Draft Targets Revisited

[big dog cowboy]

If Wright was not a target then why did they take him at 99 when he probably would have been there in the 6th round?

That's not the way the draft works.

 

[ThreeandOut]

Kelvin Joseph may not have been the target, they apparently tried to trade up for Campbell. Joseph may have been viewed as the BPA guy there too. All the 3rd round picks were puzzling, especially the Wright pick which leads me to believe he had to be one of the targets.

I think Joseph had to be a target as they were honed in on the CB position either in round 1 or 2. The quote just doesn’t make sense to me but maybe the simplest explanation is just because Jerry.

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

That's not the way the draft works.

Well, Stephen later pointing out getting Cox in the 4th round, and that supposedly “balances things out” is not how the draft works either, lol

 

[CowboyJ70]

Somebody on the draft show mentioned that they were discussing Baron Browning or Jabril Cox at 99.

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

Somebody on the draft show mentioned that they were discussing Baron Browning or Jabril Cox at 99.

Really? I hadn’t heard that, but that’s interesting. I really like Browning and in terms of a complete LB like him over Cox. I feel like they targeted Cox specifically for his strong suit in coverage.

 

[CowboyJ70]

Really? I hadn’t heard that, but that’s interesting. I really like Browning and in terms of a complete LB like him over Cox. I feel like they targeted Cox specifically for his strong suit in coverage.

I am just glad they were lucky and had Cox fall to them. I was nervous he was going early in round 4.

 

[CATCH17]

Wright’s movement skills are the precise reason I don’t think he has a real future at corner.

In this scheme I think he can do it very easy.

Just guarding the boundary.

This defense is going to be cornerback friendly. He’s not going to have to run all over the field chasing guys. His job will be to just not let anyone get behind you.. Anything in front of you someone else will take care of.

These cover 3 guys need a specific skill set and he has that.

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

In this scheme I think he can do it very easy.

Just guarding the boundary.

This defense is going to be cornerback friendly. He’s not going to have to run all over the field chasing guys. His job will be to just not let anyone get behind you.. Anything in front of you someone else will take care of.

I think folks are oversimplifying the corners’ roles in Quinn’s scheme. It doesn’t comport with them wanting to spend premium draft capital on guy’s like Horn, Surtain, or the trade up for Campbell. They will be playing man at times and carrying receivers.

 

[CATCH17]

I think folks are oversimplifying the corners’ roles in Quinn’s scheme. It doesn’t comport with them wanting to spend premium draft capital on guy’s like Horn, Surtain, or the trade up for Campbell. They will be playing man at times and carrying receivers.

They wanted anything defense in the draft and the corners had the most value. Since they were taken they had to settle for a linebacker.

Corners in this scheme just don’t travel with the WR when they cut inside much.

He’d be pretty stupid to draft a guy like that and ask him to cover that way as well.

 

[xwalker]

Jerry and McClay both mentioned that they targeted 6 players during day 2 and day 3 and ended up drafting 4 of those players. I think this means that at the beginning of day 2 they identified 6 targets and ended up taking 4 of those players over the course of day 2 and early day 3. The four targets that they drafted were in in my opinion Joseph, Odighizuwa, Golston, and Cox. The first three were targets as they taken with the first three picks they had on day 2. They used priority picks to ensure they got their targeted players.

Since they specifically mentioned that the targets went into day 3, I think Cox was the final targeted player and they went away from their targeted list of players at 99 with the Wright selection. This selection really boiled down to Quinn wanting more length at the CB position. Even though they took Joseph in round 2, he doesn't really have the ideal length Quinn prefers. With the Cowboys having an early 4th round pick, they were hoping they would still be able to land their final target in Cox.

As for the two other targets that the Cowboys weren't able to get, Campbell had to be one of them since they were looking to trade up in round 2 to take him. Not really sure about the last target but Holland, Moehrig, and Williams seem like the most likely candidates. Campbell is a longer CB than Joseph so if they had gotten him, then maybe they don't Wright (or take him later).

It was my understanding that at pick 99 they had six players (that they discussed) and ended up with 4 of the 6. Wright had a 3rd grade. From things Broaddus & Helman said I think the 2 that they didn't get were LB Browning & safety Caden Sterns.

My take on that comment was that there were 6 players that they discussed drafting at #99.

If true and if Cox was one of those players, then all of the players they drafted ahead of Cox must have been in that list of 6.

 

[john van brocklin]

Jerry and McClay both mentioned that they targeted 6 players during day 2 and day 3 and ended up drafting 4 of those players. I think this means that at the beginning of day 2 they identified 6 targets and ended up taking 4 of those players over the course of day 2 and early day 3. The four targets that they drafted were in in my opinion Joseph, Odighizuwa, Golston, and Cox. The first three were targets as they taken with the first three picks they had on day 2. They used priority picks to ensure they got their targeted players.

