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NFL 2011 Combine: Cowboys Draft Strategy Taking Shape?
by rabblerousr on Feb 25, 2011 2:53 PM CST in Dallas Cowboys 2011 Draft
http://www.bloggingtheboys.com/2011...-combine-dallas-cowboys-tyron-smith#storyjump
Tyron Smith's Combine weigh-in should make the Dallas Brass breathe a little more easily.
To my mind, a couple of pieces of news have emerged in the past week that served, at first, to muddle, and then to clarify, Dallas' draft strategy. The first of these is the contention, uttered by several scouting types, that there will be a significant run on offensive linemen in the first round. Indeed, Wes Bunting's most recent mock draft has seven big uglies going in round one; Pro Football Weekly's mock has tabbed eight first round O-linemen. As a result, players such as Villanova's Ben Ijilana, Danny Watkins of Baylor and Florida's Mike Pouncey, who once stood a good chance of being on the board when the Cowboys picked at # 40, now seem as if they will already be on charter flights to their new team's training facilities by the time the Dallas is on the clock.
The problem here is that the top offensive line candidates are currently being slotting neatly between picks 15 and 33 (PFW has the first OL snapped up at 13; Bunting has Tyron Smith going at 10, but the next OL doesn't come off the board until pick 19). In other words, all the top players at Dallas' most alarming position of need aren't grading out high enough to justify picking with their first pick but aren't likely to be available at their second. For a team that simply must draft a quality offensive lineman--preferably in the first couple of rounds--this is an unwelcome development.
Many draftniks have suggested that Jerry Jones should try to trade down, into the realm where the dancing elephants are likely to be picked. This, of course, is based on a couple of assumptions: that a willing trade partner is available, and that they wouldn't be turning their backs on a blue-chip player (or players) at #9 just to get an O-lineman. Three weeks ago, I was sure that the optimal strategy would be to go for one of the blue chip defensive lineman (or, if by some miracle he was available, LSU's Patrick Peterson) at #9, and try to get the best available OL at the top of the second round. Now, because so many of those top-of-the-second-round OL types have risen, this strategy seems less tenable.
But, so does trading away a chance at a top-tier player. What to do?...
by rabblerousr on Feb 25, 2011 2:53 PM CST in Dallas Cowboys 2011 Draft
http://www.bloggingtheboys.com/2011...-combine-dallas-cowboys-tyron-smith#storyjump
Tyron Smith's Combine weigh-in should make the Dallas Brass breathe a little more easily.
To my mind, a couple of pieces of news have emerged in the past week that served, at first, to muddle, and then to clarify, Dallas' draft strategy. The first of these is the contention, uttered by several scouting types, that there will be a significant run on offensive linemen in the first round. Indeed, Wes Bunting's most recent mock draft has seven big uglies going in round one; Pro Football Weekly's mock has tabbed eight first round O-linemen. As a result, players such as Villanova's Ben Ijilana, Danny Watkins of Baylor and Florida's Mike Pouncey, who once stood a good chance of being on the board when the Cowboys picked at # 40, now seem as if they will already be on charter flights to their new team's training facilities by the time the Dallas is on the clock.
The problem here is that the top offensive line candidates are currently being slotting neatly between picks 15 and 33 (PFW has the first OL snapped up at 13; Bunting has Tyron Smith going at 10, but the next OL doesn't come off the board until pick 19). In other words, all the top players at Dallas' most alarming position of need aren't grading out high enough to justify picking with their first pick but aren't likely to be available at their second. For a team that simply must draft a quality offensive lineman--preferably in the first couple of rounds--this is an unwelcome development.
Many draftniks have suggested that Jerry Jones should try to trade down, into the realm where the dancing elephants are likely to be picked. This, of course, is based on a couple of assumptions: that a willing trade partner is available, and that they wouldn't be turning their backs on a blue-chip player (or players) at #9 just to get an O-lineman. Three weeks ago, I was sure that the optimal strategy would be to go for one of the blue chip defensive lineman (or, if by some miracle he was available, LSU's Patrick Peterson) at #9, and try to get the best available OL at the top of the second round. Now, because so many of those top-of-the-second-round OL types have risen, this strategy seems less tenable.
But, so does trading away a chance at a top-tier player. What to do?...
