DMN Blog: Dallas Cowboys draft review: FS DeAngelo Smith

[Alexander]

Dallas Cowboys draft review: FS DeAngelo Smith
8:00 AM Mon, May 11, 2009 | Permalink | Yahoo! Buzz
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Selected: Fifth round, 143rd overall
Size: 5-11, 194
School: Cincinnati

POSITIVES
The Cowboys considered Smith a key to their draft - trading up to get him - because of his versatility. He made 23 starts for Cincinnati at cornerback and five at free safety. The Cowboys envision him as a playmaking free safety (12 picks during his college career) who can match up with some slot receivers and play cornerback in a pinch. He's a physical, quick player with good instincts and a high football IQ. He also has significant special teams experience. He averaged 9.5 yards per punt return for the Bearcats and excelled as a gunner on punt coverage.

NEGATIVES
Smith doesn't shy away from contact, but he's undersized for an NFL safety. While he's willing in run support, he misses too many tackles and tends to have difficulty getting off blocks. He doesn't have great speed (4.55 40), which is why many teams shied away from him as a cornerback prospect. If he is used as a cornerback, his ability to plan man coverage is a question mark.

COWBOY FIT
He'll compete to be Ken Hamlin's backup as a rookie and could earn playing time in the dime package. He'll have an edge entering training camp over Courtney Brown and Patrick Watkins, because neither of those guys have taken advantage of their opportunities to contribute to the defense. Smith is much more physical than Brown and has significantly better coverage skills than Watkins. He'll also have an opportunity to win the job as punt returner, a job currently held by Patrick Crayton. Smith should be able to contribute immediately on punt and kick coverage.

SECONDARY COACH DAVE CAMPO
"Very competitive, tough, can play inside or outside. I think his versatility and his special teams ability is going to be excellent. He's a ballhawk as well. He had 12 interceptions (in college), but when he was at safety, he got most of his interceptions, because he's got a great feel for the ball. We hope that he can compete and get himself involved fairly early. ... He's going to be a safety first. Time will tell what he ends up being, but initially, he's going to be a safety. ... He's a tough guy. He's a very, very good run supporter. He's a tough, physical guy. Now, he's not the biggest guy, but the free safety position doesn't have to be big. That's a guy that does a lot of making plays in the alley and stuff like that, and he's a good tackler, so I didn't have any qualms at all about that. ... That kind of a guy, who can cover because he has corner skills, is invaluable. He's a special guy. Now if a team tries to get a match up on a tight end or something, if you've got Tony Gonzalez or a real good one, this guy going out to cover him isn't like a regular safety covering him. He's a cover man. That gives you an advantage. ... If he's going to spend a lot of time around the box, that's not going to be his strength. But we don't spend a lot of time around the box. Most of the time we're in coverage positions. We're playing deep balls, but we're also in position to get up in there."

SCOUTING REPORTS
NFL Draft Scout (CBSSports.com)

Scouts, Inc. (ESPN Insider)

DraftCountdown.com

PREVIOUS INSTALLMENTS
LB Jason Williams
OL Robert Brewster
OLB Victor Butler
OLB Brandon Williams

 

[Idgit]

We must have a plan for this player, since we moved up to get him. Sounds like Scandrick-insurance to me. I bet there's a fundamental coverage change we're undertaking on defense this season. We've heard rumblings about it, and it sure looks like we're bringing in personnel with the new secondary plan in mind.

 

[Alexander]

We must have a plan for this player, since we moved up to get him. Sounds like Scandrick-insurance to me. I bet there's a fundamental coverage change we're undertaking on defense this season. We've heard rumblings about it, and it sure looks like we're bringing in personnel with the new secondary plan in mind.

I don't think it is a secret we wanted a free safety who had more range. Smith appears to fit the bill.

I missed that we moved up for him though. What did we give up?

 

[Rush 2112]

156 and 210

 

[jobberone]

I don't think it is a secret we wanted a free safety who had more range. Smith appears to fit the bill.

I missed that we moved up for him though. What did we give up?

Agreed. Notice we are exactly opposite what we did a few years ago with Roy.

Looks like there will be some changes this year.

 

[AMERICAS_FAN]

He'll have an edge entering training camp over Courtney Brown and Patrick Watkins, because neither of those guys have taken advantage of their opportunities to contribute to the defense.

Churn, churn churn goes the roster,
Ding, ding ding, goes the bell,
...

 

[Idgit]

I don't think it is a secret we wanted a free safety who had more range. Smith appears to fit the bill.

I missed that we moved up for him though. What did we give up?

No secret we wanted better coverage at safety, but there were a number of prospects who fit that bill. We trade up for a CB-convert who's light for a safety but is smart, good ball instincts, and has the makings of a slot cover-player.

