Gosselin: Top CB might be Ramsey, but the Cowboys need to look at big playmaker

[DC Cowboy]

Gosselin: Draft's top CB might be Jalen Ramsey, but the Cowboys need to look at big playmaker, former Sooner Zack Sanchez



By Rick Gosselin , Staff Columnist Contact Rick Gosselin on Twitter: @RickGosselinDMN


INDIANAPOLIS -- All eyes were on Jalen Ramsey at the NFL scouting combine last week.

Ramsey rates as the top cornerback in the 2016 draft. After watching Ramsey, the eyes shifted to Vernon Hargreaves and Mackensie Alexander. They also project among the elite at the cornerback position.

But I had my eyes on Zack Sanchez of Oklahoma. The Cowboys should have been watching the Keller Central product as well. Sanchez does something better than the top three cornerbacks in this draft -- make plays on the football.

Ramsey didn't have an interception last season. Neither did Alexander, and Hargreaves had four. Sanchez had more interceptions than the three of them combined last season -- seven. Hargreaves had 10 career interceptions, Ramsey three and Alexander none. Sanchez had more career interceptions than the top three corners in this draft combined -- 15.


And if you're the Cowboys, you'd better find some defensive backs in this draft capable of making plays on the ball. Only one team intercepted fewer passes than the eight of the Cowboys last season, and no team forced fewer turnovers (11). That lack of takeaways was a contributing factor in the 4-12 collapse by the Cowboys in 2015.

Sanchez won't be a first-round draft pick. He may not be a second-rounder, either. But don't lose sight of his plays. There's a history of cornerbacks either with size or speed deficiencies who slid in April but wound up making plays in the fall.

Aaron Beasley intercepted 10 passes as a junior at West Virginia and 19 in his career. He slid to the third round, the 63rd overall pick of the 1996 draft, and went on to intercept 24 passes in a nine-year NFL career. Dre Bly intercepted 11 passes as a freshman at North Carolina and an ACC-record 20 in his career. He became the 41st overall pick of the 1999 draft in the second round and went on to intercept 43 passes in his 12-year career.

Dwight Smith intercepted 10 passes as a senior at Akron. He fell to the third round, the 84th overall pick of the 2001 draft. He intercepted 23 NFL passes in eight years and returned two Rich Gannon passes for touchdowns in Tampa Bay's lone Super Bowl victory. Dwight Lowery intercepted nine passes as a junior and 13 in his two-year career at San Jose State. He slid to the fourth round, the 113th overall pick in 2008, and went on to intercept 16 NFL passes in eight years.

Casey Hayward intercepted seven passes as a senior at Vanderbilt and 15 in his career. He became the 62nd overall pick of the 2012 draft and intercepted nine passes in his first four seasons with the Packers.

Beasley, Lowery and Hayward all had speed issues. Bly and Smith had size issues. Sanchez also has a size deficiency. He's tall enough at 5-11. But his slight build (185 pounds) may cause him problems against the NFL's parade of big, physical receivers such as Dez Bryant, Larry Fitzgerald and Brandon Marshall.

http://sportsday.***BANNED-URL***/d...ack-sanchez-fill-one-big-void-teams-secondary
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Great point by Gosselin.

Seems everyone is raving about "versatility" with Ramsey and Jack.

They do not make plays.

What was everyone whining about last year? Lack of big plays. Lack of turnovers.

Not a huge supporter of Sanchez, but there is something to be said for players who have a knack for getting interceptions, forcing fumbles, sacking the QB and making tackles for loss.

I think you need to include the # of times a CB was thrown at.

 

[Maxmadden]

Everson Walls

 

[jterrell]

This is not Gosselin's only article about the draft. He has written several, so I take this article in context with the others. That leads me to conclude he's not saying Sanchez is better than Ramsey.

And I happen to agree with Gosselin. I don't know whether we should draft Ramsey or not. I, personally, don't think he will have the impact on our team as an Ezekiel Elliott or Carson Wentz (down the road) or a pass rusher will.

