BTB: Cowboys 2011 Draft: The Perils Of Trading Down

[CCBoy]

Cowboys 2011 Draft: The Perils Of Trading Down
by rabblerousr


http://www.bloggingtheboys.com/2011...cowboys-2011-nfl-draft-trading-down#storyjump




A recent conversation in the comments section, stemming from the last of our interviews with Drafttek personnel guru Longball, merited enough further contemplation on my part that I thought it should be elevated to the front-page. The conversation involved the Cowboys, Tyron Smith, and a potential trade down in the first round.

As we know by now, both from the information offered by Longball re: Smith (i.e., that Dallas has asked for more tape on him than any other team) and the report that Smith will be one of the Cowboys’ pre-draft invitees to Valley Ranch, its clear that Smith is a huge (now 307 lb.) blip on Dallas’ radar.

It remains to be seen exactly where consensus NFL opinion will slot T. Smith, but as teams have caught up to him (as a Junior who played RT, not a lot of teams expected him to declare for the draft, so their reconnaissance on him has developed more slowly than for the Senior tackles), and that information begins to leak out, he has been creeping up draftniks’ lists everywhere. In February and early March, he was usually found in the middle of the first round. Increasingly, however, we are seeing him jumping into the top ten. Drafttek’s resident O-line expert, Longball, suggests that, while other OT prospects might be more "NFL ready" right now, T. Smith has the higher ceiling; indeed, the National Football Post’s Wes Bunting claims that Tyron Smith is a significantly better prospect than former Baylor tackle Jason Smith, who was taken in the second slot by the Rams in 2009...

 

[AKATheRake]

BTB is a lil too stuck on Tyron Smith.

There is no Trent Williams and Ruseell okung in this draft.

If Bulaga was in this draft he would have been in the top 10 and the highest ranking OL.

Heck, last year was amazing for the OL.

Everyone knew that was the drafts strength.

Last year was one of the most talented drafts we're going to see for a while. Especially for the trenches.

 

[Aven8]

BTB is a lil too stuck on Tyron Smith.

There is no Trent Williams and Ruseell okung in this draft.

If Bulaga was in this draft he would have been in the top 10 and the highest ranking OL.

Heck, last year was amazing for the OL.

Everyone knew that was the drafts strength.

Last year was one of the most talented drafts we're going to see for a while. Especially for the trenches.

That's always our luck isn't it? We get a top 10 pick and the OT crop sucks!

 

[AKATheRake]

That's always our luck isn't it? We get a top 10 pick and the OT crop sucks!

We did get unlucky that way but there's so many good defensive players that we could use.

Where we are lucky is there will be good tackle talent and value at the bottom of the first and early 2nd.

We could even trade next years pick which will most likely be 20-32 for a late first rounder this year if we have a good tackle like Carimi or Sherrod sitting there.

We could then draft a top 10 talent on defense, get a good tackle in the late first and then use the high 2nd rounder on a very good guard like Cannon, Ijalana or Wisniewski.

Our trenches on both sides of the ball would be fixed. Then we probably get Huff at safety in FA.

I would trade next years 1st for another first this year no problem. We're built to win now and later round picks are going to take time to develop into starters.

I would go quality over quantity. BPA with the 9th pick.

 

[Phrozen Phil]

That's always our luck isn't it? We get a top 10 pick and the OT crop sucks!

Maybe we're not destined to use our 1st on the O-Line. There is strong talent on the D-Line side and we could get an excellent defensive lineman. Play to the draft's strengths. Getting Dez last year was a solid move. Not addressing the Oline in subsequent rounds was not. We could get a solid talent at OT and OG in rounds 2 and 3. Free agency may be a possibility. I would hate to see the Cowboys reach big-time and pick an OT at pick #9.

 

[RS12]

The perils to trading down is the team has a GM who has shown he is not good at it.

 

[supercowboy8]

there isn't a safety, OL, or ILB worth a top ten pick for Dallas this year and it looks like the only 3-4 DE will be gone before 9.

It sucks when you look at last years draft. two top safties, 3 very good OTs, a great center and a very very good OG.

This draft does not have that. No reason to stay at 9. There isn't one player I like I would stay at 9 for. Dareus and Peterson are not going to fall. Trading back for a 3-4 DE or OT is the best bet. I think trading back multiple times and stocking up picks is the best think to do.
I would be ok with a 18-22 pick with an extra 2 and 3rd. We could fill a ton of holes by doing that.

 

[TheSport78]

there isn't a safety, OL, or ILB worth a top ten pick for Dallas this year and it looks like the only 3-4 DE will be gone before 9.

It sucks when you look at last years draft. two top safties, 3 very good OTs, a great center and a very very good OG.

This draft does not have that. No reason to stay at 9. There isn't one player I like I would stay at 9 for. Dareus and Peterson are not going to fall. Trading back for a 3-4 DE or OT is the best bet. I think trading back multiple times and stocking up picks is the best think to do.
I would be ok with a 18-22 pick with an extra 2 and 3rd. We could fill a ton of holes by doing that.

I wouldn't mind this.

I want Cam Jordan and Derek Sherrod in the 1st, Danny Watkins in the 2nd and Quinton Carter in the 3rd. Boo yah.

 

[unionjack8]

BTB is a lil too stuck on Tyron Smith.

There is no Trent Williams and Ruseell okung in this draft.

If Bulaga was in this draft he would have been in the top 10 and the highest ranking OL.

Heck, last year was amazing for the OL.

Everyone knew that was the drafts strength.

Last year was one of the most talented drafts we're going to see for a while. Especially for the trenches.

really, cos nobody in early mARCH thought williams would go #4

 

[AKATheRake]

really, cos nobody in early mARCH thought williams would go #4

Last years draft had almost 10 OL prospects that were talked about possibly going in the first round. About 6 tackles and 2-3 picked in the top 10.

This year nobody talks about even 1 top 10 tackle.

We're comparing apples to oranges here.

1 of the best years ever if you needed offensive line help was last year.

This year there are good players. It's just that the value is in the mid first to early 2nd.

Hey! What do you know? We have a high 2nd rounder we could probably add picks and or players to so that we could move up in the first or closer to it. Then we can grab a good tackle of value.

You know, instead of using the 9th overall pick or trading out of a pick that a franchise like ours doesn't usually get a chance to have.

Use that pick on a stud. Not some kid who needs to gain weight, coming off of knee surgery and has only played RT for 2 years while showing in his game tapes he creates barely any pocket for the QB.

 

[unionjack8]

Last years draft had almost 10 OL prospects that were talked about possibly going in the first round. About 6 tackles and 2-3 picked in the top 10.

This year nobody talks about even 1 top 10 tackle.

We're comparing apples to oranges here.

1 of the best years ever if you needed offensive line help was last year.

This year there are good players. It's just that the value is in the mid first to early 2nd.

Hey! What do you know? We have a high 2nd rounder we could probably add picks and or players to so that we could move up in the first or closer to it. Then we can grab a good tackle of value.

You know, instead of using the 9th overall pick or trading out of a pick that a franchise like ours doesn't usually get a chance to have.

Use that pick on a stud. Not some kid who needs to gain weight, coming off of knee surgery and has only played RT for 2 years while showing in his game tapes he creates barely any pocket for the QB.

i dont disagree with your premise just that of those OT most had Williams ranked 4/5 at this point and a mid 1dt rounder at best. He rose after a good combine showing much better athletically than most thought he'd be.