February Mock Draft

[casmith07]

Do they Cowboys really need to spend time developing a 5-9 CB? They already have Webb at 5-10, 184 and Moore at 5-9. I would take a shot at a big CB somewhere in the draft.

The "big CB" thing is not a thing. Richard Sherman is a complete and total anomaly.

 

[jterrell]

wouldn't be a fan of that draft after the donald selection which i'd love.
too much pet cat feel and not enough filling needs imho.

i actually think garrap will fall as you forecast but dont see him as a starter in this league.
too inconsistent with accuracy right now and not athletic enough to make up for it.
someone will take him by end of r3 for sure but return on investment is very questionable.

dont think dallas can mess with any qb this year before round 5.
need immediate impact not a 3rd QB.

you dont really draft and develop replacements now at QB.
you either draft them and play them or you sign a guy to play.
not a lot of guys get a couple years on the bench.

i think jeffcoat has to bulk up and play SDE but he's a solid rotation member.
i'd rather have a lot of other DL out of this draft though.

 

[xwalker]

The "big CB" thing is not a thing. Richard Sherman is a complete and total anomaly.

A big CB is around 6-0, 200. Sherman is 6-3.

Looking for CBs that are bigger then 5-9 does not mean that they have to be as big as Richard Sherman.

 

[texbumthelife]

A big CB is around 6-0, 200. Sherman is 6-3.

Looking for CBs that are bigger then 5-9 does not mean that they have to be as big as Richard Sherman.

Case in point, Brandon Carr is actually considered a big CB by most standards.

I think teams are going to make a big mistake if they start throwing money at the bigger CB's to copy Seattle. Seattle's best DB is an undersized Safety. The CB whom I consider the best cover corner in the league, Hayden, is considered to be "undersized". When you start trying to draft guys to fill cookie cutter molds, instead of drafting football players, that's when you really start to fail and that is what we have been doing.

If teams really want to copy what Seattle has done, then you go get emotional guys who love playing the game and hitting people. You go get football players and then you put them in position to use their strengths instead of forcing a square peg into a round hole.

 

[casmith07]

Case in point, Brandon Carr is actually considered a big CB by most standards.

I think teams are going to make a big mistake if they start throwing money at the bigger CB's to copy Seattle. Seattle's best DB is an undersized Safety. The CB whom I consider the best cover corner in the league, Hayden, is considered to be "undersized". When you start trying to draft guys to fill cookie cutter molds, instead of drafting football players, that's when you really start to fail and that is what we have been doing.

If teams really want to copy what Seattle has done, then you go get emotional guys who love playing the game and hitting people. You go get football players and then you put them in position to use their strengths instead of forcing a square peg into a round hole.

You also go get players who can make plays, no matter what their assignment is. People laughed when Pete Carroll drafted Bruce Irvin because he "couldn't cover, lol." Well, Pete doesn't ask Bruce to do a ton of coverage. He asks him to blow up QBs and RBs.

That's why I get frustrated with posts here talking about how Michael Sam "doesn't fit" or this other guy "doesn't fit" or would need to "gain weight." How about just drafting good-*** players, and letting them get really good at one thing?

 

[casmith07]

Also, let me tell you...someone is going to draft Jimmy Garappolo. And they're going to be very, very happy. The kid can absolutely play. I hope it's us.

 

[xwalker]

Case in point, Brandon Carr is actually considered a big CB by most standards.

I think teams are going to make a big mistake if they start throwing money at the bigger CB's to copy Seattle. Seattle's best DB is an undersized Safety. The CB whom I consider the best cover corner in the league, Hayden, is considered to be "undersized". When you start trying to draft guys to fill cookie cutter molds, instead of drafting football players, that's when you really start to fail and that is what we have been doing.

If teams really want to copy what Seattle has done, then you go get emotional guys who love playing the game and hitting people. You go get football players and then you put them in position to use their strengths instead of forcing a square peg into a round hole.

Not all DBs on a team need to be big, but you can't have all 5-9 guys.

All I'm saying is that the Cowboys should try to get a mid to late round CB with size to compete with the 5'9 Moore and 5'10 Webb for one of the backup spots.

Are you referring to the CB Hayden that was a rookie in 2013? He is over 5'11 with good arm length.

 

[casmith07]

Not all DBs on a team need to be big, but you can't have all 5-9 guys.

All I'm saying is that the Cowboys should try to get a mid to late round CB with size to compete with the 5'9 Moore and 5'10 Webb for one of the backup spots.

