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

[Nightman]

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.

The thing is that they have a draft every and Free Agency every year. With Hardy guaranteed for at least this year and DLaw and Mincey under contract, DE is not a need. If a great deal falls to them sure, but don't force it.

 

[MagicMan]

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.

Great post.....actually this may be the first sign of which way the Cowboys may go with Hardy after this year. If they are seriously considering keeping him here, they may go for RB or a DT. If they believe that he will bolt because they are not considering paying the market value, then you do draft a DE mentioned above. I am sure they thought about this prior to the one year deal.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

Great post.....actually this may be the first sign of which way the Cowboys may go with Hardy after this year. If they are seriously considering keeping him here, they may go for RB or a DT. If they believe that he will bolt because they are not considering paying the market value, then you do draft a DE mentioned above. I am sure they thought about this prior to the one year deal.

Yeah i'm not convinced Hardy is brought back. If I had more security about him coming back then i'd go another position. One of the big reasons I didn't want to go DE this year was because I believe with that 1st and maybe 2nd pick they need to find some guys who can start for them NOW. BUT what the Hardy signing does do is allow for them to maybe get a pass rusher and have them ready by next year like we hope Demarcus Lawrence will be this year.

 

[Wood]

for me its RB and CB rest of offseason because if they don't address those two areas I can't see them getting as far as last year. I am off the DE bandwagon with Hardy on board. Dallas will have money and probably better draft slot next year to address DE.

 

[Deep_Freeze]

for me its RB and CB rest of offseason because if they don't address those two areas I can't see them getting as far as last year. I am off the DE bandwagon with Hardy on board. Dallas will have money and probably better draft slot next year to address DE.

Hopefully we don't have a better draft spot next year, but it has to be known that we need a DE less at this point with the signing of Hardy. We will have first shot at signing him, and if he does well, there is no reason to let him walk since its such a hard spot to fill.

The plan has to be BPA, if its a DE so be it, but I really think the team has put us in the position to draft almost any position and be able to justify the pick. You can never have enough great players, and reaching for a position is a huge mistake especially how late we are drafting. Targeting a position can be done in the top 10, but at 27, you have to go with the most talented player.

 

[CowboyChris]

I think Coleman in round two would be better value and get a starter at another position at 27.

I agree completely with that train of thought. If you can hit on pick #27 as a starter on defense, i have no doubt if we pick one of these RB's in round 2 you will have 2 instant starters next year.

 

[RamziD]

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.

I would have to think that the purpose of doing everything possible to not re-work Romo's contract this year is precisely so we can sign a player like Hardy to a long-term deal after this season (if he proves worth it).

 

[Stash]

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.

Agreed. I'd be thrilled with either he or Todd Gurley there. But the more I look at Odighizuwa, the more I like him. I believe he would be a tremendous fit for us.

 

[speedkilz88]

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.

If you are right then it is likely O Diggity goes top 15 when it is all said done.

 

[JohnsKey19]

Great post.....actually this may be the first sign of which way the Cowboys may go with Hardy after this year. If they are seriously considering keeping him here, they may go for RB or a DT. If they believe that he will bolt because they are not considering paying the market value, then you do draft a DE mentioned above. I am sure they thought about this prior to the one year deal.

Understood. They could have every intention to re-sign him but simply get outbid by another team.

I would take DE at 27 if it matches up with BPA(or close to it) at the time we pick. As someone mentioned earlier, if OO is on the board, not sure you can pass on him unless someone unexpectedly drops.

 

[jobberone]

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.

Coleman is a great pick at 27 IF he's there.

 

[Wood]

Hopefully we don't have a better draft spot next year, but it has to be known that we need a DE less at this point with the signing of Hardy. We will have first shot at signing him, and if he does well, there is no reason to let him walk since its such a hard spot to fill.

The plan has to be BPA, if its a DE so be it, but I really think the team has put us in the position to draft almost any position and be able to justify the pick. You can never have enough great players, and reaching for a position is a huge mistake especially how late we are drafting. Targeting a position can be done in the top 10, but at 27, you have to go with the most talented player.

I don't think Dallas has that luxury. If your coming off Super Bowl and your sitting all the way back there in 1st round then you take BPA. This is not that team. Dallas has two critical positions that I don't even know who the starters are (RB & CB) and I don't think Cowboys know either. We have Hardy, Dez and Crawford on expiring contracts this year. Dallas is going for it NOW. That means your throwing all your darts at positions were you need starters. McFadden is nothing more than 3rd down options and I don't think Randle or Williams even make it out of camp. Your drafted RB needs to be impact. Its unreasonable, its unfair but it is what it is.

 

[Hardline]

BPA regardless of position.
Applies pre Hardy and post Hardy.

