DeCastro at Center

[RS12]

Beat writer on NFLN just mumbled something about DeCastro worst case playing Center for a year if they have to draft him as fall back position.

 

[Aliencowboy]

Anyone hear Broaddus on the Lunch Break today? Supposedly mentioned the Cowboys worked DeCastro out at Center. If that is true maybe that puts him back in play at 14.

It's the only reason to draft him at 14. Center is the
weakest position Dallas has.

 

[honyock]

It's the only reason to draft him at 14. Center is the
weakest position Dallas has.

That's a pretty good reason. Assuming he can do it, having him come in and handle center for the next decade would make it a sweet pick at 14.

 

[Zaxor]

yeah I like DeCastro way better at center than I do guard

 

[rwalters31]

That was mentioned last week about OL coach Callahan. Callahan has a history of taking best OL and moving him to C, while turning that player into all pro. Probably why Callahan looked at Zeitler too, see if he could transition to C, and I have heard in draft reports Zeitler could play C too.

DeCastro is a Pro Bowler this year at guard. At center I don't know about that. However, we would have the first pulling center since Mark Stepnoski. See if you see something special, read about Mark :
"Stepnoski, was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the 3rd round of the 1989 NFL Draft. He dropped in the draft, because the scouts thought that he was undersized for the NFL.
The Cowboys switched him to center, although he never played that position before. During his rookie year he was tutored by Tom Rafferty, who was playing his last season in the NFL. He became a starter for the last four games of the season.
Stepnoski used his athletic ability, leverage and balance, to outmaneuver bigger defensive players and become one of the leagues best centers of his era."


Special players only come around every so often. DeCastro is one.

 

[InmanRoshi]

A lot of the center position revolves around snapping the ball and firing off the snap. It's a little different when you've got to focus on accurately snapping the ball first and foremost while everyone else on the OL gets to just fire off. A lot of guards have made the transition, but a lot of guards haven't. I really don't know how you evaluate that against thin air without being in a game situation against a real live NT/DT.

 

[Dmoore Esq]

This move makes sense. Center = arguably the most imporant position on the OL.

I know a lot of people are against the idea of drafting a guy and playing him "out of position" because of the risk involved, but worst case scenario is that he doesn't work out at Center, and you just slide him back to guard.

Center is not the most important position on the line. Both tackle spots are more important.

Nobody is planning to move DeCastro to center, and no center is ever getting drafted at 14. It's not a premium position.

 

[Chuck 54]

I don't want an OG at 14, and I certainly don't want a Center that high in round 1. That's the ultimate reach for need. Centers and guards are never noticed and not considered your championship positions...all pro or average, you only notice when they suck, which is Dallas' problem.

Has any team ever drafted a center as high as #14 in round one in the history of the NFL?

I would love to have DeCastro at C or G if no DL or DB is in play when we are on the clock, but you have to trade down if possible. I do not think you draft a center or even a guard that high unless you've decided your need outweighs everything else.

 

[burmafrd]

I don't want an OG at 14, and I certainly don't want a Center that high in round 1. That's the ultimate reach for need. Centers and guards are never noticed and not considered your championship positions...all pro or average, you only notice when they suck, which is Dallas' problem.

Has any team ever drafted a center as high as #14 in round one in the history of the NFL?

I would love to have DeCastro at C or G if no DL or DB is in play when we are on the clock, but you have to trade down if possible. I do not think you draft a center or even a guard that high unless you've decided your need outweighs everything else.

your kind of thinking is what has gotten us pretty lousy OL interior the last few years. Happy?

 

[burmafrd]

A lot of the center position revolves around snapping the ball and firing off the snap. It's a little different when you've got to focus on accurately snapping the ball first and foremost while everyone else on the OL gets to just fire off. A lot of guards have made the transition, but a lot of guards haven't. I really don't know how you evaluate that against thin air without being in a game situation against a real live NT/DT.

DeCastro was either a 3* or 4* (not sure which) center prospect out of High School. So he played pretty well there. While of course that was years ago he has indeed played the position.

 

[jdnoyes]

Has any team ever drafted a center as high as #14 in round one in the history of the NFL

Since the merger here are the interior OL drafted 14 or higher per Drafthistory.

1967 #9 Bob Hyland - OG - Packers
1968 #2 Bob Johnson - C - Bengals
1970 #14 Doug Wilkerson - OG - Oilers
1972 #8 Royce Smith - OG - Saints
1973 #4 John Hannah - OG - Patriots
1974 #3 John Hicks - OG - Giants
1975 #3 Ken Huff - OG - Colts
1976 #12 Pete Brock - C - Patriots
1976 #14 Rod Walters - OG -.Chiefs
1977 #14 Steve August - OG - Seahawks
1980 #11 Brad Budde - OG - Chiefs
1982 #8 Mike Munchak - OG - Oilers
1983 # 9 Bruce Matthews - OG - Oilers
1986 #9 John Rienstra -OG - Steelers
1993 #14 Steve Everitt - C - Browns
1995 #14 Ruben Brown - OG - Bills
1997 #10 Chris Naeole - OG - Saints

A few of them played OT at timea in the NFL, but interior OL was their college position.