If he's not but he'll be a very good player, then we'll likely bypass him in the draft. And that means we'll have to fill the cornerback position with a "lesser" talent. And if that's the case, then you start looking at your particular need and what you need a corner to do. And if it's later in the draft, you look for playmakers, guys who have a knack for making interceptions.

Goose is an idiot in all articles, equally, so there is that.
He was tremendous as an intelligence gatherer.
But as an author of original thought he is purely terrible.
It is a shame they won't let him do what he does best.

AD and LT have a handful of playoff wins between them... Zeke is not a key to winning playoffs games, period.
Those saying he might be are arguing with 20 years worth of NFL history.

 

[Aven8]

I agree. The more I get into the game and watch it live from the corner perspective, the more I realize this. My son plays corner in high school, and, even though I'm bias and bragging, he has a nose for the ball. Ever since he has played the corner position (and this dates back to 5th grade; he's now going into his senior year), he has always had a year where he's either made an interception or forced a fumble. And this despite the fact he's either hardly ever targeted by opposing teams or teams don't tend to pass the ball as much on the high school level and younger.

He was playing behind two senior last year, but when he got in the game, he got an interception in the end zone and almost took it back for a touchdown. In 7on7 games (which we're now playing, the first tournament he plays, he intercepts a pass, high-pointing the ball and taking it away from the receiver).

And the more I watch the game live, the more I see how there are just some guys who have a knack for getting to the football. It's an intangible you can't really put your finger on, but you know it when you see it.

So I agree with Gosselin. There are just some guys who can make a play on the ball and some who simply can't.

Don't underestimate playmakers, and guys who always find themselves around the ball.

That's why when you lose a Carter, etc who are good at it your numbers suffer.

 

[tyke1doe]

Goose is an idiot in all articles, equally, so there is that.
He was tremendous as an intelligence gatherer.
But as an author of original thought he is purely terrible.
It is a shame they won't let him do what he does best.

AD and LT have a handful of playoff wins between them... Zeke is not a key to winning playoffs games, period.
Those saying he might be are arguing with 20 years worth of NFL history.

I don't think anyone is arguing that Zeke can do it by himself. However, if we want to discount the impact of a running back on a Super Bowl-bound team, then let's strike the contributions of Emmitt Smith, John Riggins, Terrell Owens, Larry Czonka, Marshall Faulk, Marcus Allen, et.al., from the playoffs and the Super Bowl record books.

These running backs, along with other components of their teams, were instrumental in getting their teams to the playoffs and the Super Bowl.

IMO, we had a team that could have challenged for the Super Bowl in 2014. If DeMarco Murray can exploit a hole the size of Montana and not manage to get stripped by Julius Peppers, we might have been able to build such a lead that even a one-legged Aaron Rodgers is not able to overcome.

In short, yes, I do believe that a bell-cow running back with the talent of a Ezekiel Elliott CAN make a difference not only for a playoff run, but, possibly, a Super Bowl run.

We saw what DeMarco Murray did for our offense and for a defense that was undermanned. And I believe Ezekiel Elliott is 5x better than DM.

And, with all due respect, it's kind of silly to proclaim what EE CAN'T do when he's never played in the NFL; thus, he's never had to take a team to the playoffs.
But we know what he did against Michigan, Alabama and Oregon - three of the top football teams in the nation.

 

[Aven8]

BALONEY!
No stat is more bogus than college based INTS.
NONE. Not even a close 2nd.

I played at Texas Tech behind a guy who finished 2nd in career NCAA INTs, Tracy Saul.
He lasted one camp in the NFL for his newly promoted collegiate DC.

The all-time NCAA leader is Martin Bayless with 27. He had 12 NFL INTs in 13 seasons.

Goose is truly an idiot. He not only cherry-picked even when he did it made zero sense.
Dre Bly was a gambler who would give us big plays to take chances for picks.
He was mostly an average starting CB.

Aaron Beasley wasn't a good player. He played 9 years with 105 starts but made near zero impression.

