Grading a relevent draft: 2003

[trickblue]

OK... it's time to grade a relevent draft this year. I have always maintained that a draft can't be graded for three years. With that, let's take a look at the 2003 draft class.

1. Terence Newman
2. Al Johnson
3. Jason Witten
4. Bradie James
5. BJ Tucker
6. Zuriel Smith
7. Justin Bates

4 starters out of 7 picks. Two, Newman and Witten play at probowl level. Johnson is adequate but has put on a good 15 pounds in the weight room. James really came along last year and looks like a player and team leader.

Tucker, Smith and Bates are throw aways... something typical of late round picks. Personally I wish he had hung onto Smith a bit longer and Tucker is still in the league with SF if I remember correctly...

I give this draft an A.

 

[zrinkill]

What did people grade it then trick? like Mel Kiper and mediots like that?

 

[TheHustler]

Agreed. Have to be an A. Witten has been to the last 2 probowls. Newman is playing at an elite level. James is finally coming on, and looks to be a staple at ILB. Even if Johnson doesn't pan out at center, great draft.

 

[AbeBeta]

The Bates pick was weird -- he was gone after the first roster cut down and never landed with another team.

 

[BigDave95]

The Bates pick was weird -- he was gone after the first roster cut down and never landed with another team.

That's not unusual for a 7th rounder. Same thing will happen with Pat McQuistan this year.

 

[trickblue]

What did people grade it then trick? like Mel Kiper and mediots like that?

Good question... here's what I found...

Kiper:
Notable: The world still awaits the spate of frenetic wheelin' and dealin' that everyone figured would be a huge part of the first draft involving Jerry Jones and Bill Parcells in tandem. Looks like we'll all have to wait for 2004, huh? Two of the best horse-traders in the business pretty much played it straight and conservative, made solid picks, but weren't especially creative.
Will start as a rookie: Cornerback Terence Newman, even with all the fretting about his injured left shoulder, is the early-line favorite to be the defensive rookie of the year. Newman will team with second-year pro Derek Ross and Mario Edwards to give the Cowboys three very good corners. And he'll be a factor in the return game as well.
Best value: The third- and fourth-rounders, tight end Jason Witten and versatile linebacker Bradie James, respectively, were both snatched about a full round lower than we had them rated. Hey, sometimes you've got to be lucky and good, and the Cowboys definitely had a dose of the first commodity in getting these two prospects.
Boom or bust: Wide receiver Zuriel Smith of Hampton (No. 6) is a little guy with some return skills. We're not sold, either, on second-round center Al Johnson. Yeah, he fits a crying need, but are a few off-field issues that The Tuna probably had to think about before choosing him.
Grade: C+

Dr. Z.:
B/B+) Dallas -- The Cowboys got either the best or the second-best player at the position on their first three picks. Newman (first) is the draft's best corner. Al Johnson (second), an accomplished technician, is right behind Jeff Faine as the country's No. 1 center, and the highly athletic Jason Witten (third) is close to being the best tight end. Add to that a very strong, run-stopping ILB, Bradie James (fourth), and a 4.32 corner, B.J. Tucker (sixth), and you have a pretty neat Parcells-Jones draft. One sidelight. During the weeks leading into the draft coach Parcells mentioned D-line as one of the more serious areas of need. Guess how many D-linemen he drafted. You're right if you said zero.

 

[superpunk]

What did people grade it then trick? like Mel Kiper and mediots like that?

Looking around...

F-Football experts - C+

DALLAS COWBOYS – The Cowboys made three quality picks to start the draft – CB Terence Newman (1-5), C Al Johnson (2-38), and TE Jason Witten (3-69). Newman gives the team a shut-down corner, Johnson adds much-needed depth to the offensive line, and Witten should be a quality target at TE, which is something that the team has lacked for a number of years. The Cowboys did, however, fail to address their needs at RB, DT, and DE in the later rounds.

But, they gave the Ravens and Raiders and Lions A's for drafting players like Rogers, Asomugha, and Boller.

 

[trickblue]

This is why I always say to wait and see what happens once the players actually gain some experience...

 

[zrinkill]

Just goes to show ...... the 3 year rule is real.

Haters will avoid this post like the plague!!!

 

[zrinkill]

Superpunk I love your new Sig line .......

That was some funny stuff, kid reminds me of big old Nate ..... hopefully without the truck of pot.

 

[trickblue]

Just goes to show ...... the 3 year rule is real.

Haters will avoid this post like the plague!!!

Yeah... it won't get a whole lot of play...

I did the same thing last year with the 2002 draft and it died a quick death...

 

[Everlastingxxx]

Do the two year test! Do the two year test!

 

[MissionCoach]

JMO, but the biggest part of assigning draft grades relies on name recognition. If a team, especially a team with high or multiple round 1 picks, etc., drafts highly visable players, big school players...then their draft is perceived to be successful. As we all know, looking at players BEFORE the Draft like Ryan Leaf, Rick Mirer, and Lawrence Phillips (to name a few) would net a team a high draft grade. Of course hindsight is always 20-20.

