DT Khalen Saunders

[xwalker]

I agree. Saunders has been my guy since I saw him in the Senior Bowl. He does back flips too. We need a guy like this. A bowling ball that is hard to move. Alas, we have Marrinelli who will refuse to take a guy like this. He likes tall lanky guys who are quick but get pushed all over the place. Oh well......

I was curious to see what Marinelli has had at DT in the past with regards to height.

In the past he had had short to mid height DTs.
Warren Sapp 6-2
Booger McFarland 6-0
Stephen Paea 6-1
Tommy Harris 6-3
Henry Melton 6-3
Amobi Akoye 6-2

Cowboys
Terrell McClain 6-2

They tried a few others:
Ken Bishop 6-0
Lewis Neal 6-0
Joey Ivey 6-3
Jordon Carrell 6-3
Davon Coleman 6-2

Tyrone Crawford is 6-4 but I think Marinelli would prefer to play him at DE if they ever get other DTs that can stay healthy.

Nick Golden Cock Hayden was 6-4 but they eventually cut him.

David Irving is the lone tall DT from what I can recall. Marinelli said that he does not normally like tall DTs like Irving but that Irving had rare "bend" ability.

 

[Fredbeard]

Mack is one of my favorites in the draft. He’s one of the few guys who can actually impact the run and pass.

A lot of the other names aren’t limited against the run and lack power.

I’m tired of the Maliek Collins type - give me someone who can anchor and actually put a hand on a RB.

I would love it if the cowboys drafted Mack but I doubt it will happen

 

[cnuball21]

I would love it if the cowboys drafted Mack but I doubt it will happen

Nope...we’ll probably draft another “quick twitched” DT that gets abused in the run game.

 

[Mr_437]

Nope...we’ll probably draft another “quick twitched” DT that gets abused in the run game.

That's the philosophy.

 

[kskboys]

Clemson DT - RKG too

Was he the backup? Starters were Wilkins/Lawrence.

 

[kskboys]

Nope...we’ll probably draft another “quick twitched” DT that gets abused in the run game.

A lanky quick twitch DT. We like 'em tall and skinny so they have leverage problems.

 

[xwalker]

A lanky quick twitch DT. We like 'em tall and skinny so they have leverage problems.

I was curious to see what Marinelli has had at DT in the past with regards to height.

In the past he had had short to mid height DTs.
Warren Sapp 6-2
Booger McFarland 6-0
Stephen Paea 6-1
Tommy Harris 6-3
Henry Melton 6-3
Amobi Akoye 6-2

Cowboys
Terrell McClain 6-2

They tried a few others:
Ken Bishop 6-0
Lewis Neal 6-0
Joey Ivey 6-3
Jordon Carrell 6-3
Davon Coleman 6-2

Tyrone Crawford is 6-4 but I think Marinelli would prefer to play him at DE if they ever get other DTs that can stay healthy.

Nick Golden Cock Hayden was 6-4 but they eventually cut him.

David Irving is the lone tall DT from what I can recall. Marinelli said that he does not normally like tall DTs like Irving but that Irving had rare "bend" ability.

 

[kskboys]

I was curious to see what Marinelli has had at DT in the past with regards to height.

In the past he had had short to mid height DTs.
Warren Sapp 6-2
Booger McFarland 6-0
Stephen Paea 6-1
Tommy Harris 6-3
Henry Melton 6-3
Amobi Akoye 6-2

Cowboys
Terrell McClain 6-2

They tried a few others:
Ken Bishop 6-0
Lewis Neal 6-0
Joey Ivey 6-3
Jordon Carrell 6-3
Davon Coleman 6-2

Tyrone Crawford is 6-4 but I think Marinelli would prefer to play him at DE if they ever get other DTs that can stay healthy.

Nick Golden Cock Hayden was 6-4 but they eventually cut him.

David Irving is the lone tall DT from what I can recall. Marinelli said that he does not normally like tall DTs like Irving but that Irving had rare "bend" ability.

I'm still of the opinion that it's Jerry who desires lanky pass rushers all over the DL.

 

[Beaker42]

Was he the backup? Starters were Wilkins/Lawrence.

Yep

 

[Beaker42]

I was curious to see what Marinelli has had at DT in the past with regards to height.

In the past he had had short to mid height DTs.
Warren Sapp 6-2
Booger McFarland 6-0
Stephen Paea 6-1
Tommy Harris 6-3
Henry Melton 6-3
Amobi Akoye 6-2

Cowboys
Terrell McClain 6-2

They tried a few others:
Ken Bishop 6-0
Lewis Neal 6-0
Joey Ivey 6-3
Jordon Carrell 6-3
Davon Coleman 6-2

Tyrone Crawford is 6-4 but I think Marinelli would prefer to play him at DE if they ever get other DTs that can stay healthy.

Nick Golden Cock Hayden was 6-4 but they eventually cut him.

David Irving is the lone tall DT from what I can recall. Marinelli said that he does not normally like tall DTs like Irving but that Irving had rare "bend" ability.

Know I should know this but why is Hayden “Golden Cock”?

 

[xwalker]

Know I should know this but why is Hayden “Golden Cock”?

