DC: Mock Draft Roundup: Defensive End, Running Back Are Early Favorites For 27th Pick

[jobberone]

Mock Draft Roundup: Defensive End, Running Back Are Early Favorites For 27th Pick
Friday, March 20, 2015 3:15 PM CDT

By David Helman
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer @HelmanDC

IRVING, Texas – As usual, it typically feels like the six-month NFL draft cycle will never end – and then one day you look up and it’s on the horizon.

True, the much-anticipated 2015 NFL Draft is still six weeks away, but it’s felt like an eternity since draft preparations begin in earnest back in January. The Cowboys have been to the Senior Bowl and the NFL Combine, and the details about their pre-draft visits with certain prospects are starting to emerge.

With that in mind, it seems like a fitting time to survey the landscape and see what to expect when the Cowboys come up on the clock. By nature, mock drafts are volatile and don’t typically hold up well on draft day. But they’ve proven quite useful at determining a pool of possibilities for the Cowboys at No. 27.

Based on this first-look, it’s clear the addition of Greg Hardyhasn’t swayed anyone’s opinion – Dallas still needs to address its pass rush.

Here’s a rundown of some of the most up-to-date mocks.

CBSSports.com’s Pete Prisco

Date of Mock: March 17
Pick: UCLE DE Owamagne Odighizuwa
Comment: “They need help with the pass rush and this kid has a lot of speed that could have him moving up this board.”

SBNation’s Dan Kadar

Date of Mock: March 16
Pick: Mississippi State DE Preston Smith
Comment: “Running back is often a position associated with the Cowboys at No. 27, and it should be with DeMarco Murray gone. But if the Cowboys choose to target the position later in the draft, pass rusher rises to the top of the team’s need list. Smith gets compared to Michael Bennett of the Seattle Seahawks because he’s capable rushing the passer despite being a power end and can work inside in certain situations.”

CBSSports.com’s Dane Brugler

Date of Mock: March 19
Pick: Smith
Comment: “An ideal fit at left defensive end, Smith and Demarcus Lawrence would provide the Cowboys with a formidable duo long-term on the edges.”

NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah

Date of Mock: March 18
Pick: Wisconsin RB Melvin Gordon
Comment: “The Cowboys land DeMarco Murray's replacement right here.”

U-T San Diego’s Eddie Brown

Date of Mock: March 18
Pick: Gordon
Comment: “The Cowboys need more playmakers on the defensive side of the ball if they truly want to compete for a championship. However, U-T Sports Editor Todd Adams sums up Jerry Jones perfectly: "He loves his skill players." I worry about Gordon's usage at Wisconsin. His total touches were approaching 700, and you'd like to draft a running back below 500. It's really hard to argue with 2,587 yards and 29 touchdowns though. Top needs: CB, DL, RB”

CBSSports.com’s Rob Rang

Date of Mock: March 16
Pick: Odighizuwa
Comment: “Given the loss of DeMarco Murray to the hated Eagles, it would be easy for Jerry Jones and Co. to roll the dice on Georgia's Todd Gurley with this pick. Another priority would be to build the defensive line. Odighizuwa's power and motor make him an ideal complement to last year's second round pick Demarcus Lawrence.”

DraftKing.com

Date of Mock: March 18
Pick: Kentucky DE Alvin “Bud” Dupree
Comment: “This is lower than where I think Dupree should go, but quality players slip in the draft every year. There is a line of thought that the Cowboys will use this pick to draft a running back, and maybe they will. But they can also add a really solid defensive end in Dupree here while still having the opportunity to land a quality running back in round two.”

BAN-INCOMING-IN-3-2-1’s Walter Cherepinsky

Date of Mock: March 18
Pick: Virginia DE/OLB Eli Harold
Comment: “The Cowboys couldn't get any pressure on Colt McCoy in an embarrassing Monday night defeat. Mark Sanchez had a clean pocket on Thanksgiving. Aaron Rodgers had all the time he needed in the divisional round of the playoffs. That has to change. Several upgrades can be obtained on the defensive line.”

DraftTek.com

Date of Mock: March 17
Pick: Odighizuwa
Comment: N/A

BleacherReport’s Sean O’Donnell

Date of Mock: March 20
Pick: Gordon
Comment: N/A

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2...nd-running-back-are-early-favorites-27th-pick

 

[jazzcat22]

I still go DL, then CB / LB. RB in 2nd or 3rd if the LB or CB not there in the 2nd.

 

[Stash]

Many of these mocks were done before the Hardy signing was finalized and I have to wonder if they will change going forward. Not simply based on drafting a DE, but possibly in not reaching for one, as it looks to me like some might be.

Given the Hardy deal, I think the team is in great position to go best player available and go in any direction presenting the best value.

 

[AsthmaField]

Yeah, some of those comments in the mocks, I have been reading for two months. The Date on the Mock might be post Hardy signing but it is clear that some of them have just carried over picks from much earlier.

