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The Cowboys will go into their draft with all sorts of resources. A few of them may just resemble this.
Today is Draft Day and there's no time to waste. I've spent the offseason watching tape on prospects and reading reports of people that are much better talent evaluators than I would ever claim to be.
I think it's important for people that put rankings out there; add a disclaimer. Admit what you don't know, admit what you're trying to accomplish. I have a blind spot for being able to project linemen to the NFL, primarily offensive linemen. For this, I tend to refer to the evals of others that I highly respect because I can take their descriptions and know what the Cowboys prefer at positions and match them accordingly. I did grade several prospects on my own, on skills that I think are important to success at their projected position. This included film study and measurables, but of course nothing about the mental makeup of each guy.
My big boards are the same rankings in two separate visual representations. A vertical board is what you are accustomed to seeing. Ranking all of the prospects from 1 to gazillion, and then you go back and insert tier points where you think there is a separation between rounds. Of course, there are two types of round separations. The first is obvious; 32 picks for the first round, 32 for the second, 32+comp picks for the third, et cetera.
The second is more functional. How many players do you grade as first rounders? As second rounders? That number is almost never going to be 32. Last year it was a small number; for me their were only 12 first rounders. This year, I have 18 and one of them is "in a box" (red flags, making him undraftable at the level where the talent would normally dictate).
However, what I feel is much more important to draft weekend is what's called a horizontal board. This takes the vertical ranking one step further, and allows you to place players in "pockets" within tiers. Grouping players in close proximity helps for a couple reasons. If you have 8 players in a particular pocket; you know that a trade down of 7 spaces still guarantees you are going to get a player you'd be equally comfortable with. You do have a ranking within that pocket of the order you would take each in; but it gives a visual understanding of how far you can drop and get a similar caliber player.
So without further ado, let's take a look at these prospects and how I see them for Dallas.
You have a couple options to view this behemoth of a file. Click the image below to open it in it's own window. Or you can follow this link to a Google Doc that will be easier for you to follow along with. The Google Doc includes both the Horizontal Board and the Vertical Board that is listed below.
Click to Enlarge
RANK PLAYER POSITION TIER
1 Clowney DE A+
2 Watkins WR Blue Chip
3 Robinson OT Blue Chip
4 Mack DE Blue Chip
5 Evans WR Blue Chip
6 Donald DT Blue Chip
7 Lewan OT Blue Chip
8 Matthews, Ja OT Red Chip
9 Martin, Z OG Red Chip
10 Manziel QB Red Chip
11 Beckham WR 1st Rd A
12 Fuller CB 1st Rd A
13 Ford DE 1st Rd A
14 Gilbert CB 1st Rd B
15 Ward S 1st Rd B
16 Clinton-Dix S 1st Rd B
17 Barr DE Red Chip
18 Robinson WR 1st Rd B
19 Lawrence DE 2nd Rd
20 Jernigan DT 2nd Rd
21 Su'a-Filo OG 2nd Rd