I remember Dallas drafting Deangelo Smith and Michael Hamlin and those 2 were crazy high INT guys... couldn't make the team.

You know whose not on these collegiate INT Leader lists? Any of the shutdown guys.
Darrelle Revis 8 career INT
Deion 14 career INT
Pat Peterson 7 INT
Josh Norman playing at Coastal Carolina versus nobodies... 11 career INTs.

Wow, you played with Saul, I did not know that! I remember when he broke the SWC record for Int's breaking Kevin Smiths record. He was a true centerfielder.

I do disagree though, Saul and others would/could have made it, but there weren't fast enough or other intangibles. A lot of it is luck, but you have to drive on the ball as well and gamble a lot. Our corners go after the man and not the ball IMO.

 

[jterrell]

Wow, you played with Saul, I did not know that! I remember when he broke the SWC record for Int's breaking Kevin Smiths record. He was a true centerfielder.

I do disagree though, Saul and others would/could have made it, but there weren't fast enough or other intangibles. A lot of it is luck, but you have to drive on the ball as well and gamble a lot. Our corners go after the man and not the ball IMO.

I was faster than Tracy and a bigger hitter but he was FAR better. Yes, we both played under Carlos Mainord, who followed Wanny to the Chicago Bears. Tracy was with them in camp. I also happened ot play with Zach Thomas who was the smartest guy on the team day 1. Zach's older brother was our SS before quit to focus on law school.

 

[CCBoy]

I was faster than Tracy and a bigger hitter but he was FAR better. Yes, we both played under Carlos Mainord, who followed Wanny to the Chicago Bears. Tracy was with them in camp. I also happened ot play with Zach Thomas who was the smartest guy on the team day 1. Zach's older brother was our SS before quit to focus on law school.

Thanks for the share...good memories of collegiate day football.

 

[jterrell]

I don't think anyone is arguing that Zeke can do it by himself. However, if we want to discount the impact of a running back on a Super Bowl-bound team, then let's strike the contributions of Emmitt Smith, John Riggins, Terrell Owens, Larry Czonka, Marshall Faulk, Marcus Allen, et.al., from the playoffs and the Super Bowl record books.

These running backs, along with other components of their teams, were instrumental in getting their teams to the playoffs and the Super Bowl.

IMO, we had a team that could have challenged for the Super Bowl in 2014. If DeMarco Murray can exploit a hole the size of Montana and not manage to get stripped by Julius Peppers, we might have been able to build such a lead that even a one-legged Aaron Rodgers is not able to overcome.

In short, yes, I do believe that a bell-cow running back with the talent of a Ezekiel Elliott CAN make a difference not only for a playoff run, but, possibly, a Super Bowl run.

We saw what DeMarco Murray did for our offense and for a defense that was undermanned. And I believe Ezekiel Elliott is 5x better than DM.

And, with all due respect, it's kind of silly to proclaim what EE CAN'T do when he's never played in the NFL; thus, he's never had to take a team to the playoffs.
But we know what he did against Michigan, Alabama and Oregon - three of the top football teams in the nation.

no offense man but that is one goofy post.
terrell owens plays rb now?
or you mean the late round terrell davis who had about 4 good seasons?

emmitt was the first rb to lead the league in rushing and win a super bowl.

again look over the last 20 years than talk to me.
this isn't 1960.
i am proclaiming that in the last 20 years worth of NFL history no RB has lead his team deep into playoff runs.

 

[Aven8]

I was faster than Tracy and a bigger hitter but he was FAR better. Yes, we both played under Carlos Mainord, who followed Wanny to the Chicago Bears. Tracy was with them in camp. I also happened ot play with Zach Thomas who was the smartest guy on the team day 1. Zach's older brother was our SS before quit to focus on law school.

I remember Bart. The boys from Pampa! My wife was a cheerleader during that time so you might even know her! I laughed when people said Zach was too small. Funny looking back now but Robert Hall was just as good as Boykin or any of these other QB's with similar traits these days!

