Draft Picks Will Play Major Role In 2006

[dcfanatic]

First round draft pick Linebacker Bobby Carpenter is going to start in 2006. Many so called experts were calling this the safest pick in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft. Carpenter fits the bill as they say. He has already beaten out Al Singleton for the starting outside linebacker spot, opposite Demarcus Ware, and he doesn't even have a star on his helmet yet. For me the most exciting early moment of the 2006 season is definitely going to be the first time I see Ware and Carpenter meet at the poor opposing team's quarterback. Let's hope that guy is Byron Leftwich.

Second round draft pick Tight End Anthony Fasano is going to start in 2006. 'Why are we drafting a Tight End when we have Pro Bowler Jason Witten?'. That's what me, you and the next guy said as soon as we all heard the name Anthony Fasano. Luckily Jerry Jones did a great job of explaining the pick a little while later on Saturday. I must say I am liking the idea of running the two Tight End set as the base offense more and more every hour. A combo of Witten and Fasano will provide a lot more options to this offense than the Witten and Polite/Campbell combo of 2005. Just think about the first time we see Fasano or Witten running down the sideline for a 40 yard gain against the Giants after Mr. Arrington starts freelancing and blows the coverage. This decision is just simple math. Defenses will have a lot of trouble determining is the Cowboys are going to pass or run and how many receiving options will even go out into the pattern.

Fourth round draft pick Wide Receiver Skyler Green is definitely going to return punts in 2006 and may also return kickoffs. When was the last time you jumped off the couch watching a Cowboys punt return? I don't remember either. Green is going to have us doing this at least once a game this season. Maybe I am getting ahead of myself on this one, but I read where someone in another organization compared him to the Chiefs Dante Hall. Wow, can't wait to see this kid play and I am saying right now that he will have at least one return for a TD this preseason.

Fifth round draft pick Safety Pat Watkins is going to push Keith Davis and Marcus Coleman for the starting Free Safety spot in 2006. No one in their right mind would say that the Free Safety job for the Dallas Cowboys is locked up by either Davis or Coleman. Is it highly unlikely that Watkins is going to be the starting Free Safety on opening day? Yes, but this is only May 1, 2006. By September 10, 2006 this question could be answered with a definitive No. All I know is that this kid was not happy about falling to fifth round and he has said he is coming into the NFL with a chip on his shoulder. I hope that he is one of those guys that plays much better when he is mad because it can only help the Cowboys defense at the end of the day.

Sixth round draft pick Defensive Tackle Montavious Stanley is going to be the main backup to Jason Ferguson in 2006. After five rounds went by in this draft I was praying for a Defensive Tackle in the sixth round. Stanley being drafted answered my prayers in a big way, pun intended. He is coming into the NFL the same way Jason Ferguson began his career. Both of these guys came into the NFL as late round draft choices and Coach Parcells is looking to mold Stanley into a Ferguson type of player. Have you heard Stanley in any of his post draft interviews? The Kid is a talker and a great personality, but then again aren't all defensive lineman. This Cowboy's defense now has two lunch pail Defensive Tackles and that's a good thing.

Third round pick Defensive End Jason Hatcher and seventh round draft picks Offensive Linemen Pat McQuistan and E.J. Whitley will probably not have as big of an impact this season as the guys above. They will get plenty of work in the 2006 training camp though. I know I am not alone in thinking that Hatcher is a question mark right now, but if I have to go on what has been written about him by various football scouts then it looks like he will be helping solidify the defensive line sooner rather than later.

If I told you before the draft that five of the eight players drafted would play a major role this season then I have to think at least 98% of us would be very happy.

Throw in the idea that we now have a new two Tight End offense to look forward to and we should be even happier. In my opinion Lousaka Polite did not play well enough to warrant a spot on the roster every week. I think anyone who has watched Anthony Fasano and Polite play football would have to admit Fasano is the more versatile player.

Initially I had to warm up to the Fasano pick and I am still a little mad that the offensive line wasn't addressed in the third round, but overall I am pleased with this draft. The grade? Well they say you really can't give any draft a grade until about three years later, but I am going to hand one out anyway. How about a B+ for Jerry, Bill and Jeff.

 

[Eddie]

How about a B+ for Jerry, Bill and Jeff.[/QUOTE]

I'd love to be in your classes. B+ is abit generous for this pedestrian draft.

Projects in the 3rd round and Special Teams players in the 4th round aren't quite the recipe to a successful draft.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

Maybe I am getting ahead of myself on this one, but I read where someone in another organization compared him to the Chiefs Dante Hall. Wow, can't wait to see this kid play and I am saying right now that he will have at least one return for a TD this preseason.

I that the person that said that was our own Jeff Ireland who was drawing comparisions about Dante Hall as he used to have something to do with the chiefs. It was either Jeff or one of our coaches.

 

[Hiero]

I'd love to be in your classes. B+ is abit generous for this pedestrian draft.