22 Ebron TE 2nd Rd
23 Verrett CB 2nd Rd
24 Mosley LB 2nd Rd
25 Hageman DT 2nd Rd
26 Sutton DT 2nd Rd
27 Bridgewater QB 2nd Rd
28 Adams WR 2nd Rd
29 Moses OT 2nd Rd
30 Lee WR 2nd Rd
31 Dennard CB 2nd Rd
32 Pryor S 2nd Rd
33 Easley DT 2nd Rd
34 Cooks WR 2nd Rd
35 Nix DT 2nd Rd
36 Crichton DE 2nd Rd
37 Shazier LB 2nd Rd
38 Smith, M DE 2nd Rd
39 S.-Jenkins TE 2nd Rd
40 Jackson OG 2nd Rd
41 Attaochu LB 2nd Rd
42 Joyner S 2nd Rd
43 Kouandjio OT 2nd Rd
44 Turner, B OL 2nd Rd
45 Ealy DE 2nd Rd
46 Bortles QB 2nd Rd
47 Bitonio OG 2nd Rd
48 Van Noy LB 2nd Rd
49 Carr QB 2nd Rd
50 Amaro TE 2nd Rd
51 Gaines, P CB 2nd Rd
52 Desir CB 2nd Rd
53 Moncrief WR 2nd Rd
54 Brooks S 2nd Rd
55 Latimer WR 2nd Rd
56 Matthews, Jo WR 2nd Rd
57 Sankey RB 2nd Rd
58 Richardson, P WR 3rd Rd A
59 James OT 3rd Rd A
60 Carey RB 3rd Rd A
61 Benjamin WR 3rd Rd A
62 Gaines, EJ CB 3rd Rd A
63 Landry WR 3rd Rd A
64 Garoppolo QB 3rd Rd A
65 Bradford DE 3rd Rd A
66 Buchannon S 3rd Rd A
67 Martin, K DE 3rd Rd A
68 Turner, T OG 3rd Rd A
69 McGill CB 3rd Rd A
70 Tuitt DT 3rd Rd A
71 Jean-Baptiste CB 3rd Rd A
72 Yankey OG 3rd Rd A
73 Mewhort OT 3rd Rd A
74 Roby CB 3rd Rd A
75 Ellis DT 3rd Rd A
76 Watkins,J CB 3rd Rd A
77 Jeffcoat DE 3rd Rd B
78 Tripp LB 3rd Rd B
79 Richburg C 3rd Rd B
80 Roberson CB 3rd Rd B
81 Steen G 3rd Rd B
82 Hill RB 3rd Rd B
83 Hyde RB 3rd Rd B
84 Dozier G 3rd Rd B
85 Gayle DE 3rd Rd B
86 Murphy DE 3rd Rd B
87 McCullers DT 3rd Rd B
88 Richardson, C G 3rd Rd B
89 Smith, T LB 3rd Rd B
90 Smallwood LB 3rd Rd B
91 Richardson, A OT 3rd Rd B
92 McKinnon RB 3rd Rd B
93 Ellington WR 3rd Rd B
94 Niklas TE 3rd Rd B
95 Lynch, A DE 3rd Rd B
96 Kirksey LB 3rd Rd B
97 Quarles DT 3rd Rd B
98 Clarke DE 3rd Rd B
99 Reilly LB 3rd Rd B
100 Bailey S 3rd Rd B
101 Murray QB 3rd Rd B
102 Fleming OT 3rd Rd B
103 Martin C 3rd Rd B
104 Mettenberger QB 3rd Rd B
105 Norwood WR 4th Rd
106 Freeman RB 4th Rd
107 Jones, Daq DT 4th Rd
108 Breeland CB 4th Rd
109 Aikens CB 4th Rd
110 Mason RB 4th Rd
111 Ferguson DT 4th Rd
112 Seastrunk RB 4th Rd
113 Smith, C DE 4th Rd
114 Fiedorowicz TE 4th Rd
115 Reynolds, R CB 4th Rd
116 Ladler S 4th Rd
117 Borland LB 4th Rd
118 Skov LB 4th Rd
119 Huff WR 4th Rd
120 Reid DT 4th Rd
121 Hurst OT 4th Rd
122 Abbrederis WR 4th Rd
123 Halapio OG 4th Rd
124 Fales QB 4th Rd
125 Thomas, B OG 4th Rd
126 Crowell RB 4th Rd
127 Hubbard LB 4th Rd
128 Kennard LB 4th Rd
129 Sims RB 4th Rd
130 West RB 4th Rd
131 Gilmore TE 4th Rd
132 Wenning QB 4th Rd
133 Swanson C 4th Rd
134 Herron WR 4th Rd
135 Archer WR 4th Rd
136 Williams RB 4th Rd
137 Reynolds FS 4th Rd
138 Stork C 4th Rd
139 Duncan TE 4th Rd
140 Exum CB 4th Rd
141 McDougle CB 4th Rd
142 Johnson, Ant DT 4th Rd
143 Johnson, S RB 4th Rd
144 Thomas, D RB 4th Rd
145 Purifoy CB 4th Rd
146 Davis, Mik WR 5th Rd
147 Davis, Chr CB 5th Rd
148 White RB 5th Rd
149 Street WR 5th Rd
150 Ikard C 5th Rd
151 Loston S 5th Rd
152 Dixon S 5th Rd
153 Hampton CB 5th Rd
154 Zumwalt LB 5th Rd
155 Pierre-Louis LB 5th Rd
1 Clowney DE A+
2 Watkins WR Blue Chip
3 Robinson OT Blue Chip
4 Mack DE Blue Chip
5 Evans WR Blue Chip
6 Donald DT Blue Chip
7 Lewan OT Blue Chip
8 Matthews, Ja OT Red Chip
9 Martin, Z OG Red Chip
10 Manziel QB Red Chip
11 Beckham WR 1st Rd A
12 Fuller CB 1st Rd A
13 Ford DE 1st Rd A
14 Gilbert CB 1st Rd B
15 Ward S 1st Rd B
16 Clinton-Dix S 1st Rd B