 

[theogt]

If you are right then it is likely O Diggity goes top 15 when it is all said done.

OO looks like a Ware clone to me. His body frame, his movements. He's a freak athlete and has excellent timing/reaction speed with a killer first step. The only reason he isn't considered a top 10 pick is because of his hip surgeries. But in the 2014 games I watched he looked like he's on a different level altogether compared to the players around him.

Check out the combine numbers:

Height:
Ware - 6' 4"
OO - 6' 3.5"

Weight:
Ware - 251 lbs
OO - 267

40 Yrd Dash:
Ware - 4.65
OO - 4.62

Bench Press:
Ware - 27
OO - 25

Vertical Jump:
Ware - 38.5"
OO - 39"

Broad Jump:
Ware - 10' 2"
OO - 10' 7"

20 Yrd Shuttle:
Ware - 4.07
OO - 4.19

3-Cone Drill:
Ware - 6.83
OO - 7.36

I'm generally of the opinion that if a 270 lb. guy can run a 4.62 and you have a chance to have him on your team, you just draft him.

 

[darthseinfeld]

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.

Actually it would be the opposite, HB would fit in line with it considering if they took a HB iy would be because it was there highest rated player on the board

 

[jobberone]

OO looks like a Ware clone to me. His body frame, his movements. He's a freak athlete and has excellent timing/reaction speed with a killer first step. The only reason he isn't considered a top 10 pick is because of his hip surgeries. But in the 2014 games I watched he looked like he's on a different level altogether compared to the players around him.

Check out the combine numbers:

Height:
Ware - 6' 4"
OO - 6' 3.5"

Weight:
Ware - 251 lbs
OO - 267

40 Yrd Dash:
Ware - 4.65
OO - 4.62

Bench Press:
Ware - 27
OO - 25

Vertical Jump:
Ware - 38.5"
OO - 39"

Broad Jump:
Ware - 10' 2"
OO - 10' 7"

20 Yrd Shuttle:
Ware - 4.07
OO - 4.19

3-Cone Drill:
Ware - 6.83
OO - 7.36

I'm generally of the opinion that if a 270 lb. guy can run a 4.62 and you have a chance to have him on your team, you just draft him.

Huge difference in 3 cones. How does he bend and turn the corner? What hip surgery(s) did he have and what for?

 

[theogt]

Huge difference in 3 cones. How does he bend and turn the corner? What hip surgery(s) did he have and what for?

Well, that three cone by Ware is off the charts bizarre and doesn't really even jive with the rest of his numbers. OO turns the corner fine to me.

Not sure about the hip surgeries other than he had two (one on each hip) and it took him a long time to recover.

 

[jobberone]

Well, that three cone by Ware is off the charts bizarre and doesn't really even jive with the rest of his numbers. OO turns the corner fine to me.

Not sure about the hip surgeries other than he had two (one on each hip) and it took him a long time to recover.

His 3 cone was 8th out of 13 for DE so not great. The test is the eye and I haven't watched him.

The surgeries were for rotator cuff being frayed. Not as bad as ischemic necrosis but I don't know hip RC that well.

 

[endersdragon]

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.....

We have 3 DEs right now with DLaw, Mincey, and now Hardy. History shows us that 4th DEs generally don't play that many snaps with us (especially not with guys like that leading the charge). We might need a 4th for injury this year, but I don't know if that's what you want to do with your first round pick, and Mincey is quite honestly a good #3 DE.

 

[endersdragon]

I don't think Dallas has that luxury. If your coming off Super Bowl and your sitting all the way back there in 1st round then you take BPA. This is not that team. Dallas has two critical positions that I don't even know who the starters are (RB & CB) and I don't think Cowboys know either. We have Hardy, Dez and Crawford on expiring contracts this year. Dallas is going for it NOW. That means your throwing all your darts at positions were you need starters. McFadden is nothing more than 3rd down options and I don't think Randle or Williams even make it out of camp. Your drafted RB needs to be impact. Its unreasonable, its unfair but it is what it is.

Okay I mostly agree with this, but with that being said A) we currently have over $30, possibly closer to $40 or more, million in cap room next year, with the ability to make some more, and we are only losing 3 starters. It's silly to say that our window closes after this year unless something happens to Romo (*knocks on wood*). B ) we know who our main two cornerbacks are, Scandrick and Carr, what we are looking for is a nickelback, which even in free agency still won't be impossible to find and in the draft can be found in the middle rounds (I have said it before and I will say it again.... Kevin White out of TCU would be very good for us there... if he was bigger he would be a first or second round pick but as it is, he will still be a good nickelback for whoever gets him). With all of that being said, I would love to go CB and RB early because Carr isn't here much longer and we don't have a RB at all really.