One last thing, I've been pimping him here for the past couple of months, but Mahomes is the best tech QB I've seen. He will be a 1st rounder next year IMO. What do you think?

 

[CCBoy]

no offense man but that is one goofy post.
terrell owens plays rb now?
or you mean the late round terrell davis who had about 4 good seasons?

emmitt was the first rb to lead the league in rushing and win a super bowl.

again look over the last 20 years than talk to me.
this isn't 1960.
i am proclaiming that in the last 20 years worth of NFL history no RB has lead his team deep into playoff runs.

On target as always...but accolades have to fall to the linebackers then.

 

[CCBoy]

I remember Bart. The boys from Pampa! My wife was a cheerleader during that time so you might even know her! I laughed when people said Zach was too small. Funny looking back now but Robert Hall was just as good as Boykin or any of these other QB's with similar traits these days!

One last thing, I've been pimping him here for the past couple of months, but Mahomes is the best tech QB I've seen. He will be a 1st rounder next year IMO. What do you think?

Tech has truly come a long, long ways in this decade.

 

[jterrell]

I remember Bart. The boys from Pampa! My wife was a cheerleader during that time so you might even know her! I laughed when people said Zach was too small. Funny looking back now but Robert Hall was just as good as Boykin or any of these other QB's with similar traits these days!

One last thing, I've been pimping him here for the past couple of months, but Mahomes is the best tech QB I've seen. He will be a 1st rounder next year IMO. What do you think?

Robert was tremendous. He was definitely ahead of his time. That firebird he cruised around in was classically sweet too.

Mahomes will be a serious Heisman contender and I think eventually an R1 guy. He's got ideal size at 6'3" and 220. He is nice and athletic but is a baseball guy obviously with his dad having been a pro at the sport. He'd only played a couple seasons of high school football when he arrived. The sky is the limit for him. But he does have work to do on mechanics and accuracy and ball security. Tech added some serious WR talent and this year they may well average 50+.

 

[tyke1doe]

no offense man but that is one goofy post.
terrell owens plays rb now?
or you mean the late round terrell davis who had about 4 good seasons?

Yes, Terrell Davis.

emmitt was the first rb to lead the league in rushing and win a super bowl.

again look over the last 20 years than talk to me.
this isn't 1960.
i am proclaiming that in the last 20 years worth of NFL history no RB has lead his team deep into playoff runs.

Oh, so we're now moving the goal post and making it 20 years?

Okay, I'll play along.
You know Marshawn Lynch don't you? He does fit your 20-year window doesn't he?

In 2013, he rushes for 1,257 yards.

In the playoffs, he rushes for 140 and 2 TDs against the Saints.
He rushes for 109 yards and 1 TD against the 49ers.
Oh, and they won the Super Bowl.

In short: you're wrong. Now, I agree that the league has placed more emphasis on passing offenses. But the running back is still important. And if he has a team assembled around him - just as if the quarterback does - then the running back's significance increases.

Oh, and I like my goal posts stationary.

 

[Aven8]

Robert was tremendous. He was definitely ahead of his time. That firebird he cruised around in was classically sweet too.

Mahomes will be a serious Heisman contender and I think eventually an R1 guy. He's got ideal size at 6'3" and 220. He is nice and athletic but is a baseball guy obviously with his dad having been a pro at the sport. He'd only played a couple seasons of high school football when he arrived. The sky is the limit for him. But he does have work to do on mechanics and accuracy and ball security. Tech added some serious WR talent and this year they may well average 50+.

If only if we can get a defense now.......

 

[jterrell]

If only if we can get a defense now.......

i really like the way the defense is going. the young kids are bigger and more physical.
we had spent so much effort recruiting smaller, faster players that we had no size.
we were literally playing 215 pound linebackers and wondering why we couldn't stop the run.
but the soph, freshmen LB and recruits are all 220+ to start out and hopefully play about 230.

gibbs may well end up in a pro (or head coaching) job again in a couple years so i am concerned about long-term.

 

[jterrell]

Yes, Terrell Davis.



