Hostile's Christmas in April...Version 1.0

[Hostile]

Every year I go through several versions of a Mock Draft for the Cowboys. This is the inaugural launch of my Christmas wish list. My primary needs on the team are CB, WR, RB, OT, and ILB. I base this upon age, salary, and probable Free Agent defections. Your comments are always welcome, good and bad.

1a. Sam Baker, OT, USC, 6'5", 308. This pick may shock some people. It shouldn't. If he had not been injured in 2007 Sam Baker is a top 10 pick. I have a feeling the Hotel is not coming back. It's just a gut feeling really based on pure dollar amounts, but I'm not ready to put Doug Free at LT and say let's go. There are several OT candidates in the first round, I think only Jake Long and Ryan Clady have no chance of being there at 22. Baker needs to get stronger, but he does not get beaten inside or outside. Simply put this pick is insurance on our Franchise QBs health. I never frown at OL in round 1.

1b. Antoine Cason, CB, Arizona, 6'0", 190. You can accuse me of being a homer and I'm not going to deny it. However, I won't apologize for it either. Cason is good. How good? Good enough to be the 2007 Jim Thorpe Award winner as the best DB in the Nation. This guy knocks passes down with regularity. In 2007 he defelected 14 passes (32 in his career). If he gets his hands on it (5 INTs in 2007, 15 in his career) he often goes the other way (twice in 2007, 3 times in his career). He's a solid tackler (71 tackles in 2007, 232 in his career). He also returns punts. I've never seen anyone make that job look so effortless. He'll move what looks like 6 inches and the tackler will fly right by him. He is a 2 time Team Captain so you also get good character.

2nd round. James Hardy, WR, Indiana, 6'6", 220. I personally think this pick will be traded for another WR, but am operating on the assumption that something will derail that trade and we'll keep the pick. In this case I see us taking a chance on a Plaxico Burress clone as far as size. When you look at Hardy's 2007 stats one thing should scream at you. He had next to nothing in the way of a QB. 51 catches for 722 yards and 10 scores in 2007. He has good hands and decent speed for a player his size. Will fight for the ball. Is probably not a #1 WR, but can be a solid #2. I'd rather make the trade for the guy who can be a legit #1 when TO leaves, but I can't move heaven and earth.

3rd round. Owen Schmitt, FB, West Virginia, 6'2", 247. A FB over a RB? Yeah, I would because in the long run this guy will positively impact the running game more than a backup for Barber will. Schmitt has two stats that just jumps off the page at you. 106 knockdowns and 17 TD blocks. That means 106 times the guy he was blocking hit the ground and 17 times he sprung someone for a TD score. Those stats are unreal for an Offensive Lineman much less a FB. This guy plays with attitude and passion. Our offense needs some of that. Combine him with Barber and we have the meanest RB duo in the NFL. I don't think I have ever seen a more ferocious blocking FB in my life. He has broken 10 facemasks on his own helmets in his college career. That means this guy leaves it on the field every play.

4th round. Kevin Smith, RB, Central Florida, 6'1", 212. In a RB rich Draft talent always falls and this is proof. I was surprised to see the scouting reports list Smith as a 4th round projection, but I will take it. Smith is a perfect compliment to Barber. He runs hard and he catches the ball well. I definitely think he projects as part of a RB duo as opposed to a feature back, this is the perfect place for him to fit. A steal at this point in the Draft. Just like the guy he'd be backing up.

5th round. Spencer Larsen, ILB, Arizona, 6'2", 243. I know, I know, I went homer again. Yeah I did and with good reason. This guy is a born to play football. He was the Defensive MVP of the East - West Shrine Game and the unquestioned inspirational leader of the Wildcats defense. 131 tackles in 2007, 15.5 for losses, 4 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, 4 fumble recoveries, 5 pass deflections and an INT. Why the 5th round for a guy like this? Simply put, 40 yard dash. He is not going to fly to the ball. That will never stop him from making tackles. This guy is smart and he reads breaks and angles and gets to the ball. He is a perfect guy to play Special Teams while he is groomed to be an eventual starter. He could rise up draft boards with a good combine. If he does, take him sooner. You'll never regret a guy like this on your football team.