Might well be coincidence, but Smith sounds like he could fit into the hybrid safety role ('lil help with the name, somebody) we were reportedly considering for Scandrick earlier in the offseason. If we're targeting and trading for backup players for that spot, it could mean that that adjustment to the secondary will be a significant one for us this year. Just speculating on whether or not that's the case.

 

[Noryb]

('lil help with the name, somebody)

I believe they called it the star position.

 

[FCBarca]

I wonder if there's anything worthwhile in Campo's comments/assessments on a player, in all honesty...This is not a coach with a great track record for player assessment, IMHO...I'm not at all convinced that he would know a good DB if he saw one

 

[Alexander]

I wonder if there's anything worthwhile in Campo's comments/assessments on a player, in all honesty...This is not a coach with a great track record for player assessment, IMHO...I'm not at all convinced that he would know a good DB if he saw one

I think Campo talks a good game though. He says all the right things but rarely has had that player in Dallas since Woodson.

 

[Chief]

I wonder if there's anything worthwhile in Campo's comments/assessments on a player, in all honesty...This is not a coach with a great track record for player assessment, IMHO...I'm not at all convinced that he would know a good DB if he saw one

I agree.

I take what he says with a grain of salt.

“Every once in a while a player comes along who causes you to think `this one is different; this one is going to be special. I felt that way about Quincy the first time I ever sat down and talked to him one-on-one.”

Dave Campo on LaVonya Quintelle “Quincy” Carter, 2001.

 

[cobra]

I only saw D. Smith in a couple games last year, but he looked like a very nice player. I was very pleased to get him. In my opinion, he definitely has the potential to start outright, or at the very least be first team in passing formations.

I don't see this as roster churning. I see this as a guy who could potentially have solid playing time.

Then again, silly me, I like our draft. Sure, there are some other players I would have liked to get, but I think we are going to have some serious contributors out of this group.

 

[Alexander]

I agree.

I take what he says with a grain of salt.

“Every once in a while a player comes along who causes you to think `this one is different; this one is going to be special. I felt that way about Quincy the first time I ever sat down and talked to him one-on-one.”

Dave Campo on LaVonya Quintelle “Quincy” Carter, 2001.

I had never read that before. That really makes me think a lot less of him.

 

[Monster Heel]

Don't see how he could be much worse than Pat Watkins and Courtney Brown, but I'm losing faith in this team's safety evaluation by the year.

 

[InDakWeTrust]

Dave Campo wasn't a part of this team in the Watkins and Brown drafts (I think) but he was here for the Quincy Carter/Tony Dixon lovely draft.

 

[GimmeTheBall!]

I had never read that before. That really makes me think a lot less of him.

hindsight is keen.

I was disgusted when we picked Quincy so early in the draft, but I have to admit that after i saw Carter start his second game i was thinking along the same lines of Campo.

Not defending campo or Quincy but the latter had lots of people thinking he was special before we all saw the totality, or lack of it, of his game.

 

[Alexander]

hindsight is keen.

I was disgusted when we picked Quincy so early in the draft, but I have to admit that after i saw Carter start his second game i was thinking along the same lines of Campo.

Not defending campo or Quincy but the latter had lots of people thinking he was special before we all saw the totality, or lack of it, of his game.

Quincy Carter Arrested in Abilene
Reported by: Laura Kellerman / Victor Sotelo


Monday, May 11, 2009 @12:10pm CST

ABILENE, Texas – Ruff Riders quarterback Quincy Carter was picked up by police Sunday night in Abilene on a warrant out of Dallas County for violation of probation, according to records at the Taylor County Jail.

The former quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys immediately bonded out and spent no time in jail.

Carter has a long history with the law. He was arrested for marijuana possession and DWI in Mission, Texas in February, two weeks prior to signing with the Abilene Ruff Riders.

 

[speedkilz88]

DeAngelo Smith sounds a lot more like Brock Marion than any of the other safeties we've had before.


Brock Marion was a 5-11 1/2 180 4.63 CB (Ourlad's 1993) that made an excellent FS for the Cowboys.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

I wonder if there's anything worthwhile in Campo's comments/assessments on a player, in all honesty...This is not a coach with a great track record for player assessment, IMHO...I'm not at all convinced that he would know a good DB if he saw one

Campo developed Kevin Smith, Darren Woodson, Larry Smith, Roy Williams, Rashean Mathis, and a whole slew of others. You don't know what the hell youre talking about.

 

[Rush 2112]

Campo developed Kevin Smith, Darren Woodson, Larry Smith, Roy Williams, Rashean Mathis, and a whole slew of others. You don't know what the hell youre talking about.

Hilarious....................