Twitter: Grade the Cowboys 2022 Draft

[quickccc]

Yes. We knew Mazi would be a work in progress based on the way he was used at Michigan (he said they never even coached him as a pass rusher). Overshown was going to be what Bell currently is and next year we will have both of them.

If Overshown manages to regain his previous pre-ACL form, he maybe even better than converted safety Bell.

The kind that causes turnovers and game changing plays - that's something our LB unit lacks - creating turnovers.
INTs, strip fumbles, sacks.

 

[quickccc]

C+

Smith is a good player at guard. But with your first round pick invested in OL you want a first day starter at LT not at guard.
So with our first round pick we missed here badly. Could have drafted a first day starter at guard in the 3rd round.

To be clear here: this is nothing against the player. Just a judgement of the ability to draft by the FO.

Sam Williams showing flashes in his sec year. As does Tolbert. But for a good draft (B) you want at least your 1st and 2nd rounder be starters from day one.

Bland is a great find. Still he is more of a system CB and not a talent like Diggs.

" System CBs" do not set NFL records in INTs returned for TDs.

Not even Deion Sanders or any Hall of Famer CBs have done that.

Bland has displayed a unique, natural, ball hawk knack for not only jumping routes, and out-wrestling WRs for
the ball, but a bee-line path to the end zone.

But he's not complete CB ..yet. He's not yet a shutdown coverage CB and Double move WRs
can get him on occasion. Even Diggs had his flaws as well in his first 2 years in the NFL but he's settled
more as a blanket coverage CB while still maintaining INT ball hawk production.

But with even with Diggs, I'm not seeing INT and return for TDs unique knack, like I do with Bland.

 

[VaqueroTD]

What happened is we still have the 2023 class developing and still contributing playing time to this team.

-Mazi has flaws but he's also had nice plays in spots and occasions.
-Schoon is not a Kittle in pass game but hes' contributed as a solid inline blocking (+and 2 TDs)
-Overshown was a major ACL blow - early he looked impressive before the injury
-Brooks looks like he could be a surprise WR in 2024.

- Minus Brooks, after that its a red shirt year for Fehoko, Deuce, and Scott Jr (who i believe) Richard will
only hit the field again if an injury to OTs.

I know you and a few others are trying to be optimistic but I want to remind everyone that the 2022 class did not come out of nowhere.

Tyler was forced last second to switch to the most important position on offense after the QB, and no training camp practice, and actually did well.
Ferguson and Sam Williams were making highlight plays every other game in the minutes they saw.
Bland was already collecting picks as a rookie.
Clark was coming off a major college injury.

There were already many hints last year that we hit a home run with that draft. I don’t see how any of your examples give me that confidence with 2023.

You win some, you lose some. I think the biggest issue with 2023 is we drafted for pure need more than we have in the past.

 

[quickccc]

I know you and a few others are trying to be optimistic but I want to remind everyone that the 2022 class did not come out of nowhere.

Tyler was forced last second to switch to the most important position on offense after the QB, and no training camp practice, and actually did well.
Ferguson and Sam Williams were making highlight plays every other game in the minutes they saw.
Bland was already collecting picks as a rookie.
Clark was coming off a major college injury.

There were already many hints last year that we hit a home run with that draft. I don’t see how any of your examples give me that confidence with 2023.

You win some, you lose some. I think the biggest issue with 2023 is we drafted for pure need more than we have in the past.

One of the biggest mistakes i think people keep making is they think we supposedly draft for that one year.. whereas you draft for the long term.

Some roles and positions are easier to adjust to at the NFL level , ..whereas other positions and role
are more complex .. some just depends upon the player themselves.

Rd rd. pick WR Tolbert as a regarded WR rookie prospect was expected to be a far more productive contributor
than what he turned in.

You'd liked for your early round draftees to be major contributors but such may not always be a guarantee.

 

[gimmesix]

Schoonmaker may get the same gross numbers as Ferguson did last year, but Ferguson looked a lot better getting those numbers. Ferguson was clear starter quality in his first season. Schoonmaker, no.

I liked both rookies last year (Ferguson and Hendershot) better than I have Schoonmaker so far. Just trying to illustrate that we need to give this draft class time to know what we've got. Some were ready to cut Tolbert after his rookie season.

 

[lostar2009]

Sam, Tolbert and Clark will only get better.

 

[xwalker]

The 64 draft produced three Hall of Famers. That is hard to match.

