Doug Free another OL

[cleverusername]

http://www.rookiepedia.com/index.php?title=Doug_Free

Name: Doug Free
Height: 6'7"
Weight: 302
40 Time: 5.10
Position: T
College: Northern Illinois


Boasts second-best squat lift on roster with 500-pound effort. Produced 18 reps with 225 pounds, 29-inch vertical jump, 350-pound power clean, and 355-pound bench press in off-season conditioning program (2006).

Played in the East West Shrine Game and was impressive in practice and shut down Justin Hickman in the game … Displayed good technique in the game to deal with bull rush and force speed rushers to the outside and also hit his blocks in the running game and moved his man backwards … Perfect body type … Mauler in the run game … Immensely strong … Opens holes in the running game … Good downfield mobility … Paved the way for the diminutive Garrett Wolfe to rush his way into Heisman contention, although the running game was slowed in the second half of the season … Nicknamed "the Freak", although Chris Berman will undoubtedly call him Doug "I want to break" Free

May be looked at as a guard in NFL ... battled groin & foot injuries as a senior which led to a decline in play but to his credit he didn't miss any games... Better prospect than former Husky & Indy Colt Ryan Diem.

Named to Outland Trophy Watch List. Honorable Mention All-America, First-Team All-MAC selection, and listed as league's "top NFL prospect" by Street & Smith's.
First-Team All-America selection by Insiders' Football News. Listed as Third-Team All-America and First-Team All-MAC by Athlon Sports preseason publication. Tabbed First-Team All-MAC by Blue Ribbon College Football Digest. First-Team All-MAC and ranked as No. 8 offensive tackle in the nation by The Sporting News.

Honorable mention All-America and rated as No. 6 offensive tackle in the nation by CollegeFootballNews.com.

Listed as the nation's No. 8 offensive tackle by Lindy's preseason publication in addition to being tabbed as the MAC's "Best Run Blocker" and the league's No. 2 NFL Draft candidate and a first-team all-conference pick.

Tabbed as First-Team All-MAC, ranked as the No. 10 offensive tackle nationally, and No. 26 on 2007 NFL Draft List by Phil Steele's College Football Preview. Named on preseason Third-Team NationalChamps.Net All-America.

Listed as fourth-best senior offensive tackle and No. 23 among senior prospects for 2007 NFL Draft by Mel Kiper. First-Team All-MAC by CBS SportsLine.

 

[BlueStar22]

Another massive, massive offensive lineman. This guy was thought of as a late 1st/early 2nd round caliber player heading into this year but he suffered a stress fracture in his foot last year that slowed him down. He still graded out at 91% for the season.

We got three candidates to replace Flozell now. Leonard Davis should remain at guard for the rest of his career with the Cowboys.

I agree. That's what Mickey and Norm were saying about Davis. These picks show that Jerry and Co. believe what the rest of the league believe about Davis, not very good in space and will be a better fit at guard for us.

 

[Joe a Cowboys fan]

OT/OG maybe, at least they are trying to find some line help. Be nice to find another Joe Jacobi in the weeds somewhere.

 

[Mr Cowboy]

We now have the tallest and biggest offensive lineman in the NFL!

 

[Sarge]

Jerry says we have to start doing a better job developing OLs. He said we can't continue to do business like this, i.e. spending free agent money on veteran linemen.

Took'em long enough to figure that out - common sense.

 

[AbeBeta]

I think those guys were day 1 picks.

like Marten?

 

[Shotgun Dave]

Huge value pick!

Hafta say tho...we certainly look lke a team that's building for the future and not so much for today. Coming into the draft, we had signed Columbo and Davis. Our o-line looked rock solid...so it sure looks like we've drafted replacements for two starters. I like both the Marten and Free pick (many guides had them side-by-side with their draft grades) but it makes me wonder if Wade and Jason see our team very differently than the draft guides. Yes, we helped our secondary issues with the Spencer pick, but is the Stanback pick meant to shore up our WR corps?

Good value, but I'm kinda scratching my head here.

 

[Da Hammer]

i dont dislike this pick but i would have rather have taken CB... but if Free was rated a lot higher at that spot than any CB then i guess we made the right move. still a little stunned by the pick though...

 

[StanleySpadowski]

Yes they will be liste on the depth chart right behind TO, Glenn, CRayton, Austin, and Hurd

People amaze me. Dallas will carry six WRs maximum. They have five and then draft probably the fastest WR in the draft who just happens to be over 6' and 220 but people want to draft a few for the practice squad/camp fodder.

 

[masomenos]

Over the past two seasons Doug Free has a higher blocking success rate over the past two seasons (90.1%) than any OT in the draft, including Joe Thomas (89.6).

He does need to add strength but that shouldn't be a problem. Going from a smaller college to the NFL will do wonders for him. Curious because he, like Marten seems more suited for RT. Perhaps Marten will switch back to OG?

 

[Crown Royal]

A friend of mine @ TCU, who played Northern Illinois in their bowl game, said that TCU's DEs wreaked havoc all day long. For what it's worth - I know nothing about the prospect.

 

[MiStar]

TCU's defense was in the backfield all day long.

 

[Q_the_man]

Played in the East West Shrin... Man we got a steal....Hickman a future HOFer

 

[jimmy40]

Over the past two seasons Doug Free has a higher blocking success rate over the past two seasons (90.1%) than any OT in the draft, including Joe Thomas (89.6).

I'm not saying this is a bad pick but come on now, what would Joe Thomas grade at playing in the MAC or WAC or WASP or whatever conference Free came from?

 

[tomson75]

I'm not saying this is a bad pick but come on now, what would Joe Thomas grade at playing in the MAC or WAC or WASP or whatever conference Free came from?

Hence Joe Thomas going in the top five and Free going in the Fourth. He's a project. Jerry's right, we need to start develping these guys so we aren't spending eleventy billion dollars on the OL. We develop these guys, then we can spend elenty billion dollars on Jerry's "wow" players.

 

[masomenos]

I'm not saying this is a bad pick but come on now, what would Joe Thomas grade at playing in the MAC or WAC or WASP or whatever conference Free came from?

Good point, lol.

 

[PJCOWBOYS]

Exactly. Glenn/Owens are our starters. Crayton is our 3rd reciever. Any wr we could have drafted wouldn't have been able to get the minutes anyways. We have 2 #1 picks next year. We can worry about an elite wr then if we need it.

 

[Armbender]

Free (6-6 1/4, 324) was my 77th-ranked player. He came to Northern Illinois as a tight end and has been a four-year starter (more than 45 games). There were some questions about his strength, but I saw tape of him in 2005 where he knocked down Michigan DT Alan Branch twice. This is a very athletic guy; he teammates called him "Doug Freak."

 

[Catch-22]

Mel Kiper just said he liked him, for what it's worth.

 

[CrazyCowboy]

Im not sure what we are going to do here..................just put OT"s at receiver?