17 Barr DE Red Chip
18 Robinson WR 1st Rd B
19 Lawrence DE 2nd Rd
20 Jernigan DT 2nd Rd
21 Su'a-Filo OG 2nd Rd
22 Ebron TE 2nd Rd
23 Verrett CB 2nd Rd
24 Mosley LB 2nd Rd
25 Hageman DT 2nd Rd
26 Sutton DT 2nd Rd
27 Bridgewater QB 2nd Rd
28 Adams WR 2nd Rd
29 Moses OT 2nd Rd
30 Lee WR 2nd Rd
31 Dennard CB 2nd Rd
32 Pryor S 2nd Rd
33 Easley DT 2nd Rd
34 Cooks WR 2nd Rd
35 Nix DT 2nd Rd
36 Crichton DE 2nd Rd
37 Shazier LB 2nd Rd
38 Smith, M DE 2nd Rd
39 S.-Jenkins TE 2nd Rd
40 Jackson OG 2nd Rd
41 Attaochu LB 2nd Rd
42 Joyner S 2nd Rd
43 Kouandjio OT 2nd Rd
44 Turner, B OL 2nd Rd
45 Ealy DE 2nd Rd
46 Bortles QB 2nd Rd
47 Bitonio OG 2nd Rd
48 Van Noy LB 2nd Rd
49 Carr QB 2nd Rd
50 Amaro TE 2nd Rd
51 Gaines, P CB 2nd Rd
52 Desir CB 2nd Rd
53 Moncrief WR 2nd Rd
54 Brooks S 2nd Rd
55 Latimer WR 2nd Rd
56 Matthews, Jo WR 2nd Rd
57 Sankey RB 2nd Rd
58 Richardson, P WR 3rd Rd A
59 James OT 3rd Rd A
60 Carey RB 3rd Rd A
61 Benjamin WR 3rd Rd A
62 Gaines, EJ CB 3rd Rd A
63 Landry WR 3rd Rd A
64 Garoppolo QB 3rd Rd A
65 Bradford DE 3rd Rd A
66 Buchannon S 3rd Rd A
67 Martin, K DE 3rd Rd A
68 Turner, T OG 3rd Rd A
69 McGill CB 3rd Rd A
70 Tuitt DT 3rd Rd A
71 Jean-Baptiste CB 3rd Rd A
72 Yankey OG 3rd Rd A
73 Mewhort OT 3rd Rd A
74 Roby CB 3rd Rd A
75 Ellis DT 3rd Rd A
76 Watkins,J CB 3rd Rd A
77 Jeffcoat DE 3rd Rd B
78 Tripp LB 3rd Rd B
79 Richburg C 3rd Rd B
80 Roberson CB 3rd Rd B
81 Steen G 3rd Rd B
82 Hill RB 3rd Rd B
83 Hyde RB 3rd Rd B
84 Dozier G 3rd Rd B
85 Gayle DE 3rd Rd B
86 Murphy DE 3rd Rd B
87 McCullers DT 3rd Rd B
88 Richardson, C G 3rd Rd B
89 Smith, T LB 3rd Rd B
90 Smallwood LB 3rd Rd B
91 Richardson, A OT 3rd Rd B
92 McKinnon RB 3rd Rd B
93 Ellington WR 3rd Rd B
94 Niklas TE 3rd Rd B
95 Lynch, A DE 3rd Rd B
96 Kirksey LB 3rd Rd B
97 Quarles DT 3rd Rd B
98 Clarke DE 3rd Rd B
99 Reilly LB 3rd Rd B
100 Bailey S 3rd Rd B
101 Murray QB 3rd Rd B
102 Fleming OT 3rd Rd B
103 Martin C 3rd Rd B
104 Mettenberger QB 3rd Rd B
105 Norwood WR 4th Rd
106 Freeman RB 4th Rd
107 Jones, Daq DT 4th Rd
108 Breeland CB 4th Rd
109 Aikens CB 4th Rd
110 Mason RB 4th Rd
111 Ferguson DT 4th Rd
112 Seastrunk RB 4th Rd
113 Smith, C DE 4th Rd
114 Fiedorowicz TE 4th Rd
115 Reynolds, R CB 4th Rd
116 Ladler S 4th Rd
117 Borland LB 4th Rd
118 Skov LB 4th Rd
119 Huff WR 4th Rd
120 Reid DT 4th Rd
121 Hurst OT 4th Rd
122 Abbrederis WR 4th Rd
123 Halapio OG 4th Rd
124 Fales QB 4th Rd
125 Thomas, B OG 4th Rd
126 Crowell RB 4th Rd
127 Hubbard LB 4th Rd
128 Kennard LB 4th Rd
129 Sims RB 4th Rd
130 West RB 4th Rd
131 Gilmore TE 4th Rd
132 Wenning QB 4th Rd
133 Swanson C 4th Rd
134 Herron WR 4th Rd
135 Archer WR 4th Rd
136 Williams RB 4th Rd
137 Reynolds FS 4th Rd
138 Stork C 4th Rd
139 Duncan TE 4th Rd
140 Exum CB 4th Rd
141 McDougle CB 4th Rd
142 Johnson, Ant DT 4th Rd
143 Johnson, S RB 4th Rd
144 Thomas, D RB 4th Rd
145 Purifoy CB 4th Rd
146 Davis, Mik WR 5th Rd
147 Davis, Chr CB 5th Rd
148 White RB 5th Rd
149 Street WR 5th Rd
150 Ikard C 5th Rd
151 Loston S 5th Rd
152 Dixon S 5th Rd
153 Hampton CB 5th Rd
154 Zumwalt LB 5th Rd
155 Pierre-Louis LB 5th Rd
So, what are your thoughts?
SB Nation will be hosting a pre-draft show and a post-draft show tonight. BTB will be represented on the post-draft show, likely around 11:20 PM EST. Please join us!
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