DC-Roster Rundown: Kowalski Adds Versatility To O-Line

[jobberone]

(Editor's Note: Throughout the off-season, DallasCowboys.com staff writers will take a closer look at the roster, analyzing players’ impact last season and how each fits into the team's 2013 plans. Today's Roster Rundown entry features guard Kevin Kowalski.)

Name: Kevin Kowalski
Position: Center
Height/Weight: 6-4 / 304
Experience: 2 seasons
College: Toledo
Key stat: Kowalski has played in 14 games, but does not have a start under his belt.
Contract Status: Signed through 2013.
How He Played In 2012: Kowalski didn’t play a snap last year. But he was far from an afterthought. An ankle injury before camp landed him a spot on PUP (Physically Unable to Perform), keeping him out of action for the first six weeks of the season. Once Kowalski was healthy enough to play, he immediately jumped David Arkin on the depth chart was activated to play, although he backed at guard and center and never got in a game, unlike his rookie season when he had to play at both positions during the season. While he never played a down, his ability to get himself back from injury and prepared enough to play is a trait that should help him compete this year.


http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/a...-O-Line-/024aa5d7-7e64-44d1-b0ff-ebc4472c9ba1

 

[xwalker]

Kowalski has excellent quickness. His 3-cone is the best I've ever seen for an OLineman. There are CBs with slower 3-cone times.If he does not win a starting job, I think he could be used as a short yardage FB and Blocking-TE as well as backup OC/OG.

Kevin Kowalski
Height: 6032
Weight: 300
40 Yrd Dash: 5.04
20 Yrd Dash: 2.91
10 Yrd Dash: 1.71
225 Lb. Bench Reps:
Vertical Jump: 27 1/2
Broad Jump: 08'04"
20 Yrd Shuttle: 4.56
3-Cone Drill: 7.15

 

[CowboyRoy]

(Editor's Note: Throughout the off-season, DallasCowboys.com staff writers will take a closer look at the roster, analyzing players’ impact last season and how each fits into the team's 2013 plans. Today's Roster Rundown entry features guard Kevin Kowalski.)

Name: Kevin Kowalski
Position: Center
Height/Weight: 6-4 / 304
Experience: 2 seasons
College: Toledo
Key stat: Kowalski has played in 14 games, but does not have a start under his belt.
Contract Status: Signed through 2013.
How He Played In 2012: Kowalski didn’t play a snap last year. But he was far from an afterthought. An ankle injury before camp landed him a spot on PUP (Physically Unable to Perform), keeping him out of action for the first six weeks of the season. Once Kowalski was healthy enough to play, he immediately jumped David Arkin on the depth chart was activated to play, although he backed at guard and center and never got in a game, unlike his rookie season when he had to play at both positions during the season. While he never played a down, his ability to get himself back from injury and prepared enough to play is a trait that should help him compete this year.


http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/a...-O-Line-/024aa5d7-7e64-44d1-b0ff-ebc4472c9ba1

Kowalski adds another horrible Olineman to the already pile or horrible lineman we already have.

 

[jobberone]

Kowalski adds another horrible Olineman to the already pile or horrible lineman we already have.

If you're going to say something negative about the guy at least give us your reasons other than he's horrible, he can't play, or if he was so good how come he hasn't played yet, yada.

 

[jobberone]

Kowalski has excellent quickness. His 3-cone is the best I've ever seen for an OLineman. There are CBs with slower 3-cone times.If he does not win a starting job, I think he could be used as a short yardage FB and Blocking-TE as well as backup OC/OG.

Kevin Kowalski
Height: 6032
Weight: 300
40 Yrd Dash: 5.04
20 Yrd Dash: 2.91
10 Yrd Dash: 1.71
225 Lb. Bench Reps:
Vertical Jump: 27 1/2
Broad Jump: 08'04"
20 Yrd Shuttle: 4.56
3-Cone Drill: 7.15

So maybe this guy can pull or run a screen. Now if he can run and pass block as well as maybe snap the ball then he's in the hunt. I love speed, agility and quickness in an OL; as long as they can do they're other homework.

 

[xwalker]

So maybe this guy can pull or run a screen. Now if he can run and pass block as well as maybe snap the ball then he's in the hunt. I love speed, agility and quickness in an OL; as long as they can do they're other homework.

I remember watching him in 2011 and being completely shocked that he didn't start over Costa in what I believe was the final game of the season. It was a game where Costa was injured and was a "game-time" decision to start.

I remember thinking that Kowalski had shown enough ability to not push Costa into starting with an injury (I think it was an Ankle injury for Costa but I can't remember for certain).

 

[Fla Cowpoke]

His only real negative physically is that he is smaller than you like at guard...other than that, I hope he comes in and is healthy and ready to compete at either guard spot or center.

 

[xwalker]

So maybe this guy can pull or run a screen. Now if he can run and pass block as well as maybe snap the ball then he's in the hunt. I love speed, agility and quickness in an OL; as long as they can do they're other homework.

Ryan Cook didn't get a lot of hate from the fans because he was a decent pass-blocker and didn't have problems with the shotgun snaps; however, his lack of quickness really limited Callahan's ability to implement his Zone Blocking Scheme.

 

[9darter]

I remember watching him in 2011 and being completely shocked that he didn't start over Costa in what I believe was the final game of the season. It was a game where Costa was injured and was a "game-time" decision to start.

