Broaddus: D-Line Stands Out At Rookie Minicamp

dmq

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Broaddus: D-Line Stands Out At Rookie Minicamp
Posted 41 minutes ago

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Bryan Broaddus Football Analyst/Scout Follow BryanBroaddus on Twitter All Bryan Broaddus Articles

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  • Defensive Line:
Of all the position groups in this camp, I thought this was the one that showed up the best from a talent standpoint. DeMarcus Lawrence was able to get back in time for the Saturday walk through practices, and he got a full dose of work on Sunday.

Athletically, you saw everything you did on his college film. He showed the ability to get up the field, then redirect when the ball went outside on him. Where he is going to improve the most, in my opinion, is working at his technique with Leon Lett. He can extend and bend, but where he will need the most work is playing with his hands. The quicker that he can free himself, the better shot he has to work his rush.

A defender that can play with technique is Ben Gardner. He doesn’t have the athletic ability or quickness of Lawrence, so you see him come up with creative ways to free himself.

If this front office stole one, it might be Davon Coleman playing the three-technique. This guy is always attacking the blockers. Ken Bishop was solid at the one as well. If I am signing a workout guy out of this group, there is something to this Dartwan Bush from Texas Tech. He lines up at right defensive end and down-after-down, he was in the middle of the action. He plays with solid technique and deserves a shot.

  • Linebackers:
This group was unique in how they arrived at the ball and their ability to make plays. All eyes were on Anthony Hitchens and Will Smith, who I said on “Minicamp Live” will look much better when the pads come on and I still believe that will be the case.


Read the rest:
http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/a...Minicamp/8d0e4110-9458-4066-b50f-36130e59150f
 
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MichaelWinicki

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Coleman seems to be getting a lotta luv.

We'll see how he does in the full training camp.
 

Bleu Star

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When the vets show up.. Then we will have a better understanding of what we have out there. Do that against the Tyrone Smiths and the Travis Fredericksons of the world and now we're talking.
 

Pokes12

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Broaddus: D-Line Stands Out At Rookie Minicamp
Posted 41 minutes ago

Wow, wow, wow!!!! One practice in shorts and Broaddus does a cartwheel over a bunch of no names. Yup, the training camp BS has started way early this year. When will we here that Joe Cadortnick from Slimmy Pebble College looks just like Jerry Rice?

broaddus_50.jpg
Bryan Broaddus Football Analyst/Scout Follow BryanBroaddus on Twitter All Bryan Broaddus Articles

WillSMith_051914_650.jpg



  • Defensive Line:
Of all the position groups in this camp, I thought this was the one that showed up the best from a talent standpoint. DeMarcus Lawrence was able to get back in time for the Saturday walk through practices, and he got a full dose of work on Sunday.

Athletically, you saw everything you did on his college film. He showed the ability to get up the field, then redirect when the ball went outside on him. Where he is going to improve the most, in my opinion, is working at his technique with Leon Lett. He can extend and bend, but where he will need the most work is playing with his hands. The quicker that he can free himself, the better shot he has to work his rush.

A defender that can play with technique is Ben Gardner. He doesn’t have the athletic ability or quickness of Lawrence, so you see him come up with creative ways to free himself.

If this front office stole one, it might be Davon Coleman playing the three-technique. This guy is always attacking the blockers. Ken Bishop was solid at the one as well. If I am signing a workout guy out of this group, there is something to this Dartwan Bush from Texas Tech. He lines up at right defensive end and down-after-down, he was in the middle of the action. He plays with solid technique and deserves a shot.

  • Linebackers:
This group was unique in how they arrived at the ball and their ability to make plays. All eyes were on Anthony Hitchens and Will Smith, who I said on “Minicamp Live” will look much better when the pads come on and I still believe that will be the case.

To be honest, I didn’t expect much from Joe Windsor out of Northern Illinois, but there were several snaps where he dropped in coverage, knocking a ball down or knifing through the line to tackle the ball carrier behind the line. There is nothing physically impressive about Windsor but he just kept showing up.

Dontvis Sapp of Tennessee does look good physically and you can see it in the way he plays. This guy plays with a nose for the ball and he has the ability to work his way through the trash to make a play.

  • Defensive Backs:
When the defensive coaches put their secondary on the field, they lined up Terrance Mitchell at one corner and workout guy Tyler Patmon at the other. What I learned in watching these two young guys go at it was that despite the talent they we all believed was opposite them at receivers, they didn’t back down from the challenge.

Matter of fact, there were reps where these corners shut them down. I have to say that Mitchell played with far more aggressiveness than he did from what I saw at Oregon. I wasn’t sold on his catch-up speed, but that didn’t appear to be an issue as we went through these practices.

