DaRon Bland vs. Jourdan Lewis

[erod]

Draft status kinda goes out the window once the season starts.


I feel like Bland demonstrated over camp he's an ascending player and there's every chance if he gets a few weeks to prove it that he's not giving the spot back to Lewis. Nothing wrong with Lewis' performances and Bland had a pretty poor 3-cone so there may be some agility issues that come out in the wash but I haven't seen it, he looked damn good out there. From what I've seen in 2022 of Joseph I'm not too high on him though. I'm getting a whiff of bust for him.

Bland and Wilson didn't year as well. But they are damn his football players.

Evaluation needs to be seriously reevaluated.

 

[FanofJerry]

Curious if there could be anything to Dallas taking it extra slow with Joseph this year. Cowboys seem deep at the position and it usually take a couple of years to get up to speed and learn the NFL game. But...most importantly...why bring more drama to the team if Joseph was to be getting serious minutes or even a starting role. You wouldnt hear the end of how Dallas is giving a thug a job.

Im sure Joseph probably isnt meeting 2nd round expectations...but I also wouldnt be surprised if they are going slow with him to put the drive-by stuff in the past by a year and get it out of peoples minds.

 

[Manster68]

Lewis ran a 4.54 at the combine.
Bland ran a 4.46 at the combine.

At almost a tenth of a second faster than Lewis, He and Bland definitely aren’t the same speed.

Bland is over two inches taller and 10 pounds heavier, with longer arms.

Bland is just better physically than Lewis… and I’ve always been a Lewis fan. I think he’s a good player, but…

The thing that I love about Bland is the instincts and reactions that he showed both in the preseason as well as on Sunday Against Washington. The guy is a natural for the position. Some of the things that he does naturally are things that DB coaches want you to learn to do. He didn’t have great coaching in his career… these are mostly things that he just does the right way. He should continue to I,prove by leaps and bounds as he get top notch coaching for the first time in his life.

I was zero surprised when he played great and got an interception in his first real game action. None of what he’s done has been flukey at all. He has just done everything right and played very well, from his coverage and hands to his feet and reaction time. When you hear the term click-and-close, you should think of Bland because he does it instantly and has since day 1.

The only thing I saw that wasn’t amazing from a late round pick was him not turning and looking for the ball on a deep route. The coaches will have him doing that soon if he’s not already.

The whole thing is amazing to me. To see him coming in and playing so well in nearly all aspects is just mind blowing. I played DB my whole football career and when I first saw him in the Denver PS game, he looked more like a 5 year vet than a late round rookie. It is amazing.

Which leads me to one other observation: Al Harris is a really, really good coach. He has all these guys playing like he did in his great career. We need to make sure he stays because he’s doing a phenomenal job.

I don't know where to begin with all of this.
The fact that Dallas broke trend in last April's draft and selected Tyler Smith from Tulsa; Jalen Tolbert from South Alabama; Matt Waletsko from North Dakota; and DaRon Bland from Fresno State.
or
The communication and repertoire between Dan Quinn and Will McClay to find just the right players that fit in to this system that is on the verge of becoming one of the great defenses in NFL history.

Something very special is happening in Dallas. I am seeing pieces of Dan Quinn's Seattle defense being put together right inside the Metroplex.
I see Dorance Armstrong, a 4th round pick, being molded into a Michael Bennett.
I see Donovan Wilson, a 6th round pick, becoming a form of Cam Chancellor.
I am so hoping that DARON BLAND will mold into a Richard Sherman type player. I don't see Trayvon Diggs being that type of player, as he seems to be a player of a different ilk.

Will these players, or any other players, reach the 2013 Seahawks level? Unsure - but the script is still being written.

 

[rambo2]

Wasted pick so far. Total waste.

Watch the gunners when they punt.

 

[rambo2]

Wasted pick so far. Total waste.

And yet the Cowboys are pretty much the best drafting team in football.

 

[rambo2]

He got a facemask penalty against the Giants that kept their drive going in the 4th quarter. And he runs down the field on STs. Looking like a total bust.

He has been excellent as a gunner.

 

[rambo2]

I love Bland, it says a lot when a player has a good camp and at the last minute has to start. And, he did very well. Meanwhile, Joseph has been a "blessing" on special teams. Another example of why they should trade their 2nd round picks.
I wouldn't suggest he's better than Lewis or Brown just yet. We're dealing with a very small sample size. Not to mention the defense has great depth.
I'll say again, I love this kid.

