality CB that will allow you to either move Carr or play him in the slot if you so choose. Will give you some flexibility because you can now consider moving one of the high priced CBs we currently have on the roster via trade or release. Many of you won't like this pick but I think he's likely the best talent available at 18 and he also fits a need for us. There is no downside to this pick.
2nd Rd (Pick 49) - Jessie Williams DT University of Alabama 6'4" 323 lbs.
[youtube]HpHJB0z-lt8[/youtube]
Originally, I thought that Jessie Williams would be a 1st round pick and he still may be but I have a feeling he's going to slide. I suspect that the 3techs are all going to go ahead of Williams and he will be there at 47. Excellent size and massive strength. He is ideal for the 1 Tech, which is what our DL desperately needs. He has no quit in him. You can say that this DT or that DT has better quicks but none of them work harder then Williams. He still has a very long way to go in his development, he is just scratching the surface of what he can be in the NFL. He does not have the quick twitch penetration moves you might see from some of the other DTs but he can push the pocket back into the face of the QB and he can wall off penetration in the running game. He also practiced everyday against NFL caliber talent at Alabama, to say nothing of SEC competition. I suspect that once Williams has a chance to receive NFL Coaching, his pass rush will improve significantly as well. He is not a bad athlete by any means. For a 324 pound man, his agility numbers are impressive and you don't find many Rookie Lineman, on either side of the ball, able to push up 600 lbs plus. He needs to work on his lower body strength and his technique but the things that are important are there. Size, strength, agility, desire and intelligence.
3rd Rd Pick (Pick 80) - Kyle Long OG/OT University of Oregon 6'6" 313 lbs.
[youtube]bKE7PwX9zDs[/youtube]
There are some concerns with Long. He's had a DUI when he was younger and he wasn't really serious about academics while at FSU. He hasn't played much football and there are still things he needs to work on. Didn't really help that he had to change positions in the middle of the year. However, it did show that he has the versatility to play OT and OG. Very mobile, can reach multiple targets, can pull, looks to be ideal for a zone scheme. He could be a RT or he could be a LG but you can see the effort and the desire. All he needs are reps and he will continue to improve. The question I would have is strength. Obviously he will need to improve but with the expectation of the Cowboys possibly signing a RT in FA, I think drafting Long would do three things. 1) It allows time for the Cowboys to develop him the way they should. Would give him a season or two where he can just get stronger and work on his technique. 2) Allows the Cowboys to see if he's really figured it out yet or not. Obviously, if he develops into the player I think he might be, the Cowboys can see up close and personal how he handles himself. See if he's past the stuff in his past and decide if he's worth a big money contract. 3) It allows the Cowboys the possibility of getting out from under an FA contract if/when Long is able to step in as a starter. I don't know if Long will start at Tackle or Guard but I am pretty sure that he's going to be a starter somewhere.
4th Rd Pick ( Pick 114) - Stephan Taylor RB Stanford University 5'9" 214 lbs.
[youtube]_00ziPxn0Os[/youtube]
I seriously considered Bell here but what can I tell you, I love this player. He's everything good about football IMO. He is a smart, tough, all hart player that does nothing but produce. Yeah, I know everybody is going to say that he doesn't have the speed the other backs do but what I would tell you is that he ran on a sprained ankle at the combine. What I would tell you is that he still ran a low 4.56 at the combine. What I would tell you is that he seems to run away from a lot of guys at Stanford. What I would tell you is that he is an everydown back that can carry the load, can pick up the blitz, can catch the ball, can run inside or outside and does not know what the meaning of quit is and always seems to be stronger in the 4th quarter then he was in the 1st. He's extremely intelligent and ultra productive. A 3 year starter, he rushed for 4000 yards in three seasons, averaged 5.1 YPC and 1679 yards (per season) in those three seasons in combined rushing and receiving yards, along with just over 14 TDs a season. He is a complete back and exactly what we would be looking for to try and complement Murray. I watch him and he reminds me of Curtis Martin. As Cowboys fans, we of all fan bases, should understand that speed is not everything at RB. This kid, IMO, will be a very, very good back in the NFL.
5th Rd Pick (Pick 151) - Hugh Thornton OG University of Illinois 6'3" 320 lbs.
[youtube]gl3W508MQ2c[/youtube]
Thornton is a guy I believe could be an excellent OG in the NFL. A powerful guy who ragdolled people in the Big 10. Good bend, surprisingly good feet for a man his size. Started 7 games at RT as a Freshman along with LG, was moved to LG permanently in his Sophomore year and started there until his Senior year where he was moved to LT and still ended up as 2nd team all Big 10. This is a guy how has a lot of flexibility in his game but I think Guard is where he will fit in the NFL. You look at his numbers and for a 320 pound man, they are pretty impressive. Was the leader of the Illinois OL in his Senior year. No off the field issues. I just wonder how good he could have been if he had played LG in his senior season? I wonder if he would have been in the top 2 or 3 OGs had he stuck to one position? I think this player has a ton of upside. Would fit in a zone blocking scheme and a great value at round 5.
