Chris Whaley was a much better college player than I realized

[jjktkk]

I'm not saying Waley can't contribute. I'm saying every offseason we get a ton of posts about defensive linemen who haven't done anything and yet they get a ton of press.

The latest was Ben Bass...

You come off as a some what, cynical fan. No one on her is saying Whaley is destined for stardom. But he is a good prospect, that has a chance to develop, aka, a Ronald Leary possibly.

 

[jjktkk]

It would be great if a low cost player can emerge as a real contributor for the front, which needs all of the players that they can get.

The Cowboys just would be ill advised to go through the offseason counting on Chris Whaley to be a contributor to the line. Add the best scheme fitting talent that you can, and let the rest sort itself out.

Give the Cowboy's FO some credit, geez. You actually think that they would be counting on Whaley to be a contributor? Whaley is just another prospect to add to the DL competition. Anything that he is able to contribute, will be gravy.

 

[Galian Beast]

You come off as a some what, cynical fan. No one on her is saying Whaley is destined for stardom. But he is a good prospect, that has a chance to develop, aka, a Ronald Leary possibly.

We've seen this song and dance a few too many times. Before getting pumped about these guys, let's see something.

When we signed Leary there was a lot of talk from the front office and coaches as to what they thought he was. His reason for going undrafted was because of concerns with his knees. Callahan said he was one of the most nfl ready players coming out of the draft or something to that extent.

 

[speedkilz88]

I'm not saying don't talk about Whaley, but my suggestion was to temper the excitement.

Guy went undrafted for a reason.

Yeah, it's called knee surgery.

 

[dasander]

I've been wanting to hear Chris Whaley news. He's always been in the back of my mind as a potential backup 3-tech to Crawford next year. Let him & Davon Colemon battle it out in TC next year for a spot.

 

[jimmy40]

Whaley was always kinda fat to be honest. He played RB for Madisonville HS but was VERY soft looking at 225 or so. Carried a ton of water weight.
Spent a ton of time actually conditioning to compete at UT but didn't gain the speed and shiftiness he or they hoped.
So as a 1 cut big back he ballooned up then moved to HBack before defense.
Pretty sure he wasn't an Orakpo type size freak who you'd suspect of juicing as he was always nearly sloppy fat.
But that type of body tends to hold water and gain strength easily.
He really is probably very similar to Melton athletically in body type and build.

I don't like him as much as many seem to. Not sure he loves the working out part of the game and like Melton if you can develop him his body may also break down rapidly from carrying an extra 40 pounds.

he was fat and carried a ton of water weight in high school? he ran a 10.8 100 meters in high school. Chris's problem was he faced 9/10 guys on the line every play and if the hole wasn't there he wanted to bounce everything outside which he got away with in 3A instead of just using his size to plow through people. Once Chris got going he was fast but his initial burst was never going to be good enough as a major college back. He probably should have been moved to linebacker immediately at Texas but when Mack made him the only back he recruited that year that wasn't going to happen.

 

[BAT]

He's making an observation, it didn't seem over the top.

Only the crap he throws up against the wall doesn't stink it seems. How does talking about a player become "banking" on him???

 

[JoeyBoy718]

I've been wanting to hear Chris Whaley news. He's always been in the back of my mind as a potential backup 3-tech to Crawford next year. Let him & Davon Colemon battle it out in TC next year for a spot.

Yeah, I'm not too concerned with backup 3-tech. Crawford proved to be a legit starter, and we have a bunch of guys who can fight for a few snaps a game (Okoye, Whaley, Coleman, Jack Crawford). Now, if Crawford goes down for a considerable amount of time, we're screwed, but if he stays healthy I think we'll be fine. My concern is next time him at 1-tech. We have no one.

 

[honyock]

I'm not saying Waley can't contribute. I'm saying every offseason we get a ton of posts about defensive linemen who haven't done anything and yet they get a ton of press.

The latest was Ben Bass...

The latest was probably T. Crawford. There was a lot of enthusiasm about him last off-season, and also lots of lets-tap-the-brakes, he hasn't done anything yet as well.

Whaley is much more of unknown quantity right now than Crawford (or Bass, for that matter). I saw xwalker's post as bringing up a player it will be fun to watch this preseason. (Nice post, X, by the way). If he's more Bass than Crawford, so be it. But he's one of the Maybe's that I'm looking forward to following this July.

 

[waving monkey]

We've seen this song and dance a few too many times. Before getting pumped about these guys, let's see something.

When we signed Leary there was a lot of talk from the front office and coaches as to what they thought he was. His reason for going undrafted was because of concerns with his knees. Callahan said he was one of the most nfl ready players coming out of the draft or something to that extent.