If I was on the scouting staff here, I would push for them to sign Patmon quickly. The kid can play off or press and he does it well.

The best safety of the group, in my view, was Ryan Smith from Auburn. Smith plays with really nice movement and flexibility. He not only lined up at safety, but he played some corner and in the slot as well. The only thing that scared me on tape was his lack of ability to finish the tackle but he is around the ball a bunch.

Marvin Robinson from Ferris State hurt his knee on Friday but his movement skill before that looked improved.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/a...Minicamp/8d0e4110-9458-4066-b50f-36130e59150f
 

ScipioCowboy

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It's the offseason baby, this is when the Optimism creeps into everyone, even the pessimists. For my part, other than Hitchens, this is one of the drafts I've felt best about in some time.

True. And really, why not? If there is any time you should feel comfortable in your optimism, it's the off-season.
 

AsthmaField

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I just can't get excited about anything while they're in shorts and t-shirts.

I hear ya... but man it is still good to hear about the rookies.

What I take away from this kind of stuff is the movement stuff. Quickness, fluid hips, etc.

Personally, I think this is the best group of late rounders / UDFA's that Dallas has had in.... well, a long, long time.

Coleman and Bishop both can make this team, and I really think they will. Bishop at the 1 is a good indicator of just why Marinelli and the Cowboys don't want to use a high pick on a 1-tech. They can find these guys later on in the draft. Bishop has good movement skills, is pretty strong, is very good at playing with leverage, and can stack against the run. Then, if it is a pass, he can provide enough of a rush to compliment the 3-tech and DE's.

I truly think he makes the team and that he is part of a rotation. I will eat crow later if he doesn't, but I really think he will. He has what Marinelli wants out of that spot.

Coleman though, is a different story. I think he will have more of a difficult time making the team, but if he does, it will indicate more that the team really stole one. You really have to be fluid and quick to play 3-tech for Marinelli and if Coleman is good enough to do so, we really and truly got lucky there. I see his as a bit more of a longshot, but so far his quickness looks promising. I liked him in college more than I did Sutton. He played way better than his highly touted line-mate.

Malena is also a really good player. We have already read that he has impressed Broaddus, which means... well, not very much. But it is a lot better than him not impressing Brian. Just what my own eyes tell me about him as a player at TAMU gets me pretty excited. That guy can play and he does it with quickness, agility, toughness and competitiveness. He does it the right way IMO.

There are others who I like a lot, but those 3 guys are one's that can come in, make the team, and make a difference when they play.
 

burmafrd

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incredibly dumb to ever get excited about any line play when they are in shorts.
 

hendog

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I hear ya... but man it is still good to hear about the rookies.

What I take away from this kind of stuff is the movement stuff. Quickness, fluid hips, etc.

Personally, I think this is the best group of late rounders / UDFA's that Dallas has had in.... well, a long, long time.

Coleman and Bishop both can make this team, and I really think they will. Bishop at the 1 is a good indicator of just why Marinelli and the Cowboys don't want to use a high pick on a 1-tech. They can find these guys later on in the draft. Bishop has good movement skills, is pretty strong, is very good at playing with leverage, and can stack against the run. Then, if it is a pass, he can provide enough of a rush to compliment the 3-tech and DE's.

I truly think he makes the team and that he is part of a rotation. I will eat crow later if he doesn't, but I really think he will. He has what Marinelli wants out of that spot.

Coleman though, is a different story. I think he will have more of a difficult time making the team, but if he does, it will indicate more that the team really stole one. You really have to be fluid and quick to play 3-tech for Marinelli and if Coleman is good enough to do so, we really and truly got lucky there. I see his as a bit more of a longshot, but so far his quickness looks promising. I liked him in college more than I did Sutton. He played way better than his highly touted line-mate.

Malena is also a really good player. We have already read that he has impressed Broaddus, which means... well, not very much. But it is a lot better than him not impressing Brian. Just what my own eyes tell me about him as a player at TAMU gets me pretty excited. That guy can play and he does it with quickness, agility, toughness and competitiveness. He does it the right way IMO.

There are others who I like a lot, but those 3 guys are one's that can come in, make the team, and make a difference when they play.

Another thing on Coleman. While he is very quick he put up 35 reps on the bench.
 

AsthmaField

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Another thing on Coleman. While he is very quick he put up 35 reps on the bench.

Good point on his strength. I really do like him as a prospect... particularly as one that we didn't even have to spend a pick on. I think he has a chance, but I see the 3-tech as a much more difficult roster spot to crack than the 1-tech... which is why Marinelli will spend a high pick on a 3-tech and doesn't like to on a 1-tech.

Like I said, if we do hit on Coleman, that will be a very, very good thing.
 
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