6th Rd Pick (Pick 185) - Jake Knott OLB Iowa State University 6'2" 243 lbs.
[youtube]puJUBRoetWc[/youtube]
This is a very interesting player. Did not run well at the combine or, I should say, he turned in one very good 40 time (4.65) and one horrible 40 time (4.87). However, he ran with hamstring issues so that has to be evaluated. Played on a team that was not very good but never showed an ounce of quit. He was a do it all player for Iowa St. Ultra productive posting seasons of 130 and 115 tackles in his Soph and Jr. years and 79 in his Sr. year before sustaining a shoulder injury. He's not a big sack guy, rather, he plays in coverage a lot and is excellent at it. Has 8 career INTs and 23 PDs. This is a guy who, in a Tampa2, could play all of the LBer positions, including the deep drop MLB position. He can cover, he can tackle, he plays with a great motor, he has hart and he tackles well, which is not something you see a lot of anymore. I love this player, especially for our scheme. At worst, he's a guy who could backup any LB position on the team. At best, he's a starter at one of the LB spots. He is as close to Lee as I've seen in college football this year. This late in the draft, your looking for guys who can make the team and contribute on special teams. Possibly work their way into a backup role or an outside shot at starting down the line. Jake Knott is exactly that kind of guy.
UFA Options:
Sean Renfree QB Duke University - 6'3" 220 lbs.
Mark Harrison WR Rutgers University - 6'3" 231 lbs.
Edit: As a caveat, if one of the impact OLs or DLs are there, obviously this changes and we take that player at 18. This is based on the very real possibility that all of those players are gone.
1st Rd (Pick 18) - Jamar Taylor CB/FS Boise St University 5'11" 192 lbs.
[youtube]DMHLTcEs3bI[/youtube]
I gave a considerable amount of thought to this pick and while I would have liked to have gotten an impact Lineman here, I believe that the three biggest needs are interior OL, DT and Safety. It's possible that Vaccaro may be on the board here but I am doubtful of that and I believe that Taylor will end up being a better fit for what we are trying to do in the Tampa2. I've watched this player his entire College Career. He is, IMO, the best DB prospect that has come out of Boise St. in recent years. I believe he can play CB in the NFL and be pretty decent at that. Having said that, I believe his best fit is Safety for us. He can do it all. Cover, play in space, tackle, blitz, intercept the ball and bring it to the house. He's a 4.37 DB with excellent agility, excellent strength and superior football intellect. He's also a leader on and off the field. He's not a guy you are going to have to worry about seeing on ESPN for the wrong reasons. You take him and he is the FS you are looking for to run your Defensive Backfield in a Tampa2. If Church and Johnson work out, then you have depth at both Safety and CB. Because he's also a starting quality CB that will allow you to either move Carr or play him in the slot if you so choose. Will give you some flexibility because you can now consider moving one of the high priced CBs we currently have on the roster via trade or release. Many of you won't like this pick but I think he's likely the best talent available at 18 and he also fits a need for us. There is no downside to this pick.
2nd Rd (Pick 49) - Jessie Williams DT University of Alabama 6'4" 323 lbs.
[youtube]HpHJB0z-lt8[/youtube]
Originally, I thought that Jessie Williams would be a 1st round pick and he still may be but I have a feeling he's going to slide. I suspect that the 3techs are all going to go ahead of Williams and he will be there at 47. Excellent size and massive strength. He is ideal for the 1 Tech, which is what our DL desperately needs. He has no quit in him. You can say that this DT or that DT has better quicks but none of them work harder then Williams. He still has a very long way to go in his development, he is just scratching the surface of what he can be in the NFL. He does not have the quick twitch penetration moves you might see from some of the other DTs but he can push the pocket back into the face of the QB and he can wall off penetration in the running game. He also practiced everyday against NFL caliber talent at Alabama, to say nothing of SEC competition. I suspect that once Williams has a chance to receive NFL Coaching, his pass rush will improve significantly as well. He is not a bad athlete by any means. For a 324 pound man, his agility numbers are impressive and you don't find many Rookie Lineman, on either side of the ball, able to push up 600 lbs plus. He needs to work on his lower body strength and his technique but the things that are important are there. Size, strength, agility, desire and intelligence.
3rd Rd Pick (Pick 80) - Kyle Long OG/OT University of Oregon 6'6" 313 lbs.
