Cowboys select DB Matt Johnson Eastern Washington

[Eskimo]

The problem with this pick is that you have no idea who he is or seen him play while there were other players you have seen and are familiar with that you would have preferred.

You don't strike me as the day 3 meltdown type, eskimo. Whats up?

Normally, I'm not.

I've calmed down about the pick after I watched the tape on him.

He does look like a very good player.

I've just grown tired of Jerry reaching in the mid-rounds for small school guys like AOA who don't have a position in the NFL.

This guy looks like a player and I love his instincts and physicality on film. That's where AOA failed - he wasn't physical enough to play at this level and or course wasn't smooth enough for CB and lacked the instincts for safety.

It seems like we did our homework better on this guy and I am actually quite hopeful he might start in 2013 or 2014. I like his potential better than Church who is too physically limited to start, IMO.

 

[Risen Star]

Yeah.

Time will tell one way or another.

I hated the pick when it was made. I still think it was way too early.

But after studying up on him I'm starting to see why he was coveted.

4th round was a big price to pay though.

 

[fishspill]

WRONG, we have drafted as well if not better than alot of teams in the late rounds. What has hurt us is not our so called poor late round drafting. Our late round drafting has been pretty good. What has hurt us, is our inability to get difference makers, instead of solid players in the first two rounds.....

I hear both side a lot. Since judging a draft takes a few years (as we've been told countless times) I'll exclude 2012, 2011 and 2010. Taking the 5 drafts before that (2005-2009) we selected 29 players. Here are the players in rounds 4-7 left in the league:

2005 - MB3 (I'll count him as I think he might come back), Chris Canty, Jay Ratliff

2006 - Pat McQuistan

2007 - Isaiah Stanback, Doug Free, Nick Folk, Alan Ball

2008 - Tashard Choice, Orlando Scandrick

2009 - Stephen McGee, Victor Butler, Brandon Williams, DeAngelo Smith, John Phillips

There are some listed as Free Agents and could be picked up. Source

I don't know how that compares to other teams but it at least helps the conversation.

 

[theogt]

Normally, I'm not.

I've calmed down about the pick after I watched the tape on him.

He does look like a very good player.

I've just grown tired of Jerry reaching in the mid-rounds for small school guys like AOA who don't have a position in the NFL.

This guy looks like a player and I love his instincts and physicality on film. That's where AOA failed - he wasn't physical enough to play at this level and or course wasn't smooth enough for CB and lacked the instincts for safety.

It seems like we did our homework better on this guy and I am actually quite hopeful he might start in 2013 or 2014. I like his potential better than Church who is too physically limited to start, IMO.

Yes, thank you. The AOA comparisons are terrible ones. AOA looked like he'd never played a game of football. This guy looks incredible on film.

 

[CCBoy]

I gave up comparisons of purely numerical ratings for Lent...

this kid is aggressive and a playmaker. He had an impressive amount of interceptions. That screams ball response skills. Then there is his strong safety ability to pop a moving target.

The Cowboys did their homework on him, and a stereotyped response of baboso, (slobering fools), for slander just won't cut a reasoned view's objectivity.

 

[JPM]

Bill Bates part II. I loved Bill Bates growing up.

 

[SMCowboy]

I wish fans would stop with the maybe the Cowboys know better than you defense.

Maybe they don't. Maybe that's why they don't win. We're not talking about a team that has exactly earned the benefit of the doubt.

Those draft guides are thoroughly researched. They just don't think much of Matt Johnson's NFL potential. Maybe they'll be right and the Cowboys will be wrong like with Robert Brewster. Or maybe they'll be wrong and the Cowboys will be right like with Sean Lissemore.

But to suggest everyone was lazy and the Cowboys merely did their work to unearth this gem is foolish. They knew Matt Johnson. They just have a different opinion of him.

Will Matt Johnson pan out, that remains to be seen. BUT, the thought that the Cowboys reached for a guy, that they could have gotten in the 6th and 7th round has been proven wrong.

If Dallas wanted him, which they obviously did then they drafted him exactly where they had to draft him, it has already been pointed out that multiple teams where going to take him their next pick, all before Dallas's 5th round pick came back up again....

 

[Brooksey]

Yes, thank you. The AOA comparisons are terrible ones. AOA looked like he'd never played a game of football. This guy looks incredible on film.

He does look incredible on film, in fact it's some of the best Safety play that I've seen on film and I've watched them all. The kid is a hell of a football player, look at the instincts and closing speed on the ball, omg. With the speed to play at the next level I think we have a winner here.

 

[Gaede]

Yes, thank you. The AOA comparisons are terrible ones. AOA looked like he'd never played a game of football. This guy looks incredible on film.

Two totally different players.

 

[AsthmaField]

After hearing his interviews, reading up on him, looking at his pro day numbers, and watching some video of him, I'm happy with him as a 4th round prospect at safety.