Hardy changes everything. No longer are the Cowboys almost forced to go DE at 27. Now, as Stash says, they can take BPA easily.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

If Hardy is essentially a one year rental though I would think you'd have to go pass rusher this year in hope that by next year that player will be a starter for you.

 

[Craig]

Still go d line. Or lb. Picking a rb in the first round is a waste and a reversal on the progress the cowboys have made with regards to personnel decisins.

 

[ghst187]

Preston Smith ONLY with a short trade down as he does not grade as a first rounder IMO
Staying put I like Dupree if he somehow slips to us then ditto Kevin Johnson
Running back would be last resort and only if Gurley is there and checks out medically
Gordon is really good but I just don't see him in the same category, not worth the 27 pick IMO.
I think Coleman in round two would be better value and get a starter at another position at 27.
I'll say it, I don't like OO at all. Watched UCLA games and I just didn't see the production.
I didn't see a freakish burst or tons of disruption. I know he dealt with injuries but he smells of potential bust to me.

 

[mahoneybill]

If Hardy is essentially a one year rental though I would think you'd have to go pass rusher this year in hope that by next year that player will be a starter for you.

Agree. We have to keep building the D as quickly as possible. From the sounds of it there are capable RB's in the later rounds, and we have enough " kick the tires" guys already signed that we should get an " insurance guy" also....

 

[marchetta]

Drew Boylhardt (The Huddle Report):
Mods, this is a summary in my own words of Drew's analysis. No Copy/Paste/Plagiarism involved, so don't delete post. Thank you.

Melvin Gordon RB Wisconsin:
1st Round Grade.
The #1 RB in the draft.

STRENGTHS:
Reminds Drew of KC Chief's RB Jamaal Charles.
Has excellent vision, strength, lateral agility, and sets up his blocks well.
Has speed to hit the edge and run off-tackle.
Because of his agility, and vision, he doesn’t take big direct hits, which will increase his NFL durability as the season goes on.
He's smart and understands situational football and knows his blocking assignments and does a good job picking up blitzing defenders.
Durable player who plays even if he's hurt.

WEAKNESS:
Fumbles way to much.
Not a great receiver out of the backfield.
Needs to add more upper-body strength

BOTTOM LINE:
Melvin has the talent to makes him a potential franchise running back and 1st round talent. He's not a complete back right now. But, if he commits himself to getting stronger (upper-body), learns ball-security, and learns better blocking techniques and reading defenses, he'll impact in the NFL.

Todd Gurley RB Georgia
2nd Round Grade
STRENGTHS:
Size, Strength, Explosive.
Has the speed to outrun any defender on the field, and can take it to the house from any point on the field.
Speed to outrun bigger defenders (DL,LB) and size/strength to run over smaller defenders (S, CB).
A terror once he gets past the LOS and DB's have to tackle him.
Explosive bursts of speed (instant acceleration) that enables him to take a short pass out of the backfield, and before you know it he's already past the LB level and challenging the defenses secondary to tackle him.
Excellent hands, body control, and receiving skills for a RB. Great receiver out of the backfield. May be the best that Drew has seen in a long time. He could also move into the slot and be a matchup nightmare.

WEAKNESS:
He's a long-strider that lacks the type of lateral agility that Gordon has. As a result he's going to have trouble staying healthy as he's going to absorb a lot of kill shots that he won't be able to avoid. And long-striders, who lack lateral agility are notorious for having leg injuries as a result.
Despite size/strength, he's best when running off-tackle and near the edges. Not great between the tackles. So, he's not going to be a factor in short-yardage/goaline running situations.
Terrible at anticipating a blitzer and picking him up. Will get your QB killed if he doesn't improve on this.

BOTTOM LINE:
May not impact like some expect due to his running style, which will not allow him to avoid direct shots on his long-striding legs. And, if he doesn't get substantially better at reading blitzers, and blocking them, he's not going to be on the field on 3rd downs to use his special receiving skills. And, despite his size, he doesn't run between the tackles as well as one would like.

Owamagbe Odighizuwa DE/DT UCLA
1st Round Grade

STRENGTHS:
Strong, powerful, with long arms.
Will Stack and Shed OL and make tackles near/behind the LOS. May be the best Stack & Shed defender in this draft.
Excellent run-stuffer.
Will be a power-rushing type of DE, rather that a speed/finesse DE. Similar in rushing style to JPP due to his footspeed and ability to change direction.
Quick off the LOS at the snap and can handle double-team blocks.
Excellent hand use.
Takes good angles to QB making it difficult for QB to move up in pocket, or get out of pocket, because of his angle of attack.
Long arms and strong hands enable him to control opponent and move him anywhere he wants.

WEAKNESS:
He's a bit raw and needs development.
Needs reps to develop his instincts.