6th round. Jaime Silva, S, Boston College, 5'11", 205. A nose for the football. That's the best way to describe Silva. He just knows where it is going to come down and he gets there first. The stats sheets say he had 6 INTs in 2007, but I remember in the Bowl game he got what they said was his 8th of the season. I will have to double check. He can play either Safety position and is good either deep or at the LOS. Special teams depth and solid attitude.

7th round. Shannon Tevaga, OG, UCLA, 6'3", 318. It seems like every year I want a backup QB in the draft or as an UDFA. This year is different. After round 3, there's no one I particularly like though someone may fall. In the absence of that go get a big O-lineman who started a lot of games. Tevaga fits that bill.

Well, there you go. By all means, rip it apart. It's going to change in future editions. I always do as I study more.

 

[dwmyers]

Embrace change.. do we have to start calling you a hope monger, Hostile?

The only thing I'd question is whether someone like Kevin Smith would survive 22 rounds of 4th round drafting. Is he a late 4th or is he one of these rediscovered bargains people find while resting after the 3rd round and working late into the night?

There are always second day specials and people grab them quickly.

 

[hendog]

I could certainly live with that draft.

 

[Hostile]

Embrace change.. do we have to start calling you a hope monger, Hostile?

The only thing I'd question is whether someone like Kevin Smith would survive 22 rounds of 4th round drafting. Is he a late 4th or is he one of these rediscovered bargains people find while resting after the 3rd round and working late into the night?

There are always second day specials and people grab them quickly.

First things first. Your avatar is fantastic. IMO now the best on the site.

Who knows on how far guys will fall. Our pick is 28th of each round, so he may not, but a Tashard Choice still could. This draft is deep at RB. I don't put it past Jerry to go RB over OT and take Felix Jones. I just think Baker is the better value long term.

 

[PosterChild]

I still can't see an OT with the first, yet I do believe Flo is gone too. I think HH's input will be instrumental in making the existing parts work someway, somehow.

My main concern, esp on offense, is lack of speed without TG. And I think we have to proceed with that assumption. TO isn't getting any younger and burner speed isn't really his game anyway. Hardy is a special asset with avg speed. I think a speed bomb with our first or second pick here will be made.

Kevin Smith has below avg speed; wouldn't Felix Jones a bit earlier make sense? Don't forget his versatility in the receiving and return game. High value pick here.

I like Cason's ability but he might have trouble with the faster WRs at the next level. Look what Landry (yes I know he's a safety) does back there for the Skins, covering so much ground..speed speed speed.

I do love Schmitt but think his stock is soaring and will go a lot earlier than people suspect.

 

[Hostile]

I still can't see an OT with the first, yet I do believe Flo is gone too. I think HH's input will be instrumental in making the existing parts work someway, somehow.

My main concern, esp on offense, is lack of speed without TG. And I think we have to proceed with that assumption. TO isn't getting any younger and burner speed isn't really his game anyway. Hardy is a special asset with avg speed. I think a speed bomb with our first or second pick here will be made.

Kevin Smith has below avg speed; wouldn't Felix Jones a bit earlier make sense? Don't forget his versatility in the receiving and return game. High value pick here.

I like Cason's ability but he might have trouble with the faster WRs at the next level. Look what Landry (yes I know he's a safety) does back there for the Skins, covering so much ground..speed speed speed.

I do love Schmitt but think his stock is soaring and will go a lot earlier than people suspect.

The one version of this that I did has Felix Jones at the spot where I took Sam Baker, and Heath Benedict of Newberry at the spot where I took Kevin Smith.

 

[marchetta]

1a. Sam Baker, OT, USC, 6'5", 308. This pick may shock some people. It shouldn't. If he had not been injured in 2007 Sam Baker is a top 10 pick. I have a feeling the Hotel is not coming back. It's just a gut feeling really based on pure dollar amounts, but I'm not ready to put Doug Free at LT and say let's go. There are several OT candidates in the first round, I think only Jake Long and Ryan Clady have no chance of being there at 22. Baker needs to get stronger, but he does not get beaten inside or outside. Simply put this pick is insurance on our Franchise QBs health. I never frown at OL in round 1.

