And now, for a post-1st round Cowboys mock...

[silverbear]

You knew somebody had to do it... LOL...

With Claiborne on board, and no 2nd round pick, I'm not projecting them to make some move that gets them back into the 2nd round... I'd love to be wrong, though... so we start with the third round:

3) Ryan Broyles, WR, Oklahoma... 5-10, 195 pounds, 4.45 second 40... the NCAA's all-time receptions leader (349 catches) is the slot receiver of Jason Garrett's dreams...

4a) Philip Blake, C, Baylor... 6-2, 316 pounds, 5.2 second 40... it looks like Blake is the Cowboys' second choice at center, behind Peter Konz (who will be gone before they pick in the 3rd round)...

4b) Hebron Fangupo, NT, BYU... 6-1, 325 pounds, 5.15 second 40... this stumpy widebody is climbing the draft charts recently... after two picks for the offense, it's time to get back to improving the defense, which has more problems...

5) Taylor Thompson, TE, SMU... 6-6, 260 pounds, 4.55 second 40... Thompson is one of the more fascinating prospects in this draft to me, he played TE in high school, but was converted to DE in college... then while getting ready for the offseason workouts, he threw scouts and observers for a loop by dropping 15-20 pounds and trying to make the move back to TE... as a converted DE, he has the physicality (and the size) to make a nice blocking TE, and he apparently caught the ball really well in offseason workouts... he has the straight line speed to stretch a defense... I like Rhett Ellison and James Hanna as late round TEs too, but Thompson intrigues me... the Boys have a need for help at TE since Martellus Bennett went to New York, I'd certainly advocate grabbing either Thompson, Ellison or Hanna late...

6) Brandon Hardin, S/CB, Oregon State... 6-3, 216 pounds, 4.45 second 40... a big corner in college who projects to safety in the NFL... even after drafting Claiborne, the Boys are not quite set at DB, they could still use some help at safety... alternatively, the Boys might want to draft a linebacker here, perhaps Miles Burris, Emmanuel Acho or Jerry Franklin; they really haven't addressed linebacker at all in this draft... back to Hardin, he was a special teams stud at Oregon State and could help the team there while trying to earn playing time on defense...

7) Donald Stephenson, OT/OG/C, Oklahoma... 6-6, 316 pounds, 4.95 second 40... a bit of a surprise pick here, the Cowboys at this point have Doug Free, Tyron Smith and Jermey Parnell (resigned for 3 years today) at tackle, and nothing else... it seems to me that some quality depth is badly needed at tackle... FWIW, I like Jeff Adams from Columbia a lot as a tackle in the late rounds too, but Stephenson gets the nod because of his ability to fill in at literally any position on the offensive line...

Works for me...

 

[JoeyBoy718]

I like it. Get playmakers. Everyone talking about the trenches and this and that. What wins games and championships is playmakers.

 

[Mrdude108]

I need for those first two picks to happen, I would be very happy. We need a Center and I love Broyles just like everyone else does.

 

[silverbear]

I need for those first two picks to happen, I would be very happy. We need a Center and I love Broyles just like everyone else does.

I usually don't go in the tank for any player as much as I am for Broyles... but to me, he makes perfect sense...

The Boys have plenty of big wideouts, they need some of the smaller receivers who seem to prosper in the slot... to me, that's Broyles...

There has simply never been a more productive receiver come out of college, which suggests he could contribute as a 3rd receiver in his first season... I mean, almost 350 catches for the Sooners??

Fahgeddabouddit...

 

[Edge]

Pretty high on Hebron Fangupo also. Thoughts on Ty Hilton?

 

[silverbear]

Pretty high on Hebron Fangupo also. Thoughts on Ty Hilton?

After Broyles, Hilton is my favorite slot receiver prospect... he has terrific speed...

 

[Edge]

After Broyles, Hilton is my favorite slot receiver prospect... he has terrific speed...

Looks even faster on film than his 4.48 40

 

[Deep_Freeze]

With us now not having a 2nd rounder, I don't see how we can pick both a 3rd WR and a 2nd TE that early, just too much offense and we still need help on D.

