Drafting WR in the first round is a bad idea.

[FuzzyLumpkins]

I generally don't like taking in the first round a guy who's only going to touch the ball on 5-6 plays, total, in a game. But I make an exception for a guy who's capable of changing the way a defense has to game plan for you offensively. I think Evans could do that for us, at least. If he's there, and we're out of options at positions of greater need, I'd be not thrilled, but I could understand the rationale behind the pick and I'd get behind it.

You're right that there's so much WR talent in this draft, though, that we can take a guy in the third and not have that much drop off from the guys taken above him. Or take a guy at the end of the draft and get a guy with middle-round talent for an ordinary year. That seems to make more sense if we've got better places to spend our early picks this year.

I don't know about Evans. He destroys single coverage from what I saw but he is not going to be able to outrun NFL corners like he was doing to those in the SEC. He will be a size mismatch and he will be able to go for jumpballs as is the rage these days offensively.

Linehan is also an innovator in the recent exploitation of receivers of extraordinary size as he coordinated Calvin Johnson's best two seasons to date. It's hard for me to watch Manziel and Evans and see a bit of what Romo and Laurent Robinson used to do. Romo has been too banged up to do much of that lately though.

That still doesn't overcome the fact that Evans only played two years and has a route tree like Dez had coming out. As it is right now it will be very easy to scheme defensively around his limited skillset. He is incredibly raw.

From a BPA regardless of position or scheme standpoint I don't have Evans in the top 10:

Manziel
Bortles
Bridgewater
Watkins
Clowney
Mack
Barr
Robinson
Matthews
Lewan

he is in that next group

Donald
Ebron
Evans
Martin
Jernigan
Gilbert
Dennard
Clinton-Dix
Beckham
Mosley
Ealy

People acting like it is going to take a miracle for Evans to be available at 16 are fooling themselves.

 

[RS12]

Drafting WR in the first round is a bad idea.

If Sammy Watkins or Mike Evans are there at 16 (highly doubtful) they need to draft them as BPA. Dez gets nicked up a lot and this offense would be considerably easier to defend without him.

 

[TheSport78]

Watkins would be the only one that is even consider on the 1st. Fairly certain we won't have to worry about that though.

Mike Evans will have a better career than Sammy Watkins.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Not totally opposed to a WR at 16 I just don't think it's very likely. If by chance either of those big name WR is available, my bet is we trade down.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Still not quite seeing what would stop Evans from being a truly top tier NFL WR. He's huge, he's fast enough, he has a very good vertical, he has good ball skills to take the ball away from people, he's very competitive, and he was extremely productive. The speed is the only concern with him, but he ran a 4.53. What did Dez run?

Not really buying Fuzzy's negatives on him. He played with a limited route tree? That's about 80% of college WRs now. He'll face better competition in the pros? That's 100% of college WRs.

I don't want to take a WR in the first, but if he's there and the best player on the board I couldn't complain. But I don't think we have to worry about it at 16, because he'll be gone before we have a chance.

 

[Alexander]

I just see Evans as a fit problem for the Cowboys, not that he is a bad player, can't run routes, etc. I just have no faith that we could feature him properly or enough to justify the investment.

 

[Doomsday101]

If Dallas were to draft an offensive player in rd 1 then I would much rather see a top OL than a WR. I would like to see Dallas add a WR later in the draft but I would much rather see the rebuilding of the DL and continuation of building the OL those 2 areas will have a greater impact than any 1 WR.

 

[morasp]

I think there are many reasons.

The Cowboys do not need a WR.

For all of the whinging about depth we have Dez Bryant, Terrence Williams, Dwayne Harris and Cole Beasley who are all accomplished WR in the NFL. We also have not one or two pass catching TE who can flex out and run patterns on the perimeter; we have three. Let Witten, Hanna and Escobar compete for jump balls with guys 40 pounds less than them or heaven forbid give Harris a shot.

WR in the first round doesn't bust out particularly bad but it also does not result in all that many pro bowls either. It ends up pretty average with a fat middle. An 8-8 team doesn't need middling.

The WR at the top of this draft are not NFL ready. There are two WR worth selecting are not ready for the NFL. I get their physical talents. Watkins can be a dynamic force like Percy Harvin with how he was used as an h-back type at Clemson and I get that Evans is a champ at getting jumpballs down the hash and at comebacks.

Neither of the two showed that they can run a full NFL route tree with technique. Chopped steps and hesitation moves are not in their route running, consistent route depth is not there, good hard cuts off the right foot is not a priority in their games.

Beckham is the guy with the most polish. You notice him using a lot more of the above but he is not the dominant playmaker that the first two are and is an inferior prospect relative to our draft spot.

This draft is overall very deep in WR. Upwards of 20 WR are in the top 100 picks and a guy like the guy from Austin might fall all the way to the fourth.

Small school specimens like http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/dsprofile.php?pyid=94124&draftyear=2014&genpos=WR who in many years might get consideration in round 4 are now slotted 6 or later by most accounts. There are that many guys coming out that can help a team right away.