Sam Baker OT USC​

STRENGTHS
Sam has good size to play at the next level. He has played in a pro style offense and has done a solid job in pass protection and understands the responsibilities of his position. Sam shows stand-out leadership skills and is the type of O-lineman that will grade out well after every game because he knows his assignments and carries them out to the best of his abilities.

NEEDS TO IMPROVE
Sam needs to get a lot stronger, move his feet better, fire out on running plays and learn to stay with his blocks. He must use better leverage when pass or run blocking. He must improve his lateral agility. Sam must improve his quickness out of his stance and he must show every one that he can play more than one position on the line of scrimmage. Right now, Sam is very overrated because he has played LT for four years in a big program.

TALENT BOARD ROUND 4
For me personally, Sam is a big disappointment! He has not improved from the first time I saw him play. He really struggles making his blocks in the running game and doesn’t stay long enough with his blocks when pass blocking. Most of the time, he is covered up with a TE when pass blocking and he still gets beat to the inside. Usually players like Sam can be moved to a Guard position or the Center position, but Sam is not very stout against the run and I’m not sure he is quick enough out of his stance either. If Sam has a good work ethic, really wants to play at the next level and gets drafted by a team that has a really good offensive line coach who sees excellent potential in Sam, then it is possible he could make it at the next level. But because Sam has not improved at all since the first time I saw him play, I have to think that Sam feels that he is a finished product ready to start for the team that drafts him. This could not be further from the truth. Sam might be able to be a Guard at the next level, but right now his blocking in the running game is very poor and he lacks strength and quickness in his upper body when he is pass protecting. For a player that has been in a big program and considered to be one of the better linemen in this draft, I expected him to be further along. Maybe I’m being too hard on the kid, but at one time, I really thought this kid could turn into a hell of a LT. That just didn’t happen at the college level, so I don’t expect it to all of a sudden happen at the pro level. Sam’s talent level is equal to most late round picks in just about any draft, but I’m sure he will be picked some time in the first three rounds because he comes from a big time program that knows how to market its players. The truth is that Sam, currently, is a dime a dozen offensive lineman that you can get in the draft in any round. But what do I know -- I’m just out here doing my own work and watching film from year to year.

- Drew Boylhart (thehuddlereport.com)

 

[marchetta]

1b. Antoine Cason, CB, Arizona, 6'0", 190. You can accuse me of being a homer and I'm not going to deny it. However, I won't apologize for it either. Cason is good. How good? Good enough to be the 2007 Jim Thorpe Award winner as the best DB in the Nation. This guy knocks passes down with regularity. In 2007 he defelected 14 passes (32 in his career). If he gets his hands on it (5 INTs in 2007, 15 in his career) he often goes the other way (twice in 2007, 3 times in his career). He's a solid tackler (71 tackles in 2007, 232 in his career). He also returns punts. I've never seen anyone make that job look so effortless. He'll move what looks like 6 inches and the tackler will fly right by him. He is a 2 time Team Captain so you also get good character.

Antoine Cason CB Arizona​

STRENGTHS
Antoine has excellent size, strength and speed to play multiple DB positions for the team that drafts him. He is a good tackler and has excellent intelligence to go along with some good leadership skills. Antoine is an excellent zone cover corner who understands match-up zone coverage better than most CB’s that are in the NFL right now. He also has solid man-to-man cover skills, but his true strength is his intelligence and ability to understand zone coverage like a coach on the field. Antoine has the size and strength to cover those big WR’s and pass catching TE’s that every team is looking for and also has the ability to move inside in nickel and dime situations. He has the talent to match-up as a cover CB on an island against those tall WR’s in the red zone. I call him Antoine (The Brain) Cason. Do I really need to explain?

NEEDS TO IMPROVE
Antoine is not going to cover those little bug-like WR’s and he will be susceptible to double moves because he has those long legs that will always make it difficult to recover quickly. This is not a real problem because Antoine can overcome this issue with his intelligence.