4 offensive players in that mock, I would rather see 2.

 

[silverbear]

Looks even faster on film than his 4.48 40

It was reported that he clocked a 4.35 on some scouts' watches at his Pro Day...

 

[silverbear]

With us now not having a 2nd rounder, I don't see how we can pick both a 3rd WR and a 2nd TE that early, just too much offense and we still need help on D.

4 offensive players in that mock, I would rather see 2.

First, I think it's absolutely critical that the Boys draft a TE... I mean, at this point they have exactly two TEs on the roster (Witten and Phillips)... and I am advocating that the Boys use a late round pick on a TE, not a 3rd rounder the way some are...

I also think that finding a productive 3rd WR is rather important... I have addressed the D in this draft with a NT, a CB and a S... the only thing neglected is linebacker, and that's just because we traded away our 2nd round pick...

 

[Deep_Freeze]

First, I think it's absolutely critical that the Boys draft a TE... I mean, at this point they have exactly two TEs on the roster (Witten and Phillips)... and I am advocating that the Boys use a late round pick on a TE, not a 3rd rounder the way some are...

I also think that finding a productive 3rd WR is rather important... I have addressed the D in this draft with a NT, a CB and a S... the only thing neglected is linebacker, and that's just because we traded away our 2nd round pick...

Well I guess where I would disagree is 3 of our next 4 picks being offense. We will have to make a decision on either a TE or a WR along with getting an interior OL of course, cause we need to still look at DE, OLB, ILB, CB, and safety.

We will have to sacrifice something of course, but I just don't think the offense needs 3 of our next 4 picks to be successful and those resources could be much better used to help this D.

 

[silverbear]

Well I guess where I would disagree is 3 of our next 4 picks being offense. We will have to make a decision on either a TE or a WR along with getting an interior OL of course, cause we need to still look at DE, OLB, ILB, CB, and safety.

We will have to sacrifice something of course, but I just don't think the offense needs 3 of our next 4 picks to be successful and those resources could be much better used to help this D.

As you hinted, you're not gonna fill all the holes in one offseason... and I reject the suggestion that you should go all defense, or even mostly defense, just because of the stats last year... we have attacked the defensive issues quite aggressively already, with Connor, Carr, Pool and now Claiborne... you need to allot some of your draft picks to address the assorted offensive issues... in fact, I think it's critically important that you do so...

To tell you the truth, IMO the top priority this offseason shouldn't have been the defense anyway, it should have been the offensive line... build a dominating offensive line, and your defense improves too (because it's tough for your opponents to score if you're controlling the ball most of the game)...

I would have liked to find a linebacker at some point in that draft, and I looked for one late that I could get worked up about, but it didn't work out that way...

So yeah, I guess we're gonna have to agree to disagree on this one... that's OK...

 

[TheSport78]

Rhett Ellison in the late 4th/early 5th is a serious target from what I've heard.

 

[silverbear]

Rhett Ellison in the late 4th/early 5th is a serious target from what I've heard.

An intriguing player, I like what I've read about him... he seems to have been one of USC's team leaders, to the extent that they named some type of team award after him...

Might I inquire as to where you heard that??

 

[Deep_Freeze]

As you hinted, you're not gonna fill all the holes in one offseason... and I reject the suggestion that you should go all defense, or even mostly defense, just because of the stats last year... we have attacked the defensive issues quite aggressively already, with Connor, Carr, Pool and now Claiborne... you need to allot some of your draft picks to address the assorted offensive issues... in fact, I think it's critically important that you do so...

To tell you the truth, IMO the top priority this offseason shouldn't have been the defense anyway, it should have been the offensive line... build a dominating offensive line, and your defense improves too (because it's tough for your opponents to score if you're controlling the ball most of the game)...

I would have liked to find a linebacker at some point in that draft, and I looked for one late that I could get worked up about, but it didn't work out that way...

So yeah, I guess we're gonna have to agree to disagree on this one... that's OK...

Yeah, well I'm more in the middle on this one. We did make some upgrades on the oline also, even though most don't respect them, they might fit better with what Bill wants to do.