Trade their 2nd round picks? That is ridiculous.

 

[blueblood70]

We knew it was coming lol……like clock work. I mean between Lewis, Dak, Schultz, Zeke and Tyron? If fans had their way we wouldn’t even be able to field a team lol.

No NO we would field a preseason team with expectations to go 17-0 and when we went 14-3 they would want MM fired LOL

 

[rambo2]

Looking like a late round flier value or udfa value so far to me. It really sucks that we continue to waste second round picks. How much better would this OL be is we had drafted Creed Humphrey instead?

It is awesome that they have drafted so well over the years. You can't hit on all your picks and Diggs was a 2nd round pick.

 

[G2]

Trade their 2nd round picks? That is ridiculous.

Sarcasm usually is.

 

[G2]

It is awesome that they have drafted so well over the years. You can't hit on all your picks and Diggs was a 2nd round pick.

But you need to hit on more than 1 every 10 years.

 

[atlantacowboy]

So far Joseph appears to have been WAY over drafted.

I bashed that pick from day 1. I watch a ton of SEC football and that kid was on nobody's radar until he ran fast in the pre-draft measurable fests. Sure, he's got talent but he never played up to it, and his passion is music not football. He should have been set adrift this past off-season, but this FO doesn't like to admit mistakes so quick.

 

[Creeper]

So far Joseph appears to have been WAY over drafted.

I think KJ would be a fine CB somewhere where he could play more. But it is interesting looking back how Dallas was leaning towards drafting a CB in the 1st round before they top 2 were taken and yet here they are playing the 3 guys they had on the team already and doing fine. Maybe they miscalculated there. Or maybe it shows how much more important a pass rush is than 1st round CBs. Fear of the Cowboys pass rush has made the secondary look a lot better this year.

But I agree. I think if Joseph has to play I think he would be fine. He will make mistakes because he lacks experience at any level but he has the physical tools.

 

[Acceptablename]

Jourdan Lewis was an All-American corner at Michigan, and was hands down a better college CB than DaRin Bland. Lewis has better natural instincts than many NFL Defensive backs. But what Lewis has always lacked is NFL speed. That is why he’s just not a viable NFL corner for outside receivers. It is also why a 6th round pick with less talent, but 4.35 speed has remained ahead of him on the Cowboys depth chart. Yes, I am talking about Anthony Brown.

On the other hand, Bland has better NFL size and speed than Lewis, and may be more naturally skilled than Brown. Bland has a better chance to be an impactful NFL corner than both Lewis and Brown in the long-term.

If the Kelvin Joseph can ever start living up to his draft status, the Cowboys are pretty deep at cornerback. By the end of this season, Jourdan Lewis, who is a good nickel cornerback, might just be the 5th best CB the Cowboys have. That’s a good problem to have.

Bland just makes plays

 

[rambo2]

But you need to hit on more than 1 every 10 years.

I'm happy with Diggs and Sam Williams. T. Hill is coming on as well. The Cowboys are still one of the best drafting teams regardless.

 

[G2]

I'm happy with Diggs and Sam Williams. T. Hill is coming on as well.

Williams will probably be ok, but there's a lot of depth. Hill didn't make an impact like an early pick should.

 

[tyke1doe]

I completely forgot about Kelvin Joseph. Has he done anything?

I kept seeing "24" around the ball on Sunday and thinking, "So Joseph is making his presence known. At least he's on the field."
Then, I find out that wasn't Bossman. He changed his number.
B-U-S-T!

 

[rambo2]

I kept seeing "24" around the ball on Sunday and thinking, "So Joseph is making his presence known. At least he's on the field."
Then, I find out that wasn't Bossman. He changed his number.
B-U-S-T!

When you draft a Noah Brown in the 7th, and a D. Wilson and Brown in the 6th, and a Bland and Clark in the 5th, it more than offsets a 2nd round bust.

 

[zrinkill]

Lewis is just to short, Joseph is an idiot, and Brown has horrible ball instincts.

Hopefully Bland will be our second corner soon.

 

[plymkr]

He has been excellent as a gunner.

For a 2nd rounder we need more than a gunner. Not saying he's a bad gunner but as a 2nd rounder he needs to give us more. Thankfully Bland is stepping up his production to ease the sting of wasting a 2nd rounder on KJ.