TALENT BOARD ROUND 1
I am not sure I have ever seen a kid that has a better understanding of zone coverage than this kid. He doesn’t take false steps, he knows exactly where he is on the field and he understands when to let the WR go in the zone. He also understands when a team floods his zone, what player is his priority and does not get confused. Antoine likes the play in front of him and because he is a good tackler, he could easily play the Free Safety position in a single safety defensive scheme. He has good man-to-man cover skills, but he excels in zone coverage along with excellent leadership skills. When you draft Antoine, you will be drafting a player who will keep your DB’s all on the same page on every snap. If I were in the same division as the Detroit Lions, Antoine would be very high on my list. He will be able to cover that fade route against the larger WR’s without a problem and that alone is worth drafting him. Antoine will have some difficulty covering one on one players like Steve Smith, Roscoe Parrish, Randle El, but as I have been saying throughout this profile, he is also smart enough that when he has to cover those type of WR’s, they better run their routes correctly because he will jump all over any mistakes they might make. I’m calling him Antoine (The Brain) Cason because he is like a coach on the field.

- Drew Boylhart (thehuddlereport.com)

 

[marchetta]

2nd round. James Hardy, WR, Indiana, 6'6", 220. I personally think this pick will be traded for another WR, but am operating on the assumption that something will derail that trade and we'll keep the pick. In this case I see us taking a chance on a Plaxico Burress clone as far as size. When you look at Hardy's 2007 stats one thing should scream at you. He had next to nothing in the way of a QB. 51 catches for 722 yards and 10 scores in 2007. He has good hands and decent speed for a player his size. Will fight for the ball. Is probably not a #1 WR, but can be a solid #2. I'd rather make the trade for the guy who can be a legit #1 when TO leaves, but I can't move heaven and earth.

Drew hasn't posted his analysis yet. However, James Hardy is his #1 ranked WR. In an email, he stated that Hardy has the same potential to impact as R.Moss. He says Hardy could develop into an even bigger, and stronger, version of R.Moss. Basically he has unlimited potential. Also, don't be concerned with Hardy's 40 time. He'll still be a deep threat, because his strides are so long, he'll run past "faster" CBs. Drew said it will take him longer to get deep, because he doesn't have instant acceleration because of his size, but he said R.Moss does the same thing and it doesn't hurt Moss. However, he does have some character issues (domestic violence), and is rumored to have problems accepting authority from coaches he doesn't respect, which sounds a lot like R.Moss and TO respectively to me.

 

[PosterChild]

Antoine Cason CB Arizona​

STRENGTHS
Antoine has excellent size, strength and speed to play multiple DB positions for the team that drafts him. He is a good tackler and has excellent intelligence to go along with some good leadership skills. Antoine is an excellent zone cover corner who understands match-up zone coverage better than most CB’s that are in the NFL right now. He also has solid man-to-man cover skills, but his true strength is his intelligence and ability to understand zone coverage like a coach on the field. Antoine has the size and strength to cover those big WR’s and pass catching TE’s that every team is looking for and also has the ability to move inside in nickel and dime situations. He has the talent to match-up as a cover CB on an island against those tall WR’s in the red zone. I call him Antoine (The Brain) Cason. Do I really need to explain?

NEEDS TO IMPROVE
Antoine is not going to cover those little bug-like WR’s and he will be susceptible to double moves because he has those long legs that will always make it difficult to recover quickly. This is not a real problem because Antoine can overcome this issue with his intelligence.

TALENT BOARD ROUND 1
I am not sure I have ever seen a kid that has a better understanding of zone coverage than this kid. He doesn’t take false steps, he knows exactly where he is on the field and he understands when to let the WR go in the zone. He also understands when a team floods his zone, what player is his priority and does not get confused. Antoine likes the play in front of him and because he is a good tackler, he could easily play the Free Safety position in a single safety defensive scheme. He has good man-to-man cover skills, but he excels in zone coverage along with excellent leadership skills. When you draft Antoine, you will be drafting a player who will keep your DB’s all on the same page on every snap. If I were in the same division as the Detroit Lions, Antoine would be very high on my list. He will be able to cover that fade route against the larger WR’s without a problem and that alone is worth drafting him. Antoine will have some difficulty covering one on one players like Steve Smith, Roscoe Parrish, Randle El, but as I have been saying throughout this profile, he is also smart enough that when he has to cover those type of WR’s, they better run their routes correctly because he will jump all over any mistakes they might make. I’m calling him Antoine (The Brain) Cason because he is like a coach on the field.

