DMN Blog: Dallas Cowboys draft review: OLB Victor Butler

[cowboyjoe]

Dallas Cowboys draft review: OLB Victor Butler
10:25 AM Thu, May 07, 2009 | Permalink | Yahoo! Buzz
Tim MacMahon E-mail News tips

http://cowboysblog.***BANNED-URL***/archives/2009/05/dallas-cowboys-draft-review-olb-victor-b.html

the link above is for the video of butler


Selected: Fourth round, 110th overall
Size: 6-2, 248
School: Oregon State

POSITIVES
Butler's best attribute is his ability to get to the quarterback. He had 22.5 sacks his last two seasons as a defensive end at Oregon State, leading the Pac-10 with 12 as a senior. He's quick off the ball, turns the corner well and understands how to use his array of moves to keep offensive tackles off balance. He's also a standout special teams player and has excellent character. He was voted a team captain before last season despite only having one start under his belt at the time.

NEGATIVES
As an outside linebacker, Butler might be a one-trick pony. He was not a force against the run in college. He has good range, but he struggles to shed blocks. His pass coverage ability is a work in progress, but the Cowboys coaches are confident that he possesses the athletic ability to at least be adequate.

COWBOY FIT
The Cowboys needed at least one pass rusher to replace Greg Ellis, so they drafted Butler and Texas Tech's Brandon Williams in the fourth round. The question: Will Ellis' departure come before or after the 2009 season? If the Cowboys cut Ellis this summer, Butler will have an opportunity to be a pass-rushing specialist as a rookie. He's expected to be a significant contributor on special teams. There is the possibility that the Cowboys decide to keep Ellis and cut one of the fourth-rounders.

LB COACH REGGIE HERRING
"Victor is probably the most athletic of all of (the Cowboys' rookie linebackers). Fast, fleet-footed, very light on his feet, very athletic, very quick. Probably doesn't possess the bulk and upper-body strength that Brandon Williams does, but he can get there. On the other hand, he's probably the quickest and most athletic of all four of them. ... Victor played with a high-ankle sprain his senior year and was a little bit soft in the run game. But we saw great athleticism. We can get the run stuff down, because that's where our bread and butter is and that's where we build our defense. That's something that's not an option, so we'll get that mentality and get that physical play out of him one way or another."

SCOUTING REPORTS
NFL Draft Scout (CBSSports.com)

DraftCountdown.com

Scouts, Inc. (ESPN Insider)

PREVIOUS INSTALLMENTS
LB Jason Williams
OL Robert Brewster

 

[Woods]

"There is the possibility that the Cowboys decide to keep Ellis and cut one of the fourth-rounders."


=============================================

I don't see us cutting one of our 4th rounders in TC this year!

IMO, the probability of that is very low.

 

[KingintheNorth]

I watch a lot of Pac-10 football and I thought Butler was an epic reach. I have to have faith in the Cowboys scouts though.

Maybe he can be a 3rd down pass-rusher to relieve Anthony Spencer, which makes Greg Ellis expendable right away. I really don't ever see him being able to cover tight ends or runningbacks on pass routes.

I'm much bigger on the only 20-year old Brandon Williams. I think he can end up being the player (along with Mike Mickens) that really stands out from this draft class.

 

[btcutter]

He looks that he can be a 3rd down pass rush specialist right now. He's fast and relentless in chasing down plays. He maybe the most accomplished passrusher of all our rookies

 

[cowboyjoe]

I watch a lot of Pac-10 football and I thought Butler was an epic reach. I have to have faith in the Cowboys scouts though.

Maybe he can be a 3rd down pass-rusher to relieve Anthony Spencer, which makes Greg Ellis expendable right away. I really don't ever see him being able to cover tight ends or runningbacks on pass routes.