I remember thinking that Kowalski had shown enough ability to not push Costa into starting with an injury (I think it was an Ankle injury for Costa but I can't remember for certain).

Yeah. I like Kowalski way better than Costa.

 

[Fla Cowpoke]

Yeah. I like Kowalski way better than Costa.

It's funny, because Kowalski is almost a carbon copy of Costa, right down to the short arms. Kowalski's were only 31", second shortest of linemen at the combine that year.

 

[silver]

He's the Cory Proctor of the 2013 Cowboys. Scrapper, will fight, but limited physically to start for an extended amount of time in the NFL. And like Proctor will be the recipient of a lot of unwarranted criticism from many a Cowboy fan who expect all of our linemen to perform to Larry Allen's level.

 

[xwalker]

It's funny, because Kowalski is almost a carbon copy of Costa, right down to the short arms. Kowalski's were only 31", second shortest of linemen at the combine that year.

Kowalski's arm length is 31-1/2".

I see that there is a site of unknown accuracy listing Costa's as 31", but he was reported at 30" back when he was drafted.

 

[jnday]

I remember watching him in 2011 and being completely shocked that he didn't start over Costa in what I believe was the final game of the season. It was a game where Costa was injured and was a "game-time" decision to start.

I remember thinking that Kowalski had shown enough ability to not push Costa into starting with an injury (I think it was an Ankle injury for Costa but I can't remember for certain).

I thought he should have been the starter or Costa too. He clearly played better. I don't see him as anything more than a back up at guard. He is too small and he doesn't have the power needed. He is a much better center. He certainly snaps the ball better than Costa.

 

[conner01]

i liked killer but the fact he did'nt get on the field last years has to make you wonder. if we draft a guy like frederick in this years draft will tell you what the staff thinks of him alot

 

[burmafrd]

He's the Cory Proctor of the 2013 Cowboys. Scrapper, will fight, but limited physically to start for an extended amount of time in the NFL. And like Proctor will be the recipient of a lot of unwarranted criticism from many a Cowboy fan who expect all of our linemen to perform to Larry Allen's level.

Cowobys fans did not like him because he SUCKED.

 

[burmafrd]

Had hopes for Killer K at one time but now I am kinda 'meh' about him. Just cannot seem to get healthy.

I agree that in his limited time he did play he looked better then Costa but Houck loved Costa and there you are.

 

[Eskimo]

I really liked Killer in his rookie season. I thought he outplayed Costa by a decent margin in 2011 in spot duty. He is not a mauler but he is great combo blocker and he is vicious at getting to the second level to get at the LBs. It is a shame Houck didn't think so but he always favoured power more and Killer didn't fit his style.

Last year was a loss because of that ankle injury that put him off his feet for a good 4 or 5 months. After that kind of layoff it takes a long time to get your leg strength back but I was happy he progressed enough to be active on gameday by the end of the year. I'd really love for Killer to get a shot at Center against Costa and Bern this year. I think he has some of the best movement skills I've seen in a Center. He could be vicious pulling, getting out on screens, moving after the snap for stretch plays and combo blocking a DT and then peeling off to pick off the MLB. Part of what makes it harder to assess him is that he played against pretty tough competition in the games he was active that year: NYJ, SF, Philly and NYG all had stout DLs that year.

 

[Fla Cowpoke]

Had hopes for Killer K at one time but now I am kinda 'meh' about him. Just cannot seem to get healthy.

I agree that in his limited time he did play he looked better then Costa but Houck loved Costa and there you are.

I think Callahan loves Costa way more than Houck did, and I think Garrett does as well.

 

[Fla Cowpoke]

I really liked Killer in his rookie season. I thought he outplayed Costa by a decent margin in 2011 in spot duty. He is not a mauler but he is great combo blocker and he is vicious at getting to the second level to get at the LBs. It is a shame Houck didn't think so but he always favoured power more and Killer didn't fit his style.

Last year was a loss because of that ankle injury that put him off his feet for a good 4 or 5 months. After that kind of layoff it takes a long time to get your leg strength back but I was happy he progressed enough to be active on gameday by the end of the year. I'd really love for Killer to get a shot at Center against Costa and Bern this year. I think he has some of the best movement skills I've seen in a Center. He could be vicious pulling, getting out on screens, moving after the snap for stretch plays and combo blocking a DT and then peeling off to pick off the MLB. Part of what makes it harder to assess him is that he played against pretty tough competition in the games he was active that year: NYJ, SF, Philly and NYG all had stout DLs that year.

I am not sure if I agree that Kowalski outplayed Costa, but I was excited for him as a rookie as well, and was excited last year as well. Never thought what was pretty much an undisclosed injury would keep him out like it did but hopefully he will come into camp at 100%. I think Costa and Kowalski both have more to offer than Bernadeau for sure and probably more than Livings. Neither is going to being the biggest guy, but Costa plays with great power and decent mobility and Kowalski offers decent strength with great mobility. They both have the negative of short arms....31" or 31.5" really doesn't make a difference but I think they both can overcome that limitation.

I know we have Leary as our "young" guard and I hope he can make strides...I don't think Arkin is ever gonna make it. Would love to see us get Brandon Moore to solidify guard right now, draft a stud OG that can knock Livings or Berny off the team and a developmental OT swingman type that allows us to dump Free and move forward.