Oh, so we're now moving the goal post and making it 20 years?

Okay, I'll play along.
You know Marshawn Lynch don't you? He does fit your 20-year window doesn't he?

In 2013, he rushes for 1,257 yards.

In the playoffs, he rushes for 140 and 2 TDs against the Saints.
He rushes for 109 yards and 1 TD against the 49ers.
Oh, and they won the Super Bowl.

In short: you're wrong. Now, I agree that the league has placed more emphasis on passing offenses. But the running back is still important. And if he has a team assembled around him - just as if the quarterback does - then the running back's significance increases.

Oh, and I like my goal posts stationary.

In the last 30 years 1 RB was drafted top 5 and played in a Super Bowl for the team that drafted him... Marshall Faulk.
And while he was one heck of a player he played in a spread offense that featured hall of fame QB and WR.

As to Beastmode... yes I know quite a lot about him.. but mainly that he played in a Super Bowl for a team that didn't draft him. He never even played in a playoff game for the team that drafted him!!

If you draft a RB top 5 the only thing stationary is your win totals.

 

[jterrell]

In the last 30 years 1 RB was drafted top 5 and played in a Super Bowl for the team that drafted him... Marshall Faulk.
And while he was one heck of a player he played in a spread offense that featured hall of fame QB and WR.

As to Beastmode... yes I know quite a lot about him.. but mainly that he played in a Super Bowl for a team that didn't draft him. He never even played in a playoff game for the team that drafted him!!

If you draft a RB top 5 the only thing stationary is your win totals.

Hey if Dallas goes to the Super Bowl you can add Darren McFadden to your list of top 5 RB to go to the big game....

 

[tyke1doe]

In the last 30 years 1 RB was drafted top 5 and played in a Super Bowl for the team that drafted him... Marshall Faulk.
And while he was one heck of a player he played in a spread offense that featured hall of fame QB and WR.

With all due respect, that's a meaningless stat. It has nothing to do with the running back. Rather, it has something to do with where he was picked.
For example, Emmitt Smith was picked at #17. If the Cowboys had the No. 1 pick they forfeited when they selected Steve Walsh in the supplemental draft and had selected Emmitt Smith, there wouldn't have been any difference in what the Cowboys achieved with Emmitt.
Furthermore, it's not like Jeff George (No. 1 pick), Cortez Kennedy (No. 3 pick) or Keith McCants (No. 4 pick) evaluated their teams to a Super Bowl either - and they weren't running backs.
There's nothing magical about the pick or where a back is selected. The back is special regardless of where he's picked.

As to Beastmode... yes I know quite a lot about him.. but mainly that he played in a Super Bowl for a team that didn't draft him. He never even played in a playoff game for the team that drafted him!!

So?

If you draft a RB top 5 the only thing stationary is your win totals.

This is what I would call paralysis by analysis. You seem to be arguing that if a back is picked in the top 5, then a team isn't going to win much. That's a rather odd analysis.

Look, I can understand that the running back position has been devalued to where teams aren't taking them at the top of the draft anymore. But that doesn't mean if a team chooses one high, the team is destined for failure.

Moreover, this isn't an either/or argument. I believe EE will have a greater impact on the Cowboys THIS YEAR than any other pick. And that's because he complements Romo and will do damage behind our offensive line. And having a bell cow running back helped us in 2014, both offensively and defensively.

But I can accept the fact that you disagree. Anyway, I appreciate the discussion.

 

[Plankton]

In the last 30 years 1 RB was drafted top 5 and played in a Super Bowl for the team that drafted him... Marshall Faulk.
And while he was one heck of a player he played in a spread offense that featured hall of fame QB and WR.

As to Beastmode... yes I know quite a lot about him.. but mainly that he played in a Super Bowl for a team that didn't draft him. He never even played in a playoff game for the team that drafted him!!

If you draft a RB top 5 the only thing stationary is your win totals.

Faulk was drafted by the Colts, not the Rams. He didn't play in a Super Bowl with the Colts, though he did make an AFC Championship Game.