Marinelli nickname because he played the 1-tech position at an angle (i.e. cocked) and had blonde (golden) hair.

 

[Oh_Canada]

Mack is one of my favorites in the draft. He’s one of the few guys who can actually impact the run and pass.

A lot of the other names aren’t limited against the run and lack power.

I’m tired of the Maliek Collins type - give me someone who can anchor and actually put a hand on a RB.

Hill and Saunders can anchor, I also said any two, but would like to see another run stopper for sure.

 

[Keithfansince5]

I was curious to see what Marinelli has had at DT in the past with regards to height.

In the past he had had short to mid height DTs.
Warren Sapp 6-2
Booger McFarland 6-0
Stephen Paea 6-1
Tommy Harris 6-3
Henry Melton 6-3
Amobi Akoye 6-2

Cowboys
Terrell McClain 6-2

They tried a few others:
Ken Bishop 6-0
Lewis Neal 6-0
Joey Ivey 6-3
Jordon Carrell 6-3
Davon Coleman 6-2

Tyrone Crawford is 6-4 but I think Marinelli would prefer to play him at DE if they ever get other DTs that can stay healthy.

Nick Golden Cock Hayden was 6-4 but they eventually cut him.

David Irving is the lone tall DT from what I can recall. Marinelli said that he does not normally like tall DTs like Irving but that Irving had rare "bend" ability.

Thanks for the research. Hopefully Marrinelli and Garrett can convince Jerry or Stephen to get a bigger DT than they usually get?

 

[cnuball21]

A lanky quick twitch DT. We like 'em tall and skinny so they have leverage problems.

I literally don’t care about size or body type...just give me someone that can anchor and effect the run for once.

For some reason we love the Collins type who can disrupt the pass but gets bullied against the run against good OLs.

Those guys are back up , nickel players.

 

[RS12]

FWIW Kiper was on SAS show today and he loves him.

 

[Beaker42]

Marinelli nickname because he played the 1-tech position at an angle (i.e. cocked) and had blonde (golden) hair.

Dear Jesus.

 

[Beaker42]

Hill and Saunders can anchor, I also said any two, but would like to see another run stopper for sure.

Give me two of Mack, Huggins and Saunders and I’m good.

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

I think DT Khalen Saunders might be underrated.

NFL.com #117
CBS #94
Scouts Inc. #135

He is very quick, especially at 324 pounds.

He had a good showing for Senior Bowl week.

Despite his weight, I think he would make a good 3-tech. He might even be able to drop a few pounds and play at around 315-320 which would make him even quicker.

It would be good to add more size at the 3-tech DT spot. The Cowboys already have multiple tweener DT/Strong-Side DE types like Crawford (6-4, 290), Hyder (6-3, 270) and Taco (6-6, 270).

Saunders has a good "motor" but does get fatigued at times. He played a high percentage of snaps in college, but in the Marinelli rotation, fatigue wouldn't be a problem.

His performance measurable(s) at the combine were very good.

On the downside, he is short 6'-3/8" with 32-1/8" arms (average DL arm length was 33-3/8").

His times and Vert compare well to some lighter weight players at the combine.

His 10-yard and 3-cone times were impressive for a 324 pound player.

HT WT Player
6003 324 Khalen Saunders
6032 315 Christian Wilkins
6026 308 Trysten Hill
6030 303 Quinnen Williams
6022 283 L.J. Collier

Forty Player
4.83 Quinnen Williams
4.91 L.J. Collier
5.01 Khalen Saunders
5.04 Christian Wilkins
5.04 Trysten Hill

10yard Player
1.67 Quinnen Williams
1.73 Khalen Saunders
1.74 Trysten Hill
1.75 L.J. Collier
1.76 Christian Wilkins

3-cone Player
7.57 Khalen Saunders
7.70 Trysten Hill
7.71 L.J. Collier
DNP Quinnen Williams
DNP Christian Wilkins

Vert Player
35.0 Trysten Hill
30.5 Quinnen Williams
30.0 L.J. Collier
30.5 Khalen Saunders
29.5 Christian Wilkins

I'd love it if we get him in round 3. He'd be a steal.

 

[Kaiser]

I'd love it if we get him in round 3. He'd be a steal.

There is a real chance a safety drops to our pick at 58, then a DT like this to our pick in the 3rd and a TE like Knox or Sternberger drops to our pick in the 4th.

FWIW, Dane Brugler rates those two TEs as 3rd round picks and Saunders as a 2nd/3rd. Plus Safety, TE and OG are typically positions where players drop because it isn't valued as much as the premier positions like DE, CB, etc.

 

[Mr_437]

I'd love it if we get him in round 3. He'd be a steal.

That would be the sweet spot for DAL.

There is a real chance a safety drops to our pick at 58, then a DT like this to our pick in the 3rd and a TE like Knox or Sternberger drops to our pick in the 4th.

FWIW, Dane Brugler rates those two TEs as 3rd round picks and Saunders as a 2nd/3rd. Plus Safety, TE and OG are typically positions where players drop because it isn't valued as much as the premier positions like DE, CB, etc.

Sternberger may not make it, word on the street is he's a hot prospect...if DAL don't take him at 58 he gone, if he even makes it there.