Projects in the 3rd round and Special Teams players in the 4th round aren't quite the recipe to a successful draft.

300 lb linemen and big time kr/pr guys with a chance to be a future starting WR do though.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

I'd love to be in your classes. B+ is abit generous for this pedestrian draft.

Projects in the 3rd round and Special Teams players in the 4th round aren't quite the recipe to a successful draft.

I pick on you for being negative most of the time.

But I think B+ is pushing it.

C- at lowest, B at best...AT THIS TIME imo.

 

[CrazyCowboy]

I personally like the B- grade.....a little conservative until I see them in training camp.

I do give it an "A" for potential.....

 

[Skip]

I pick on you for being negative most of the time.

But I think B+ is pushing it.

C- at lowest, B at best...AT THIS TIME imo.

"At THIS TIME" being the most important part of your post. I Like this draft and in time we may even like it more than we think. I know it will be disapointing if this draft class is less than we think "At THIS TIME".

 

[wileedog]

Projects in the 3rd round and Special Teams players in the 4th round aren't quite the recipe to a successful draft.

There's projects, and then there's 6'7" 300lb projects with 4.8 speed who recorded 10 sacks and 21 tackles for a loss last year projects. Granted at a lesser competition level, but those are still mind boggling numbers when you consider he was probably doubled and tripled on every play in that league.

He'll contribute this year in the nickel pass rush, and my guess is by the end of the season we're all going to feel a lot better about this pick.

Also, Green may contribute more to this season than anyone else in this draft not named Carpenter.

 

[Marktui]

I'd love to be in your classes. B+ is abit generous for this pedestrian draft.

Projects in the 3rd round and Special Teams players in the 4th round aren't quite the recipe to a successful draft.

I don't know about pedestrian, they drafted one of the top linebackers in the draft for a defense which is based on having good linebackers. 6'3'' 255lbs and can rush the passer and drop back into coverage. His learnig curve won't be as bad as Ware's was last year.

Skylar Green was drafted to be a punt returner and a pretty good one at that. Special teams players are not sexy picks, but if this guy can give us positive "field position" meaning we are starting from the 25-35 yard line as opposed to 10-15 yard line is a big weapon. Who did we have returning punts last year? I would rather have Green back there than TNew.

Hatcher was one of the top 100 players in the draft. He came from small school like Ware, but has all the measurable you like for a 3-4 DE and he played really well. At least we didn't trade up and reach for a DE like we used to in the years before this.

I think this grading the draft before these guys even suit up and play their first game is ridiculous anyway. I remember the the 2002 draft, when we got Roy Williams, Gurode...didn't we get an A for that, but we still went 5-11.

 

[Paniolo22]

I don't know about pedestrian, they drafted one of the top linebackers in the draft for a defense which is based on having good linebackers. 6'3'' 255lbs and can rush the passer and drop back into coverage. His learnig curve won't be as bad as Ware's was last year.

Skylar Green was drafted to be a punt returner and a pretty good one at that. Special teams players are not sexy picks, but if this guy can give us positive "field position" meaning we are starting from the 25-35 yard line as opposed to 10-15 yard line is a big weapon. Who did we have returning punts last year? I would rather have Green back there than TNew.

Hatcher was one of the top 100 players in the draft. He came from small school like Ware, but has all the measurable you like for a 3-4 DE and he played really well. At least we didn't trade up and reach for a DE like we used to in the years before this.

I think this grading the draft before these guys even suit up and play their first game is ridiculous anyway. I remember the the 2002 draft, when we got Roy Williams, Gurode...didn't we get an A for that, but we still went 5-11.

Green will probably not return kickoffs for us. Mostly punts. He doesn't have the top end speed for kickoffs, although they will probably give him a shot at it.

 

[Alexander]

Many so called experts were calling this the safest pick in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft

I thought that was A.J. Hawk.

 

[wileedog]

Green will probably not return kickoffs for us. Mostly punts. He doesn't have the top end speed for kickoffs, although they will probably give him a shot at it.

4.4 is not top end speed?

 

[Paniolo22]

4.4 is not top end speed?

My bad. I read somewhere he was in the 4.65-4.6 range. I checked the combine site and stand corrected. I wish him and us the best. 4.44 speed is not bad at all.

 

[ravidubey]

My first impression is a B; after all I'm used to years and years of Stepfret Williams's, Wane McGarity's, and Pete Hunters. The thought that any pick on the second day would land on a Cowboy's roster and actually contribute has been alien for almost ten years.

These past two drafts have totally shocked me because the last 2nd day picks to stick outside of Bradie James since 1993 are Matt Lehr and Oliver Ross-- two OL playing on other teams.

Last year we had two 4th round picks and a 7th rounder make contributions while a 6th rounder started game one and played every offensive series! Today it's a real possiblity that Pat Watkins and Montavious Stanley, our 5th and 6th round picks, will start at some point this year and never look back.