Before getting pumped,this is the point of contention. Reviewing and going over our
assets and analyzing the goods isn't necessarily getting pumped.
But hell, so what anyway come to think of it whats wrong with getting up on a prospect
does that mean we're not going to bring others in at that position. It's a specious tale of caution

 

[waving monkey]

Yeah, I'm not too concerned with backup 3-tech. Crawford proved to be a legit starter, and we have a bunch of guys who can fight for a few snaps a game (Okoye, Whaley, Coleman, Jack Crawford). Now, if Crawford goes down for a considerable amount of time, we're screwed, but if he stays healthy I think we'll be fine. My concern is next time him at 1-tech. We have no one.

I think the 1tech is something to look for also
It appears the FO wont go after in the first
but I'd be all for it

 

[waving monkey]

Only the crap he throws up against the wall doesn't stink it seems. How does talking about a player become "banking" on him???

hear hear

 

[speedkilz88]

I think the 1tech is something to look for also
It appears the FO wont go after in the first
but I'd be all for it

It's the DC that doesn't want 1tech in the first.

 

[Galian Beast]

The latest was probably T. Crawford. There was a lot of enthusiasm about him last off-season, and also lots of lets-tap-the-brakes, he hasn't done anything yet as well.

Whaley is much more of unknown quantity right now than Crawford (or Bass, for that matter). I saw xwalker's post as bringing up a player it will be fun to watch this preseason. (Nice post, X, by the way). If he's more Bass than Crawford, so be it. But he's one of the Maybe's that I'm looking forward to following this July.

Crawford was a 3rd round draft pick...

 

[jterrell]

he was fat and carried a ton of water weight in high school? he ran a 10.8 100 meters in high school. Chris's problem was he faced 9/10 guys on the line every play and if the hole wasn't there he wanted to bounce everything outside which he got away with in 3A instead of just using his size to plow through people. Once Chris got going he was fast but his initial burst was never going to be good enough as a major college back. He probably should have been moved to linebacker immediately at Texas but when Mack made him the only back he recruited that year that wasn't going to happen.

Yes. Go look at his HS film and you can see how soft he looks. HS kids are seldom heavy with water but he was.
The player he most reminded me of was Bam Morris.
The issue is there were very few of these modern day bruisers.

No one is denying that he was very athletic and explosive. He was a 4 star recruit coming out of 3A for a reason.
He was considered a really good LB prospect but part of why he committed to UT was Mack told him he could play RB.
If he wanted to play LB he likely goes up the street to TAMU.

A lot of these kids want to play offense and get that promise before signing than end up switching anyway.

Whaley got up over 240 quickly tho and I am not sure he would have fared any differently at LB. He was gonna end up on the DL or OL. Again he just had a bodytype that led to gaining weight easily. Once he stopped running track the weight just came.

 

[Fredd]

I have said a few times I am anxious to see if this guy has anything...this is thread-worthy at this time of year and I, for one, appreciate it

 

[Oh_Canada]

I think one of Whaley or Gardener makes the team and gets meaningful snaps in 2015.
Leary, Romo, Sterling Moore, Bishop, Barry Church, Patmon all seventh round or later and played meaningful snaps a year ago. Why not Whaley?

 

[jterrell]

I think one of Whaley or Gardener makes the team and gets meaningful snaps in 2015.
Leary, Romo, Sterling Moore, Bishop, Barry Church, Patmon all seventh round or later and played meaningful snaps a year ago. Why not Whaley?

The big difference between Whaley and some of those other guys is just the depth chart ahead of him. He has to surpass a lot of folks, but we have seen it before that is for sure.
I think the club views Whaley as a pure 3T and that is a fairly deep spot manned by our best DL, Crawford.
Davon Coleman is also probably there ahead of Whaley. Then you have a couple other guys that play multiple positions where 3T is part of it.

Gardner is in a good spot because we are pretty shallow at SDE. He should be in great position to make the club.

While the young guys may be long shots when they hit it is gold for cap purposes.

 

[CyberB0b]

Thats the kind of thing that makes me wonder how he managed that.

We're talking about a guy who is 17 years old to a guy who is in his athletic prime. It isn't like Barry Bonds where he gained 50 lbs of muscle at the age of 40.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

I think Whaley will get drafted late. I don't think he becomes an UFA. That's just a guess but I think there is enough film on him for somebody to take him late. He has some talent and he fits well into our scheme. Not saying we will take him but somebody will take a chance on him for the DT rotation IMO.