Many positions in this draft will be picked clean in the first two days. Safety, DE, interior OL, and LB are not very deep. Positions like OT and DT are top heavy. A lot of them go early historically and once you get past the first 8 or so it is dicey in this draft like those DT from LSU. bleh!

If Watkins or Evans is the pick I am not saying that I will whinge. OTOH, I will think it is more business as usual out of Valley Ranch. Trying to hit a home run with a gamble on a projection while a sure thing goes by the way side.

I've got to agree with you and I bet the Cowboys do too. If our first round pick isn't defense I will be very surprised.

 

[reddyuta]

I am opposed to it too because both Evans and Watkins will be gone by 16.

 

[jnday]

This team needs to go BPA at all times. They are not a player or two away from being a contender. I don't think they can afford to pass up a top tier player at any position if the player falls to them. I would rather see a great defensive prospect fall to them, but all positions should be considered if the value and talent is there.

 

[Apollo Creed]

We won't have to worry about that, Watkins probably won't get out the top 5 and Evans will be gone before we pick as well.

 

[dallasdave]

Picking Mike Evans would be sweet.

 

[Doomsday101]

and I thought Jerry was the only one captivated by shinny toys? lol

 

[jnday]

and I thought Jerry was the only one captivated by shinny toys? lol

It is not the shinny toys for me. I want the best player on the draft board. I don't care what position .

 

[Doomsday101]

It is not the shinny toys for me. I want the best player on the draft board. I don't care what position .

Evans is good and there are many other very good players who would also fit major needs for this team. There is only 1 ball, Dez is going to get his, we have a fine WR in Williams what Dallas does not have is a foundation to be able to use these weapons. Yes he is a shinny toy another WR that means little if you are not getting it done up front.

 

[NoLuv4Jerry]

I generally don't like taking in the first round a guy who's only going to touch the ball on 5-6 plays, total, in a game. But I make an exception for a guy who's capable of changing the way a defense has to game plan for you offensively. I think Evans could do that for us, at least. If he's there, and we're out of options at positions of greater need, I'd be not thrilled, but I could understand the rationale behind the pick and I'd get behind it.

You're right that there's so much WR talent in this draft, though, that we can take a guy in the third and not have that much drop off from the guys taken above him. Or take a guy at the end of the draft and get a guy with middle-round talent for an ordinary year. That seems to make more sense if we've got better places to spend our early picks this year.

This is the thing people often do not understand...how certain guys open things up for the rest of their teamates. Which is WHY I wanted Sproles when New Orleans got him a couple of years ago...and why I wanted DeSean Jackson after I saw the numbers on his deal. Think about it...DeSean got LESS guaranteed money than Percy Harvin...and the Seahwaks gave up multiple picks for Percy Harvin. I think we need a burner that can allow all of our bigger physical pass catching options a little more room to operate. We have not had that since TO. Which ironically...was the last time our offense was dominant. Which also was the last time we were the best team in the NFC. 2007.

 

[dallasdave]

It is not the shinny toys for me. I want the best player on the draft board. I don't care what position .

Well said, Evans would make the Cowboys a better team, hands down.

 

[Doomsday101]

Well said, Evans would make the Cowboys a better team, hands down.

If I was going WR then Watkins bring 4.37 speed as opposed to Evans running a 4.53 we have that already. Dallas has an excellent 1 WR, we picked up another very good WR last year. Unless we want to be Det and select WR after WR I don't see the point of getting what we have.

 

[Hoofbite]

Everyone keeps talking BPA but I'm not sold strictly on BPA.

Outside of top 10 I don't think there's much that separates the BPA from the runner up, if anything at all.

BPA also sounds good and would ideally give you a well stocked team but it's just as likely you'll have a few well stocked positions and an equal number of depleted position.

Also, I don't get impressed with a well-stocked position that leaves 1-2 BPA picks on the bench.

If BPA is also LLC (least likely to contribute), what's the point? You might as well be taking BPA because you anticipate the difference in careers is so great that one player cannot be passed on.

I don't think scouting, grading and projecting is so accurate that you would be confident that the career differences even exist.

Dallas has plenty of weak spots. If one of those isn't BPA when they are on the clock, gotta be #2 BPA and will be a lot more likely to contribute and improve the team.

 

[Doomsday101]

Everyone keeps talking BPA but I'm not sold strictly on BPA.

Outside of top 10 I don't think there's much that separates the BPA from the runner up, if anything at all.

BPA also sounds good and would ideally give you a well stocked team but it's just as likely you'll have a few well stocked positions and an equal number of depleted position.

Also, I don't get impressed with a well-stocked position that leaves 1-2 BPA picks on the bench.

If BPA is also LLC (least likely to contribute), what's the point? You might as well be taking BPA because you anticipate the difference in careers is so great that one player cannot be passed on.

I don't think scouting, grading and projecting is so accurate that you would be confident that the career differences even exist.

Dallas has plenty of weak spots. If one of those isn't BPA when they are on the clock, gotta be #2 BPA and will be a lot more likely to contribute and improve the team.

I agree. I think you are better off looking at BPA who also fills need. I'm sure Evans will be a good player but I also think at 16 there will be guys grading out just as good at other position some of those position that will be of great need for Dallas.