Are you referring to the CB Hayden that was a rookie in 2013? He is over 5'11 with good arm length.

No, Joe Haden.

 

[texbumthelife]

Not all DBs on a team need to be big, but you can't have all 5-9 guys.

All I'm saying is that the Cowboys should try to get a mid to late round CB with size to compete with the 5'9 Moore and 5'10 Webb for one of the backup spots.

Are you referring to the CB Hayden that was a rookie in 2013? He is over 5'11 with good arm length.

I am talking about Joe Haden whose real knock all through the draft/combine process was his size.

 

[texbumthelife]

You also go get players who can make plays, no matter what their assignment is. People laughed when Pete Carroll drafted Bruce Irvin because he "couldn't cover, lol." Well, Pete doesn't ask Bruce to do a ton of coverage. He asks him to blow up QBs and RBs.

That's why I get frustrated with posts here talking about how Michael Sam "doesn't fit" or this other guy "doesn't fit" or would need to "gain weight." How about just drafting good-*** players, and letting them get really good at one thing?

This is what I have been saying all along. You do have to be somewhat moderate in your approach though. Bruce Irvin is a pass rusher, something teams always need. The Cowboys are in no position to be dedicating high round picks to QB's. We just have way too many other needs.

A QB in the third is a luxury pick. A luxury I don' think we have.

 

[casmith07]

This is what I have been saying all along. You do have to be somewhat moderate in your approach though. Bruce Irvin is a pass rusher, something teams always need. The Cowboys are in no position to be dedicating high round picks to QB's. We just have way too many other needs.

A QB in the third is a luxury pick. A luxury I don' think we have.

It depends on whether you think we're absolutely going to compete for a Super Bowl this coming year. I think we're at least another year away, so taking a developmental quarterback high in this draft with tons of upside I think would be wise, particularly with how the rookie cap works these days. With the depth of front 7 talent in this draft, I believe we can afford to draft a player like Garappolo as high as the 2nd Round, and do just fine on the back end of the draft.

 

[xwalker]

I am talking about Joe Haden whose real knock all through the draft/combine process was his size.

He is also 5-11 with above average arm length. He has better length (height + arm length) than some 6' or 6'1 players.

 

[texbumthelife]

It depends on whether you think we're absolutely going to compete for a Super Bowl this coming year. I think we're at least another year away, so taking a developmental quarterback high in this draft with tons of upside I think would be wise, particularly with how the rookie cap works these days. With the depth of front 7 talent in this draft, I believe we can afford to draft a player like Garappolo as high as the 2nd Round, and do just fine on the back end of the draft.

What about any of our drafts leads you to believe we can find starters in the back end of the draft? Because I have seen nothing that leads me to believe that. We need two-three defensive starters out of this draft.

 

[texbumthelife]

He is also 5-11 with above average arm length. He has better length (height + arm length) than some 6' or 6'1 players.

So then, we don't need to go after some massive CB's?

 

[casmith07]

He is also 5-11 with above average arm length. He has better length (height + arm length) than some 6' or 6'1 players.

Joe Haden is average size for a cornerback at 5'11". He is not a "big CB."

What about any of our drafts leads you to believe we can find starters in the back end of the draft? Because I have seen nothing that leads me to believe that. We need two-three defensive starters out of this draft.

You don't think that Tyrone Crawford, Kyle Wilber, Lance Dunbar, Ronald Leary, Terrance Williams, DeMarco Murray, Dwayne Harris, and DeVonte Holloman all have starting potential? All of them were taken after round 2 in the last three drafts, which for the purposes of this discussion should be the benchmark for "back end" since we're discussing drafting Jimmy Garappolo in the 2nd round.

A couple of those guys were even UDFAs.

 

[texbumthelife]

Joe Haden is average size for a cornerback at 5'11". He is not a "big CB."



You don't think that Tyrone Crawford, Kyle Wilber, Lance Dunbar, Terrance Williams, DeMarco Murray, Dwayne Harris, and DeVonte Holloman all have starting potential? All of them were taken after round 2 in the last three drafts, which for the purposes of this discussion should be the benchmark for "back end" since we're discussing drafting Jimmy Garappolo in the 2nd round.

I think Crawford and Holloman should be rotational players. I don't think either has shown/proven they are starting quality. Wilber has potential at SLB but just like the other two, hasn't shown/earned much.

