Could Pat Watkins set the bar?

[Bleed Blue]

Early returns are positive on Pat Watkins being a great pick for the Cowboys, but it's still early. If he can become a good player for Dallas will he influence a copy cat league to follow suite? At 6-5 211lbs he almost looks a little awkward back there. With the WRs getting taller and stronger he would be a proto type if this project works. The fact that he was still around in the 5th round of this years draft goes without saying the rest of the league is not convinced. I sure hope he proves them wrong. What do you think?

 

[Bob Sacamano]

I think you are correct, the NFL is a copy-cat league, so if Watkins turns out to be a tremendous fit in deep-coverage because of his height, and picks off alot of balls, and makes it nearly impossible to score a TD in the redzone by throwing his way, I'm sure a couple teams will latch onto the idea, but therein lies the problems...we dont' know yet what we have in Watkins, he could be just a tall FS

 

[Crown Royal]

Good luck copycatting a 6'5" athlete with sub 4.5 speed who is smart and athletic and light enough to play in so much space.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Good luck copycatting a 6'5" athlete with sub 4.5 speed who is smart and athletic and light enough to play in so much space.

oh, good point, yeah, that might prove too difficult

 

[Bleed Blue]

Good luck copycatting a 6'5" athlete with sub 4.5 speed who is smart and athletic and light enough to play in so much space.

So why wasn't this freak of nature taken in say the 2nd or 3rd round?

 

[Bob Sacamano]

So why wasn't this freak of nature taken in say the 2nd or 3rd round?

it's asking why Tom Brady wasn't the #1 overall pick? there's something some teams didn't like about him

 

[AdamJT13]

So why wasn't this freak of nature taken in say the 2nd or 3rd round?

Because he's too tall.

 

[wileedog]

Good luck copycatting a 6'5" athlete with sub 4.5 speed who is smart and athletic and light enough to play in so much space.

I think those guys are usually called "point guards" in the NBA.

 

[superpunk]

So why wasn't this freak of nature taken in say the 2nd or 3rd round?

Height-prejudice.

I don't know. Ask kartr.

 

[Crown Royal]

And because he still has questions about him.

Let's not annoint Watkins as the next coming of Lott yet.

 

[Doomsday101]

Early returns are positive on Pat Watkins being a great pick for the Cowboys, but it's still early. If he can become a good player for Dallas will he influence a copy cat league to follow suite? At 6-5 211lbs he almost looks a little awkward back there. With the WRs getting taller and stronger he would be a proto type if this project works. The fact that he was still around in the 5th round of this years draft goes without saying the rest of the league is not convinced. I sure hope he proves them wrong. What do you think?

All I care about is can you play the position? Thus far he is having a good camp and I look forward to seeing him this pre-season. One advantage he will have is when you see that deep jump ball that many QB's get away with against small FS, I'm not sure many WR will out jump Watkins for the ball.

 

[AbeBeta]

Could we just maybe wait until after the first pre-season game to call Watkins a great pick?

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Let's not annoint Watkins as the next coming of Lott yet.

noone is...

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Could we just maybe wait until after the first pre-season game to call Watkins a great pick?

we could wait before we call a newspaper blog a hack too

 

[AMERICAS_FAN]

Because he's too tall.

Excatly! Watkins didn't "fit the mold" as far as typical FS measurables. And because he's more of a cover-in-space guy instead of a man-up guy he did not project well as a CB. So long story short, he was too hytbrid and teams pass up on that. My only hope is that we catch lightning ina bottle at other teams' mistaken expense. As far as raising the bar, I doubt that happens if Watkins does pan out. Teams are never to goody about drafting FSs.

**

 

[AbeBeta]

we could wait before we call a newspaper blog a hack too

he's still a hack.

 

[sago1]

Most of the mock drafts that I read had Watkins going in late 2nd or 3rd round. Was totally surprised that he slipped to us in the 5th and it certainly shocked/upset him. In fact when he came in for rookie camp first weekend of May he admitted he had a chip on his should because of where he was drafted. Hurts these guys pride and the money different between first day pick & 5th money is serious dough.

The comments I read after the draft all centered on his height and how quickly he could turn his hips cause he was so tall and that he couldn't play near the LOS, etc. again because of his height. Forgotten when talking about his 6-4/6-5 height is years ago there were several pretty tall FSs--one was our own FS Michael Downs at 6-3; he was even skinny like Watkins. Commanders also signed a really good tall FS (Kenny Houston) who made life miserable for Stauback.

The NFL is a copy cat league and other teams were unwilling take chance on whom earlier. Glad we moved up to take him. It's very early yet but remember this kid was rated #3 S in the nation after his junior year (slipped a little in senior year) behind SS Michael Huff & another guy whose name I can't recall. The Cowboy scout who followed him at Florida was interviewed during The Ticket coverage of 2nd day draft and was really enthused about his skills including jumping ability and his great ST play. Don't remember all that he said but he was real excited that we got him. Based on what coaches have seen so far, I bet they pleased we got him too.

 

[The Realist]

So why wasn't this freak of nature taken in say the 2nd or 3rd round?

Because the sure thing 1-3 round S's slid to 4 (Ko, Blue, Bing).

Also a ton of S's went 1-2.

Fill the need early and others will slide.

 

[Bleed Blue]

Because the sure thing 1-3 round S's slid to 4 (Ko, Blue, Bing).

Also a ton of S's went 1-2.

Fill the need early and others will slide.

Would you rate him higher than KO,Blue or Bing?

 

[dargonking999]

Yes



(someone yells from away ........ dang homer)