I'm much bigger on the only 20-year old Brandon Williams. I think he can end up being the player (along with Mike Mickens) that really stands out from this draft class.

i think this is what stephen jones was saying in a press conference before the draft, stephen said that you draft guys in lower rounds that so they can take over for players that will be due a big pay raise at end of their contracts, so if you can get a player in lower rounds that can play in time by the time that player is up for a new contract you save money

so i think with brandon williams and butler, the cowboys plan on replacing greg ellis with one or both of them next year;
also with the drafting of these 2 players, this will show the door for players like carlos polk, and justin rogers, for example

 

[Chocolate Lab]

I'm much bigger on the only 20-year old Brandon Williams. I think he can end up being the player (along with Mike Mickens) that really stands out from this draft class.

I agree. Butler looks small and not particularly athletic to me. But Herring doesn't agree, and it's great to see that he thinks Butler might be the most athletic LB of the bunch. (Aside from Ware, which goes without saying.) And his production has been good.

Plus, this guy has the best attitude ever. He'll be one of my favorites for that reason alone.

 

[TheCount]

CowboyJoe you've been killing this draft coverage pre and post draft, keep up the nice work.

 

[DallasEast]

I haven't watched much Pac-10 football outside of USC, so I'm not familiar with Butler's strengths, but it sounds like he will be utilized best as a situational third-and-long pass rushing specialist. That, along with the additions of DeAngelo Smith, Michael Hamlin and Mike Mickens to strengthen the defensive back core and pass coverage, would be the best way to take advantage of his particular skills set. Namely, make pass coverage secondary and allow him to apply pressure on the quarterback during planned blitzes.

 

[cowboyjoe]

CowboyJoe you've been killing this draft coverage pre and post draft, keep up the nice work.

will try buddy

 

[cowboyjoe]

I haven't watched much Pac-10 football outside of USC, so I'm not familiar with Butler's strengths, but it sounds like he will be utilized best as a situational third-and-long pass rushing specialist. That, along with the additions of DeAngelo Smith, Michael Hamlin and Mike Mickens to strengthen the defensive back core and pass coverage, would be the best way to take advantage of his particular skills set. Namely, make pass coverage secondary and allow him to apply pressure on the quarterback during planned blitzes.

i think it was hostile who said he watched him play and he played pretty good, if wasnt hostile someone else said so; so im taking what they said about butler and what the coaches said about butler;

so time will tell, heck maybe he is one of those patriot linebackers like ted brushi or mike vrabel, if butler can be as good as one of those linebackers, then yes the cowboys have found a gem;

 

[Hostile]

I watch a lot of Pac-10 football and I thought Butler was an epic reach. I have to have faith in the Cowboys scouts though.

Maybe he can be a 3rd down pass-rusher to relieve Anthony Spencer, which makes Greg Ellis expendable right away. I really don't ever see him being able to cover tight ends or runningbacks on pass routes.

I'm much bigger on the only 20-year old Brandon Williams. I think he can end up being the player (along with Mike Mickens) that really stands out from this draft class.

Fellow Pac-10 guy here and I agree with every word of this.

 

[Hostile]

CowboyJoe you've been killing this draft coverage pre and post draft, keep up the nice work.

I am glad someone has noticed this besides me. I wish I had given him the kudos you just did. So I will echo them.

 

[fortdick]

Maybe he can be a 3rd down pass-rusher to relieve Anthony Spencer,

I thought the pass rush was Spencer's strongest asset. Now we need to replace him on third down? No one should say a word about Carpenter without also slamming this guy.

 

[cowboyjoe]

I am glad someone has noticed this besides me. I wish I had given him the kudos you just did. So I will echo them.

thanks hostile, hopefully i can give an even better draft coverage next year, because we will have our # 1 pick, along with our 2nd and 3rd and 4th, plus best i remember we will get an extra 3rd and 4th in compensation picks for chris canty and kevin burnett;

that will help us load up and move up in the draft to get at least 2 impact players

mind you, i dont know too much about this player, (i did post about him alittle last year but here is some more)
Kelton Tindal, Newberry- Are you looking for the fastest man at the NFL Scouting Combine? Tindal could be the one as he reportedly ran in the 4.2-4.3 range, with clocks as low as 4.22, as his junior pro day while measuring in at 6'2, 189 pounds. He caught 39 passes for 745 yards and 6 touchdowns while rushing for two touchdowns as well. He needs to bulk up and is considered a pure linear threat at this point but has potential. Keep tabs on this name.