Admittedly, I knew little about him when the pick was made, but the guy has real NFL physical qualities and some mental qualities (instincts, ball awareness) that a lot of NFL safeties don't have. His lateral movement skills are very good and he goes and gets the ball when he has a chance.

Looking at his pro day results and just hearing what kind of guy and football player he is, it isn't difficult to believe that philly and chicago were thinking about taking him very soon after we drafted him.

I don't know why this wouldn't be the type of prospect you'd want to develop at safety.

 

[SMCowboy]

I hated the pick when it was made. I still think it was way too early.

But after studying up on him I'm starting to see why he was coveted.

4th round was a big price to pay though.

WRONG, it was not way to early, it was exactly where he had to be picked, if they where going to draft him. That has already been proven.

And your 4th round DP, was the last pick in the compensatory picks in the 4th round, it is for all intents and purposes a 5th round DP. In fact in each of the last two years, that pick, was actually the 4th pick in the 5th round.

You can say, that there where players you think will have a better career. But it was not to early. It has already been proven that he wasn't going to make it to our 5th round pick. Thus, it was not to early, he was drafted exactly where several other teams where going to draft him as well....

 

[Risen Star]

Will Matt Johnson pan out, that remains to be seen. BUT, the thought that the Cowboys reached for a guy, that they could have gotten in the 6th and 7th round has been proven wrong.

If Dallas wanted him, which they obviously did then they drafted him exactly where they had to draft him, it has already been pointed out that multiple teams where going to take him their next pick, all before Dallas's 5th round pick came back up again....

It's been proven wrong? How?

 

[speedkilz88]

Broaddus Breakdown



Why He's Special: Good reactions....fight off the block...physical tackler...flies to the ball...steps up to make the tackle...down hill player...drives well on the ball in coverage...takes good angles to the ball...can beat the block to the point of attack...wrap up tackler...aware to read routes up the field...can carry slot up the field...not just a strong safety type...has some flexibility to his game....works to try and create turnovers.


http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/news.cfm?id=FA404332-9557-14BB-2CE8D9FD50646D97

 

[SMCowboy]

Those draft guides are thoroughly researched. They just don't think much of Matt Johnson's NFL potential. Maybe they'll be right and the Cowboys will be wrong like with Robert Brewster. Or maybe they'll be wrong and the Cowboys will be right like with Sean Lissemore.

But to suggest everyone was lazy and the Cowboys merely did their work to unearth this gem is foolish. They knew Matt Johnson. They just have a different opinion of him.

If there job is to give fans an idea of where a player was going to be drafted, then yes, the draft guides did fail. They did not list a guy that atleast 3 teams other than the Cowboys (Eagles, Chicago, and likely the Jets) where going to all draft before the Cowboys 5th round pick.

And if they knew Matt Johnson, then they should have listed him, to think that a kid that put up the numbers that he did his Junior year was not going to get drafted, or get selected as an UDFA, then they are either more incompetent than I think (which is hard to do), or they didn't know about him.....

 

[Chocolate Lab]

He was known as hitter and not really a cover guy.

Don't think he was the athlete that Johnson is.

Beriault was taller, faster, had a better vertical jump, broad jump, and I think cone (or maybe 20 SS, one of those).

Anyway, that's fine because JB was going to be a player if hadn't had a bone-on-bone condition.

Also, I never liked the AOA pick but I don't remember that much film of him other than running through that high school-like competition on returns like a man playing with boys. As I recall, IUP was so tiny there wasn't even that much for us to look at.

Who knows, maybe he's fine. Not like it wouldn't be hard to make this team at safety. Sounds like he might be fine on special teams which is probably his role anyway.

 

[SMCowboy]

It's been proven wrong? How?

Because there are atleast 3 teams (Eagles, Chicago, and likely the Jets), that where going to take him. Unless you think the Eagles said that they where going to take him in the 4th or 5th round, but didn't actually mean it....

 

[31smackdown]

The guy seems to be in the same mold as McCray, Church and Sensabaugh.. Safety/LB tweener that Rob Ryan likes to use.

 

[speedkilz88]

The guy seems to be in the same mold as McCray, Church and Sensabaugh.. Safety/LB tweener that Rob Ryan likes to use.

Broaddus says he has some FS type(cover) skills also. I think this guy is slated there. They claim their safeties are interchangeable anyway.

 

[fortdick]

The guy seems to be in the same mold as McCray, Church and Sensabaugh.. Safety/LB tweener that Rob Ryan likes to use.

Well, his twin brother does play LB. He is like McQuistan!!!!

 

[Risen Star]

Because there are atleast 3 teams (Eagles, Chicago, and likely the Jets), that where going to take him. Unless you think the Eagles said that they where going to take him in the 4th or 5th round, but didn't actually mean it....

The Eagles said they were gonna take him in the 4th or 5th?

Where?