Set the OL aside for a moment to understand exactly how this draft underscores the new outlook of Cowboys management. The Lacewell/Jerry team would have traded our 3rd rounder to move up past Philly in the first round and take Winston Justice. They then would have drafted Pat Watkins in the 2nd and been deliriously happy when Jean Gilles fell to the 4th round, so they'd trade our 5th and 6th rounders to move up to get him. They would have then drafted Marcus Vick in the 7th round and called the haul of Justice, Watkins, Jean Gilles, and Vick an amazing success as it addressed the Cowboys' most glaring needs and they got "1st day value" on the 2nd day.

Just like 2002, fans would have been supportive and draft pundits would be giving the draft the same grades we are getting anyway while NFL officials around the league would be shaking their heads and laughing at Jerry as usual.

Instead we have a draft that addresses depth on the DL, makes the offense better and more versatile, gives us explosive special teams, a free safety, and a linebacker with the potential to be great. After all that, we still have a couple of promising projects to help competition on the OL. Heck yeah, give it a B.

 

[wileedog]

Set the OL aside for a moment to understand exactly how this draft underscores the new outlook of Cowboys management. The Lacewell/Jerry team would have traded our 3rd rounder to move up past Philly in the first round and take Winston Justice. They then would have drafted Pat Watkins in the 2nd and been deliriously happy when Jean Gilles fell to the 4th round, so they'd trade our 5th and 6th rounders to move up to get him. They would have then drafted Marcus Vick in the 7th round and called the haul of Justice, Watkins, Jean Gilles, and Vick an amazing success as it addressed the Cowboys' most glaring needs and they got "1st day value" on the 2nd day.

You nailed that so perfectly.

 

[Juke99]

I appreciate the optimism...but can we let these guys make the team first?

 

[morasp]

I think the draft we took Roy Williams got high grades but unfortunately hardly any of those players are on the team any more or even in the NFL. Most of this years class has the on the field production, physical skills, character, and work ethic to stick with a team

 

[CoCo]

Set the OL aside for a moment to understand exactly how this draft underscores the new outlook of Cowboys management. The Lacewell/Jerry team would have traded our 3rd rounder to move up past Philly in the first round and take Winston Justice. They then would have drafted Pat Watkins in the 2nd and been deliriously happy when Jean Gilles fell to the 4th round, so they'd trade our 5th and 6th rounders to move up to get him. They would have then drafted Marcus Vick in the 7th round and called the haul of Justice, Watkins, Jean Gilles, and Vick an amazing success as it addressed the Cowboys' most glaring needs and they got "1st day value" on the 2nd day.

And honestly as I read that proposal I think, yeah, that's all our eggs in 4 baskets but not a bad plan. Really.

The truth is that none of us knows how this will pan out. Neither do the experts. Most are getting excited about the potential upside of this draft and that is absolutely fine with me. Its fun.

Then there is the downside to look at. Not an obscure thought to suggest Carpenter could have been had lower though admittedly it takes two teams to trade.

An effective implementation of the 2 TE offense may be sheer brilliance but I think expectations of Fasono are pretty sky high now. I know he was picked about where he was supposed to be. Fine. But reading all the scouting reports posted here on draft day didn't scream 'sure-fire' to me. As I recall, he does have great hands, and ability to find holes. But he doesn't run away from LB's nor is he a good blocker. Now I think his productivity outpaced the report but I don't think any guy taken after Carpenter is a lock.

I'm not suggesting they're stiffs, or reaches, or on par with the Lacewll picks of the mid 90's. I just think there is considerable doubt with most of these players as is the case with every draft or other players we could have picked instead of them.

Unlike last year when one could point to #11, #20 and then Burnett as an early #2 I don't think you can look past Carpenter and know that any of the other players are going to get lots of PT. Ok, I'll throw in Fasano but I'm not ready to declare his time will be highly productive.

I hope so. I just think the rosy glasses are out in full force right now and reality is likely gonna slap back. I hear almost no one, fan or non, grading this draft an A, but it seems like many folks are wetting their pants over Stanley, Green, Watkins and the 2 TE set. Just seems a bit extreme to me.

Thats ok. Let hope abound. Tis the season.

 

[DC Cowboy]

"At THIS TIME" being the most important part of your post. I Like this draft and in time we may even like it more than we think. I know it will be disapointing if this draft class is less than we think "At THIS TIME".

If the TE, KR, and FS pan out and I know that's a big IF but if they do pan out then this will be a great draft. I like the DE pick and think he will do well. There is something to a man supporting a family plus he has already stated that he will stay up under BP to learn whtever it is he has too.

:starspin

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

I'd love to be in your classes. B+ is abit generous for this pedestrian draft.

Projects in the 3rd round and Special Teams players in the 4th round aren't quite the recipe to a successful draft.

I take it you played them on updated rosters in NFL2K5 to verify this.