 

[TheHustler]

Yeah... it won't get a whole lot of play...

I did the same thing last year with the 2002 draft and it died a quick death...

Funny, thats how the 02 draft turned out....

 

[Dale]

1. Terence Newman
2. Al Johnson
3. Jason Witten
4. Bradie James
5. BJ Tucker
6. Zuriel Smith
7. Justin Bates

Terence Newman - A
Al Johnson - C-
Jason Witten - A+
Bradie James -B
BJ Tucker - F
Zuriel Smith - F
Justin Bates - F

Newman is a Pro Bowl away from being an A+. Witten's A+ is obviously deserved. James played well last season as a starter and, IMO, is on his way to becoming a very good player. He'll have to show more than one quality season before I grade him higher than a B; he could even be borderline B- right now.

Al Johnson has been a starter for a while now, so that has to be considered in his evaluation. But the quality of his play hasn't been anything higher than "C" quality. He's a bad season away from being a "D" in my book.

Smith, Tucker and Bates were non factors, thus my failing grades. Smith stuck around a little but never did anything of note.

Now to grade the draft as a whole, geez, who knows. The failures in the latter rounds prevents this from being a great draft, as does a potential failure in the second round. Picks 1, 3 and 4, however, carry this draft, led by Witten's Pro Bowl performances.

I'd go probably B- or B. If Johnson turns the corner and cements the starting job long-term, and Bradie James continues his stellar play (and role as a leader), it would catapult to an A. My justification for that is four long-term starters and two Pro Bowl-level players is about as good a draft as one can hope for, IMO. Again, the only thing it'd be lacking is a late-round steal somewhere in there.

 

[stilltheguru]

screw a pro bowl.newman=A++++ in my book.


once we put him on santana moss in week 2 every cowboy fan will see why.even tho he probrably wont make the pro bowl again unless he starts pickin off like 9 passes a year.

 

[silver]

great initial draft for BP. even is Al johnson is not a pro bowler, to be able to get witten and james in the 3rd and 4th was a heist. reminds me of jimmy johnson 1st draft where his first 4 picks were all starters for a decade or so: aikman, johnston, stepnoski, and tolbert.

 

[Portland Fanatic]

Al Johnson - C-

Al Johnson has been a starter for a while now, so that has to be considered in his evaluation. But the quality of his play hasn't been anything higher than "C" quality. He's a bad season away from being a "D" in my book.

I have to agree with his performance this far, BUT...I really think him hurting his knee was a full year set back. I think he lost a year of working on building strength in his legs....sounds like he's put on 10-15 lbs this year, hopefully mostly lower body strength. I think he will have a much improved season.

Many of were talking about his knee injury when it happened as a career ender, so I'm hoping he he's now 100% with a full off-season to prepare and not be hampered.

If he steps up with a healthy Rivera and Flo...we will be ok.

 

[Avery]

Late round picks are essentially throwing baseballs at a dunk tank - you sometimes hit it but not much.

Of our picks, McGoner is camp fodder, Whitley's versatility may help him though not push him over the edge, Stanley could be a good rotational guy and Watkins will make the team and possibly start next year. Green looks to be our return man for punts at least.

 

[JIGGYFLY]

Terence Newman - A
Al Johnson - C-
Jason Witten - A+
Bradie James -B
BJ Tucker - F
Zuriel Smith - F
Justin Bates - F

Newman is a Pro Bowl away from being an A+. Witten's A+ is obviously deserved. James played well last season as a starter and, IMO, is on his way to becoming a very good player. He'll have to show more than one quality season before I grade him higher than a B; he could even be borderline B- right now.

Al Johnson has been a starter for a while now, so that has to be considered in his evaluation. But the quality of his play hasn't been anything higher than "C" quality. He's a bad season away from being a "D" in my book.

Smith, Tucker and Bates were non factors, thus my failing grades. Smith stuck around a little but never did anything of note.

Now to grade the draft as a whole, geez, who knows. The failures in the latter rounds prevents this from being a great draft, as does a potential failure in the second round. Picks 1, 3 and 4, however, carry this draft, led by Witten's Pro Bowl performances.

I'd go probably B- or B. If Johnson turns the corner and cements the starting job long-term, and Bradie James continues his stellar play (and role as a leader), it would catapult to an A. My justification for that is four long-term starters and two Pro Bowl-level players is about as good a draft as one can hope for, IMO. Again, the only thing it'd be lacking is a late-round steal somewhere in there.

How quickly we forget, how could you not remember that captivating play he made against the giants his rookie year. You know the one where he let the ball role out of bounds putting us in a position to win the game. That alone has to at least give him a D. Lets not forget the great job he is doing in NFLE helping turn young Drew into the next franchise QB of THE DALLAS COWBOYS that has to move him up to D+ status thus raising the score of that draft significantly.