Change in Philosphy? Dallas drafting CBs

[SackMaster]

Looking at the CBs the Cowboys drafted in the past several years, I found (at least what I consider) to be a fascinating trend.

From 2017 to 2019, the Cowboys drafted 6 CBs:

Byron Jones, Chidobe Awuzie, Jordan Lewis, Michael Jackson, Anthony Brown and Marquez White
Combined, these 6 CB....

Played in 235 games:

Average = 39.17 games a piece
High = 48 (Awuzie)
Low = 31 (White)​

Produced 29 college interceptions:

Average = 4.83 a piece
High = 8 (Jones in 43 games)
Low = 3 (Awuzie in 48 games)​

Now looking at games played vs interceptions produced:

Combined, it came out to about 0.123 Int per game, or an Int in every 8.103 games
Best = 0.186 ints per game / Int every 5.375 games (Jones)
Worst = 0.063 ints per game / Int every 16 games (Awuzie)
​

The past two years, the Cowboys have drafted 5 CBs:

Trevon Diggs, Reggie Robinson, Kelvin Joseph, Nahsohn Wright and Israel Mukuamu
Combined, these 5 CBs....

Played in 95 games:

Average = 19 games a piece
High = 30 (Diggs)
Low = 12 (Robinson)​

Produced 23 college interceptions:

Average = 4.6 a piece
High = 7 (Mukuamu in 22 games)
Low = 3 (Robinson in 12 games)​

Now looking at games played vs interceptions produced:

Combined, it came out to be about 0.242 Ints per game, or an Int in every 4.103 games
Best = 0.318 ints per game / Int in every 3.143 games (Mukuamu)
Worst = 0.133 ints per game / Int in every 7.5 games (Diggs)
​

Now what does this all mean? Heck if I know.

But I do find it odd how prior to 2020

- The Cowboys did not draft a single CB with less than 31 games played.
- The guys the Cowboys did draft did not rack up interceptions at a great pace.

- Byron Jones, the best prior to 2020, would rank 2nd to last as far as Ints are concerned
​

On the other hand, 2020 and 2021

- The Cowboys drafted only 2 players with 20+ games of experience

- Diggs @ 30 and Mukuamu @ 22​

- Playing at just less than half the games, and 1 fewer player, they only produced 6 less Ints

- Diggs with the worst Int/G rate, would have been 3rd best if placed with the 2017-2019 group​

So it will be interesting if going less experienced (half games played) but a higher rate of turnover production (almost exactly 2x) will pay off for Dallas or not.

​

 

[Oz-of-Cowboy-Country]

Soooooo, Dallas drafting taller DB's who get more interceptions now, rather than in the past. See how easy I made that seem.

 

[SackMaster]

Soooooo, Dallas drafting taller DB's who get more interceptions now, rather than in the past. See how easy I made that seem.

Sure, if you don't want to have absolutely no context and/or supporting evidence behind it.

 

[The Quest for Six]

So we're drafting basketball players now to play corner in the NFL, arm length and height is more important than talent....and don't worry about those INT's folks, the coaching staff will surely coach that tendency out of them.....lol

 

[Doomsday101]

So we're drafting basketball players now to play corner in the NFL, arm length and height is more important than talent....and don't worry about those INT's folks, the coaching staff will surely coach that tendency out of them.....lol

I don't think that is the case, both Horn and Surtain fit the size Dallas wanted as does Joseph but talent level is still there. When you get into later picks all prospects become iffy and have more negatives on them.

 

[viman96]

How many of 2021 drafted players played less games in 2020 due to shortened season?

 

[Risen Star]

I would draft both types and whatever other types there are.

 

[cowboyec]

i would draft whatever type Mel Renfro was.
please and thank you.

 

[SackMaster]

How many of 2021 drafted players played less games in 2020 due to shortened season?

Quite a few, at least.

But even if each of our 2021 picks played a full season in 2020, they all would have been at the very bottom of the list when it comes to games played. Most would have had to have 1.5 or more seasons to reach 31 games played.

Regardless, what sticks out to me is the almost double rate of interceptions compared to those pre-2020 picks.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

So a lot of discussion was had around this before the draft. The CBs that were drafted this year are going to be different then what we have been accustomed to because of the scheme we are running. Long speed is not as coveted as it has been in years past. The ability to cover zones and disrupt in coverage areas is much more important in this scheme. We don't need CBs who play man up all over the field. Long arms, good height, better quickness, a very physical style of play and intelligence, those are what this scheme looks for.

As far as Basketball Players playing Corner, that's not new. Coach Landry did this regularly. Cornell Greene was a former Basketball Player for Utah State. Too Tall played Basketball at Tennesse State. Rayfield Wright played BBall at Fort Valley St. Pearson was a Basketball player as well. The list goes on and on but the point being that using former BBall players to play in the NFL is something the Cowboys have been doing for a long time.