Since they specifically mentioned that the targets went into day 3, I think Cox was the final targeted player and they went away from their targeted list of players at 99 with the Wright selection. This selection really boiled down to Quinn wanting more length at the CB position. Even though they took Joseph in round 2, he doesn't really have the ideal length Quinn prefers. With the Cowboys having an early 4th round pick, they were hoping they would still be able to land their final target in Cox.

As for the two other targets that the Cowboys weren't able to get, Campbell had to be one of them since they were looking to trade up in round 2 to take him. Not really sure about the last target but Holland, Moehrig, and Williams seem like the most likely candidates. Campbell is a longer CB than Joseph so if they had gotten him, then maybe they don't Wright (or take him later).

Be nice to now for sure, wouldn't it?

 

[xwalker]

I’m positive the trade up attempt was for Campbell. I think he (Joseph) may have been the last (or best available) remaining corner they graded with starting quality traits.

For me, I’ll always compare how Wright’s career turns out in comparison to Ifeati Melinfonwu who was still available in the 3rd round.

They wanted anything defense in the draft and the corners had the most value. Since they were taken they had to settle for a linebacker.

Corners in this scheme just don’t travel with the WR when they cut inside much.

He’d be pretty stupid to draft a guy like that and ask him to cover that way as well.

The problem when Richard was the DB coach is that they didn't play that much Legion of Boom coverage because they didn't have a FS to make it work.
- Also, their struggles against the run going back to the 2018 season playoff game against the Rams forced them to cheat up the Safeties in an attempt to resolve that issue.

In the original LoB coverage scheme, the outside CBs played the boundary.
- The CB would force the WR to commit outside or inside at the line.
- If the WR went outside, the CB played man.
- If the WR went inside, the CB dropped into a deep zone.

The oddest issue with Richard is that in 2019 they played Awuzie as if he was the #1 CB.
- Awuzie's role was more difficult than the role of Byron Jones.
- Offenses found that the weakness was to play the slot WR on the opposite side from Awuzie.
- The Cowboys would cheat the FS over to that side leaving Awuzie with no help on his side.
- Because the Cowboys played the LDE (Awuzie's side) with a tight alignment and the RDE with a wide alignment, Awuzie also had more run contain responsibilities than BJ.

Bottom Line: In 2018, 2019 and then in 2020 with a new DC they struggled against the run and compromised coverage in an attempt to plug the leaks against the run.

 

[Kingofholland]

I think Joseph had to be a target as they were honed in on the CB position either in round 1 or 2. The quote just doesn’t make sense to me but maybe the simplest explanation is just because Jerry.

Target can be a loose term, but someone like Lamb wasn't necessarily a target last year for a couple of reasons, but it fell that way. Joseph would have had to be on their board but may not have been one of the primary targets they thought they would end up with.

 

[ThreeandOut]

My take on that comment was that there were 6 players that they discussed drafting at #99.

If true and if Cox was one of those players, then all of the players they drafted ahead of Cox must have been in that list of 6.

See my post comment #14 in this thread.

 

[conner01]

Based on what it appears they wanted they did very well
Time will tell if they targeted and got the right players

 

[xwalker]

See my post comment #14 in this thread.

You can't really put Jerry statements into text and have any chance of understanding his meaning. You have to listen to him directly.

They obviously considered more than 6 players over Day 2 and Day 3.

I don’t think they were referring to 6 players considered at pick 99. Here’s a quote from an article on the Cowboys website (Will McClay interview):

“Team owner/general manager Jerry Jones acknowledged last week that the front office considered as many as six different players over the course of Day 2 and Day 3 of the draft, and wound up selecting four of them in the middle rounds.”

 

[speedkilz88]

Jerry talks about it right here at 25:00, he was talking about 6 at 99.
Wright, Cox, Ball, Fehoka were the 4 they got. I believe Browning & Caden Sterns were the two they didn't based on what Broaddus & Helman mentioned during the draft.

 

[Risen Star]

Wright’s movement skills are the precise reason I don’t think he has a real future at corner.

A quality 6'4" NFL corner is an albino unicorn. You just don't have the agility to play the position. Or safety, for that matter.

I look at it as a 9 player draft class.

 

[speedkilz88]

A quality 6'4" NFL corner is an albino unicorn. You just don't have the agility to play the position. Or safety, for that matter.

I look at it as a 9 player draft class.

He may not be able to play, but the seahawks style of coverages don't require outside cbs that have great agility.

 

[Hardline]

I would be willing to bet they missed out on most of their targets.