[youtube]bKE7PwX9zDs[/youtube]
There are some concerns with Long. He's had a DUI when he was younger and he wasn't really serious about academics while at FSU. He hasn't played much football and there are still things he needs to work on. Didn't really help that he had to change positions in the middle of the year. However, it did show that he has the versatility to play OT and OG. Very mobile, can reach multiple targets, can pull, looks to be ideal for a zone scheme. He could be a RT or he could be a LG but you can see the effort and the desire. All he needs are reps and he will continue to improve. The question I would have is strength. Obviously he will need to improve but with the expectation of the Cowboys possibly signing a RT in FA, I think drafting Long would do three things. 1) It allows time for the Cowboys to develop him the way they should. Would give him a season or two where he can just get stronger and work on his technique. 2) Allows the Cowboys to see if he's really figured it out yet or not. Obviously, if he develops into the player I think he might be, the Cowboys can see up close and personal how he handles himself. See if he's past the stuff in his past and decide if he's worth a big money contract. 3) It allows the Cowboys the possibility of getting out from under an FA contract if/when Long is able to step in as a starter. I don't know if Long will start at Tackle or Guard but I am pretty sure that he's going to be a starter somewhere.
4th Rd Pick ( Pick 114) - Stephan Taylor RB Stanford University 5'9" 214 lbs.
[youtube]_00ziPxn0Os[/youtube]
I seriously considered Bell here but what can I tell you, I love this player. He's everything good about football IMO. He is a smart, tough, all hart player that does nothing but produce. Yeah, I know everybody is going to say that he doesn't have the speed the other backs do but what I would tell you is that he ran on a sprained ankle at the combine. What I would tell you is that he still ran a low 4.56 at the combine. What I would tell you is that he seems to run away from a lot of guys at Stanford. What I would tell you is that he is an everydown back that can carry the load, can pick up the blitz, can catch the ball, can run inside or outside and does not know what the meaning of quit is and always seems to be stronger in the 4th quarter then he was in the 1st. He's extremely intelligent and ultra productive. A 3 year starter, he rushed for 4000 yards in three seasons, averaged 5.1 YPC and 1679 yards (per season) in those three seasons in combined rushing and receiving yards, along with just over 14 TDs a season. He is a complete back and exactly what we would be looking for to try and complement Murray. I watch him and he reminds me of Curtis Martin. As Cowboys fans, we of all fan bases, should understand that speed is not everything at RB. This kid, IMO, will be a very, very good back in the NFL.
5th Rd Pick (Pick 151) - Hugh Thornton OG University of Illinois 6'3" 320 lbs.
[youtube]gl3W508MQ2c[/youtube]
Thornton is a guy I believe could be an excellent OG in the NFL. A powerful guy who ragdolled people in the Big 10. Good bend, surprisingly good feet for a man his size. Started 7 games at RT as a Freshman along with LG, was moved to LG permanently in his Sophomore year and started there until his Senior year where he was moved to LT and still ended up as 2nd team all Big 10. This is a guy how has a lot of flexibility in his game but I think Guard is where he will fit in the NFL. You look at his numbers and for a 320 pound man, they are pretty impressive. Was the leader of the Illinois OL in his Senior year. No off the field issues. I just wonder how good he could have been if he had played LG in his senior season? I wonder if he would have been in the top 2 or 3 OGs had he stuck to one position? I think this player has a ton of upside. Would fit in a zone blocking scheme and a great value at round 5.
6th Rd Pick (Pick 185) - Jake Knott OLB Iowa State University 6'2" 243 lbs.
[youtube]puJUBRoetWc[/youtube]
This is a very interesting player. Did not run well at the combine or, I should say, he turned in one very good 40 time (4.65) and one horrible 40 time (4.87). However, he ran with hamstring issues so that has to be evaluated. Played on a team that was not very good but never showed an ounce of quit. He was a do it all player for Iowa St. Ultra productive posting seasons of 130 and 115 tackles in his Soph and Jr. years and 79 in his Sr. year before sustaining a shoulder injury. He's not a big sack guy, rather, he plays in coverage a lot and is excellent at it. Has 8 career INTs and 23 PDs. This is a guy who, in a Tampa2, could play all of the LBer positions, including the deep drop MLB position. He can cover, he can tackle, he plays with a great motor, he has hart and he tackles well, which is not something you see a lot of anymore. I love this player, especially for our scheme. At worst, he's a guy who could backup any LB position on the team. At best, he's a starter at one of the LB spots. He is as close to Lee as I've seen in college football this year. This late in the draft, your looking for guys who can make the team and contribute on special teams. Possibly work their way into a backup role or an outside shot at starting down the line. Jake Knott is exactly that kind of guy.
UFA Options:
Sean Renfree QB Duke University - 6'3" 220 lbs.
Mark Harrison WR Rutgers University - 6'3" 231 lbs.