You did pick a NT, which is nice although I still don't think TRat should really play DE cause he doesn't match up as well against tackles as he does in the middle.

There are 2 starters that we still need to make an effort to get, a center and a DE. Both are still possible for us to get in this draft and if we need to move up to get one or both, I'm in total favor of it.

I just don't know if we should let needs at basically backup WR and TE get in the way of 2 guys that could actually start for this team at DE and C.......even if it costs a chance at Broyles. Giving up our 2nd pick lost us that luxury of both a TE and WR that early.

 

[fanfromvirginia]

I would love this. Just hope these guys last that long...

 

[Ren]

Yeah, well I'm more in the middle on this one. We did make some upgrades on the oline also, even though most don't respect them, they might fit better with what Bill wants to do.

You did pick a NT, which is nice although I still don't think TRat should really play DE cause he doesn't match up as well against tackles as he does in the middle.

There are 2 starters that we still need to make an effort to get, a center and a DE. Both are still possible for us to get in this draft and if we need to move up to get one or both, I'm in total favor with it.

I just don't know if we should let needs at basically backup WR and TE get in the way of 2 guys that could actually start for this team at DE and C.

3rd WR isn't a back up in todays NFL and we have no one for that role now it's probably one of our biggest needs

 

[Deep_Freeze]

3rd WR isn't a back up in todays NFL and we have no one for that role now it's probably one of our biggest needs

No he's not really a backup per say, depending on the team and when they want to run a set with an extra TE, a FB, or that extra WR out there.

Either way, they still won't get as many snaps as a starting center or DE.

 

[CCBoy]

Yeah, well I'm more in the middle on this one. We did make some upgrades on the oline also, even though most don't respect them, they might fit better with what Bill wants to do.

You did pick a NT, which is nice although I still don't think TRat should really play DE cause he doesn't match up as well against tackles as he does in the middle.

There are 2 starters that we still need to make an effort to get, a center and a DE. Both are still possible for us to get in this draft and if we need to move up to get one or both, I'm in total favor of it.

I just don't know if we should let needs at basically backup WR and TE get in the way of 2 guys that could actually start for this team at DE and C.......even if it costs a chance at Broyles. Giving up our 2nd pick lost us that luxury of both a TE and WR that early.

There are usually third to fourth round projections at defensive end/tackle, that come forward. A nose tackle improves that general upgrade element as well. That means that Jay Ratliff can also rotate and play a tackle/defensive end position as part of packages also.

The current Dallas defensive line, is a mature unit as well. It is functional at least. I would say that Hatcher, Spears, Lissimore, Ratliff, and Brent provide even yet, an improving window. Then there is the recent signing of Clifton Geather that has an upside as well. His 6'7" and 320 still gets this fan's attention. And the team appears to be as high on him, as they are for Jermey Parnell.

 

[silverbear]

Yeah, well I'm more in the middle on this one. We did make some upgrades on the oline also, even though most don't respect them, they might fit better with what Bill wants to do.

This is a good discussion...

You did pick a NT, which is nice although I still don't think TRat should really play DE cause he doesn't match up as well against tackles as he does in the middle.

I'd use Fangupo to spell Ratliff, mostly on goal line and short yardage sets, and sometimes in obvious passing downs, when the Rat could swing out to DE...

There are 2 starters that we still need to make an effort to get, a center and a DE. Both are still possible for us to get in this draft and if we need to move up to get one or both, I'm in total favor of it.

I agree about the C, but I could be content with going to war with Spears, Hatcher, Lissemore et al at DE...

I just don't know if we should let needs at basically backup WR and TE get in the way of 2 guys that could actually start for this team at DE and C.......even if it costs a chance at Broyles. Giving up our 2nd pick lost us that luxury of both a TE and WR that early.

I understand what you're saying, and I understand the thinking behind it... but I think the offense badly needs that WR and TE... you can probably get the TE late, but if you want a slot receiver who might be able to contribute this year, you're going to have to use a 3rd or 4th rounder to claim one...