 

[KingintheNorth]

I thought the pass rush was Spencer's strongest asset. Now we need to replace him on third down? No one should say a word about Carpenter without also slamming this guy.

I get what you are saying but I think the team expects Anthony Spencer to be a verstaile player and be able to cover and rush the passer. The thing about the 3-4 is the ability to disguise what you are doing. Spencer has to be able to cover guys or he is almost worthless to us.

Back to Butler, I just seem him as a pass rusher only, meaning when you see him on the field it is obvious to everyone why he is there. As I type this I realize Butler is still young and is being asked to play a new position. Who knows? He may adjust after some work. The one thing most of us and coaches will agree on is that you can never have enough pass rushers.

 

[KingintheNorth]

...

mind you, i dont know too much about this player, (i did post about him alittle last year but here is some more)
Kelton Tindal, Newberry- Are you looking for the fastest man at the NFL Scouting Combine? Tindal could be the one as he reportedly ran in the 4.2-4.3 range, with clocks as low as 4.22, as his junior pro day while measuring in at 6'2, 189 pounds. He caught 39 passes for 745 yards and 6 touchdowns while rushing for two touchdowns as well. He needs to bulk up and is considered a pure linear threat at this point but has potential. Keep tabs on this name.

Wow. You've identified next year's Johnny Knox already? Impressive.

 

[Alexander]

"There is the possibility that the Cowboys decide to keep Ellis and cut one of the fourth-rounders."


=============================================

I don't see us cutting one of our 4th rounders in TC this year!

IMO, the probability of that is very low.

It all depends if we get into a numbers game.

I know everyone is thinking Ellis where these two are concerned, but if either can play special teams well, they will push Justin Rogers off the roster. Rogers is a player I don't see as having an NFL future as an OLB in our defense, these two have a fighting shot.

 

[fortdick]

It all depends if we get into a numbers game.

I know everyone is thinking Ellis where these two are concerned, but if either can play special teams well, they will push Justin Rogers off the roster. Rogers is a player I don't see as having an NFL future as an OLB in our defense, these two have a fighting shot.

I understand what you are saying , but disagree that Ellis is a safer bet than Rogers because these two kids have potential. I can see us keeping one of them and sending the other (Butler) to the practice squad, but if both are to make the 53 man roster Ellis will have to go. Rogers understands the system and is not a liability. He may not be D. Ware, but he can step in if Spencer has problems.

Ellis is just too much money to sit on the bench. He is either a significant part of the defense or should be gone, no in between.

 

[cowboyjoe]

Wow. You've identified next year's Johnny Knox already? Impressive.

i read where he is very impressive and the way he slipped through teams radar in colleges was something else, will try to find article on him if i can later

he does sound interesting though;

 

[Alexander]

I understand what you are saying , but disagree that Ellis is a safer bet than Rogers because these two kids have potential. I can see us keeping one of them and sending the other (Butler) to the practice squad, but if both are to make the 53 man roster Ellis will have to go.

Not necessarily, it just means we might go lighter elsewhere (receiver, safety if Smith can play CB too). Pass rushers are hard to find and I certainly wouldn't expose one to waivers if they had potential, Ellis or no Ellis.

Believe me, I would love to see Ellis go. To me, he's a progress stopper. I just don't think Jones and/or Phillips would be willing to cut him just because of a rookie. It is a case of security. A rookie would have to show an awful lot to make Ellis expendable.

Rogers understands the system and is not a liability. He may not be D. Ware, but he can step in if Spencer has problems.

I don't think that is the case at all. I have seen nothing from Rogers indicating he can step up and be more than a special teamer. Spencer was out a lot last preseason and Rogers was barely a blip on the radar screen.

Ellis is just too much money to sit on the bench. He is either a significant part of the defense or should be gone, no in between.

Again, possibly, but not set in stone.