That's hard to beat.

The 91 draft had 6 Super Bowl starters and a 7th player that started 11 during a Super Bowl season.

 

[atlantacowboy]

Was Barbie before McClay started calling shots? Or is that on Will's watch as well. Hated the pick

Carpenter was a parcels pick. We should have traded him the minute Wade took the reins and randomly decided to turn him into an inside linebacker. He was an edge rusher in college who projected to a 3-4 OLB in the pros. He looked great in that spot in the Seattle playoff game his rookie year. Who knows what could have been if Parcels had stayed and developed his confidence.

 

[atlantacowboy]

Yes. We knew Mazi would be a work in progress based on the way he was used at Michigan (he said they never even coached him as a pass rusher). Overshown was going to be what Bell currently is and next year we will have both of them.

In round 1 , you want day 1 contributors. You can hear McClay in the war room calling him a “plug and play” player. So “we” didn’t expect him to be this underwhelming. I hope he develops too but for him to get as few snaps as he has gotten at one of our weakest positions doesn’t exactly scream we were right about him.

 

[atlantacowboy]

All the same people who are praising this draft now are the same people who were crapping on it 12 months ago so do us all a favor and ****. I was told last year that every one of these players was a bust. Shall I bring up the receipts?

I love all the “ I told you so” posts. lol. First of all, 12 months ago, we had already seen plenty of Sam, Tyler and Bland to declare them solid picks. You want to go back to April 2022? Fine. But I’m on this board as much as anyone and Nobody was praising the selection of Bland. Even this offseason the coaches weren’t sold on him and had him playing the slot. Most of us liked the Sam Williams pick. We were split on Tyler since he was like the 7th OT off the board.

 

[baltcowboy]

Was Barbie before McClay started calling shots? Or is that on Will's watch as well. Hated the pick

Barbie was a Parcells draft choice. I still have not forgiven Parcells for not drafting Rodgers over the Big Swagoo. One of the most overrated coaching job in football history.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

Barbie was a Parcells draft choice. I still have not forgiven Parcells for not drafting Rodgers over the Big Swagoo. One of the most overrated coaching job in football history.

It made sense though. They needed to rebuild the defense and needed Spears.

 

[buybuydandavis]

Thank you.
Dallas is very close to having an All-Pro left-side of the OL.

Fun thing is Martin hasn't even showed his hand yet. I'm not worried about whether he'll come around. He's seriously in the running for greatest guard *ever*. A slow season for him, but I'll be surprised if he isn't one of the top guards of the league come the playoffs.

 

[buybuydandavis]

I liked both rookies last year (Ferguson and Hendershot) better than I have Schoonmaker so far. Just trying to illustrate that we need to give this draft class time to know what we've got. Some were ready to cut Tolbert after his rookie season.

Oh yeah, I'm not giving up on Schoonmaker.
It is a slow developing class, with a lot of guys just out, but there's still a chunk of season to go, and didn't Mazie get rated real high for a recent game by PFF?
Coming along.
I like the looks of Brooks too. Last 3 games, 5 targets, 5 receptions, 12.6 ypt.
My motto is keep feeding a guy who delivers until he can't no more.
Too bad about Overshown. Could have used him this year.

 

[Mr_437]

Fun thing is Martin hasn't even showed his hand yet. I'm not worried about whether he'll come around. He's seriously in the running for greatest guard *ever*. A slow season for him, but I'll be surprised if he isn't one of the top guards of the league come the playoffs.

Yeah, no worries. Steele looks to be getting back right, so I look for that right side to take it up a notch two.

 

[youngjerryjones]

Hope you are right about Mazi.

But not looking good.

He’s a 1st…need to see ROI.

Will take some time... he is still a kid...not a man yet...in a year or two he will get that man strength and it will be a lights out change... he is already the strongest person coming into the weight room it's just his get off is slow which is technique... he needs an off-season or two with an elite d-line coach to hone that in...will take time

 

[buybuydandavis]

Yeah, no worries. Steele looks to be getting back right, so I look for that right side to take it up a notch two.

Biadasz is what he is, but the right side, could definitely take it up a couple of notches.
Martin hasn't been quite himself.

 

[GrouchySmurf]

Not bad, huh?

 

[Runwildboys]

Not bad, huh?

Maybe they know what they're doing?

 

[CowboysJames69]

So far not bad at all, kind of surprising almost all of them are starters or getting a lot of reps out there.