As for the rest, Crawford and Murray were great grabs and sure fire starters. That's 2 for.....10 in the last two drafts? No, I still don't trust this front office/scouting dept.

 

[texbumthelife]

You're not gonna convince me in any way that taking a QB on the first two days is anything but pure lunacy. I'll tell you that now before this goes much further. We can/should come out of the first three rounds with three sure fire starters. Not a 3 years down the road QB.

 

[casmith07]

I think Crawford and Holloman should be rotational players. I don't think either has shown/proven they are starting quality. Wilber has potential at SLB but just like the other two, hasn't shown/earned much.

As for the rest, Crawford and Murray were great grabs and sure fire starters. That's 2 for.....10 in the last two drafts? No, I still don't trust this front office/scouting dept.

It's disingenuous to over-reach and say "2 for 10 in the last two drafts" when I've actually named FIVE starters on this very roster (Crawford, Williams, Murray, Harris, Leary) alone.

Remember, we're talking about potential. No team in the NFL hits on surefire starters in the first three rounds without fail every single year that they require fresh starters. You know that, I know that. If Crawford is a sure fire starter, like you say, and so is Ware and so is Spencer if he returns, and so is Nick Hayden if he stays (he started all year), then what else do you need?

Lets suppose for a moment that you toss out Hayden and add Rookie Tackle as the new guy. You still have Hayden potentially in rotation along with a returning Ben Bass, and a player like Jairus Wynn who stuck around on the roster despite the churn. You're also going to add more guys to compete in camp through the draft as well as UDFAs.

This Cowboys defense is not going to become the Seattle Seahawks in one draft. Having that as an expectation is ridiculous, just like all of the other absurd expectations of the hand-wringers on this website. ESPECIALLY when Seattle didn't do it in one year (it took them three, actually).

Regardless of what our fans want to try and believe, this defense is not one draft away from competing. It's a work in progress, and reloading certain positions on the offense (like the Escobar pick last year) are equally as important as continuing the defensive build.

 

[xwalker]

Joe Haden is average size for a cornerback at 5'11". He is not a "big CB."

Like I said he has good length.

If you define length as height + arm length, then

Haden: 103.75

Carr: 103

 

[texbumthelife]

It's disingenuous to over-reach and say "2 for 10 in the last two drafts" when I've actually named FIVE starters on this very roster (Crawford, Williams, Murray, Harris, Leary) alone.

Remember, we're talking about potential. No team in the NFL hits on surefire starters in the first three rounds without fail every single year that they require fresh starters. You know that, I know that. If Crawford is a sure fire starter, like you say, and so is Ware and so is Spencer if he returns, and so is Nick Hayden if he stays (he started all year), then what else do you need?

Lets suppose for a moment that you toss out Hayden and add Rookie Tackle as the new guy. You still have Hayden potentially in rotation along with a returning Ben Bass, and a player like Jairus Wynn who stuck around on the roster despite the churn. You're also going to add more guys to compete in camp through the draft as well as UDFAs.

This Cowboys defense is not going to become the Seattle Seahawks in one draft. Having that as an expectation is ridiculous, just like all of the other absurd expectations of the hand-wringers on this website. ESPECIALLY when Seattle didn't do it in one year (it took them three, actually).

Regardless of what our fans want to try and believe, this defense is not one draft away from competing. It's a work in progress, and reloading certain positions on the offense (like the Escobar pick last year) are equally as important as continuing the defensive build.

I have never once said I expect us to come out of this offseason looking like Seattle, nor do I have that expectation. The expectation I do have is that we come out of this offseason with the framework in place to be potentially set for the foreseeable future along both lines. I sincerely believe we can get three legitimate starters in the first three rounds.

Also, all my post have been directed towards the defensive side of the football.

As for our drafting ability...

Terrance Williams and Demarco Murray were both taken in the third round. My original post regarding this was about rounds 4-7. Ron Leary wasn't drafted at all. Harris has seen spot duty as a starter but isn't entrenched as one. Crawford just missed the entire season so he hasn't started a single snap in this defense. He was drafted for and was a starter in our 34 but we have no guarantee that carries over into the new scheme.

Taking a QB in the second round when your starter is one year into a $100 million contract and your backup is on a guaranteed contract isn't reloading, it's throwing very valuable resources towards a very very high risk player at a position that is not a need. There is absolutely nothing about taking a quarterback in the second, or even the third round, that makes any sense for this team.