BOTTOM LINE:
Still raw and needs experience to develop his instincts. He's impressed Drew with his ability to get better not only each year, but he gets better each game. Once he gains experience, he'll impact the NFL and become a dominant player that has to be game-planned against.
Plays LDE in college, but his impact position will be as a RDE (DeMarcus' Position in Dallas). When he played RDE, he was able to overwhelm OTs with his speed, quickness, and strength. Playing on the Right side, gave him more room to maneuver, which is when you can really see his skill set come to the forefront and he shines.

Alvin Dupree DE/OLB Kentucky
2nd Round Grade.

STRENGTHS:
Size. He has the body which is best for a team running a 3-4 Defense.
Good get-off at the snap, with enough burst to put an OT on his heels and make him loose balance.
Long arms and legs and can cover a lot of ground in just a few strides.
Very smart and has good football intelligence as well.
Hard worker (his body shows) and excellent teammate.


WEAKNESS:
Doesn't get off blocks that well. Will stay engaged with OL as the run moves past him.
Seems to lack instincts, or the ability to process information on the fly as he doesn't seem to trust what he's seeing. He'll hesitate to get up-field, as he's scared to allow a RB to slip out of the backfield, so he'll end up in no-man's land instead of trusting what he sees.

BOTTOM LINE:
He looks the part, but doesn't play the part. He doesn't seem to trust himself. He waits for opponents to engage him, rather than being proactive and engaging the opponent. Has the tools to impact, but needs coaching and filmwork to develop his trust of himself. If he learns to stop thinking so much, and trust what he sees, he'll become the impact player he has the skills to become. He may not be more than a pass-rush specialist his first few years as he learns to trust himself and play on instincts. So, a 3-4 team may choose to shy away from him, as this will ****** his development because he can't handle all the reading/responsibilities of a 3-4 DE. Right now, he's much better suited for a 4-3 team that can use him as a pass rush specialist that only has one responsibility... get to the QB. Then, once he develops his instincts, he'll be an impact player that he has the skills to become.

 

[Hoofbite]

I hope they don't take that guy.

Trying to fathom how his name is pronounced is already giving me a migraine.

 

[robjay04]

Just because Hardy has a one year contract does not mean he is a "rental".

If he proves worthy of a roster spot, he will be a long term solution and the team will pay him.

 

[marchetta]

I hope they don't take that guy.

Trying to fathom how his name is pronounced is already giving me a migraine.

Drew Boylhardt (The Huddle Report) says, once Odighizuwa's allowed to play his natural position of RDE, he'll impact and have to be game-planned against with not only double-teams, but will require triple-teams. He's playing out of position in college (LDE). He's a natural power rushing RDE similar in skill to JPP. He just needs reps to develop... just like JPP did coming out of college.

 

[Eric_Boyer]

Hardy can replace the minutes Spencer and Selvie gave us, but not the depth. We still need one more end, and the good ones go early.....

 

[marchetta]

Hardy can replace the minutes Spencer and Selvie gave us, but not the depth. We still need one more end, and the good ones go early.....

Keeping my fingers crossed that OO drops enough for us to reach him. If he dropped to our pick, I'd be ecstatic.

 

[AmishCowboy]

If Hardy is essentially a one year rental though I would think you'd have to go pass rusher this year in hope that by next year that player will be a starter for you.

Exactly my thinking,

 

[jobberone]

This will be moved to the draft zone later today just FYI.

 

[Silver Surfer]

I hope they don't take that guy.

Trying to fathom how his name is pronounced is already giving me a migraine.

Just give him the number 7 and put Bond on the back of his jersey.

 

[theogt]

Many of these mocks were done before the Hardy signing was finalized and I have to wonder if they will change going forward. Not simply based on drafting a DE, but possibly in not reaching for one, as it looks to me like some might be.

Given the Hardy deal, I think the team is in great position to go best player available and go in any direction presenting the best value.

Even so, we can't really count on Hardy past this year. It's also not as if Lawrence set the world on fire, and it wouldn't hurt to have too many pass rushers for a change. Owamagne Odighizuwa would be an excellent pick at that spot, as he is head and shoulders above Lawrence as a prospect coming out, in my opinion.

 

[Common Sense]

Still go d line. Or lb. Picking a rb in the first round is a waste and a reversal on the progress the cowboys have made with regards to personnel decisins.

Why? Taking an RB at the bottom of the first gives you the fifth-year option and then two additional franchise years. If you hit on a stud, you basically have his rights all the way through his prime and then you can walk away easily, just as he's projected to start breaking down. If you have a need at RB and the best one in the draft is on the board at the bottom of the first, it's probably the smartest move you can make.

 

[Nightman]

Still go d line. Or lb. Picking a rb in the first round is a waste and a reversal on the progress the cowboys have made with regards to personnel decisins.

They showed with Claiborne, TFred and Martin that individual players supersede old notions about which positions are worthy of first round picks. If Gurley is the BPA at 27 and can come right in and start, then it is a great pick. It is better than picking the 6th best DE. Getting a RB for 5 cheap years is what this team is looking for.