- Drew Boylhart (thehuddlereport.com)

Hmm. What does he mean by that exactly? Take better angles or maybe exceptionally quick route recognition skills?

 

[marchetta]

3rd round. Owen Schmitt, FB, West Virginia, 6'2", 247. A FB over a RB? Yeah, I would because in the long run this guy will positively impact the running game more than a backup for Barber will. Schmitt has two stats that just jumps off the page at you. 106 knockdowns and 17 TD blocks. That means 106 times the guy he was blocking hit the ground and 17 times he sprung someone for a TD score. Those stats are unreal for an Offensive Lineman much less a FB. This guy plays with attitude and passion. Our offense needs some of that. Combine him with Barber and we have the meanest RB duo in the NFL. I don't think I have ever seen a more ferocious blocking FB in my life. He has broken 10 facemasks on his own helmets in his college career. That means this guy leaves it on the field every play.

Owen Schmitt FB West Virginia​

STRENGTHS
Owen is a big, powerful kid who likes the physical part of the game of football. By this, I mean he likes to hit. He has good speed and shows strong hands, but most of all, this kid loves to block. It looks to me like he could be used as a Fullback or H-Back -- perhaps even as a TE on the line. Don’t get me wrong: blocking is not the only thing this kid can do. He shows a little bit of lateral agility when he runs through the tackles along with good vision. He does a solid job of catching the ball out of the backfield. Owen is a “jack-of-all-trades, ace of none” type of guy. He reminds me a lot of Mike Alstott except that Mike was not as good a blocker as Owen is.

NEEDS TO IMPROVE
Owen is not as athletic as most NFL players. He does not do things in a smooth or pretty way. Everything Owen is able to accomplish on the field is because of his effort, heart and passion to play the game. So if you’re looking for a pretty boy to block for you, then I suggest you look someplace else because when Owen starts to rumble, there is thunder in the jungle.

TALENT BOARD ROUND 2
When you look in the dictionary for the definition of a Football player, I suspect that Owens’s face will be the first thing you see. Owen will be a match-up nightmare. Even though he is small in stature, I believe because of his strength, passion, intelligence and work ethic that he will be an excellent TE in-line blocker. Owen will move the chains for you. He will move them when you need him to run for those two yards on third down or catch the ball for a five-yard pick up. I will not be surprised at all to see Owen chosen in the latter part of the first round. The only reason I have not put a 1st round grade on him is because I am not sure how good his hands are for the NFL level. His team does not throw him the ball that much. I don’t know how far past the line of scrimmage that he is comfortable catching the ball. That doesn’t mean I would not pick Owen early in this draft because in Owens’s case, you are drafting something that most NFL teams and players do not have very much of in today’s game. You are drafting his passion to play football and to hit someone -- anyone, something -- at anytime and for any reason. I’m going to call him Owen (Thunder) Schmitt because like I said before, when Owen starts to rumble, there is thunder in the jungle.

- Drew Boylhart (thehuddlereport.com)

 

[Bigdog]

I would be fine with that draft. I am little hesitant about drafting a OT in the 1st round but understand your reasoning. I think McQ or Free has what it takes to be a good LT in this league. Love your 7th pick although I think he can go much higher. Very good draft and would not be disappointed if it turn out this way.

 

[marchetta]

4th round. Kevin Smith, RB, Central Florida, 6'1", 212. In a RB rich Draft talent always falls and this is proof. I was surprised to see the scouting reports list Smith as a 4th round projection, but I will take it. Smith is a perfect compliment to Barber. He runs hard and he catches the ball well. I definitely think he projects as part of a RB duo as opposed to a feature back, this is the perfect place for him to fit. A steal at this point in the Draft. Just like the guy he'd be backing up.

Drew hasn't profiled him yet, however Drew said this guy is extremely overrated. Drew stated that the attributes that make a successful NFL RB are vision, instincts, lateral agility, quickness to the LOS, and NOT speed. If you can find a RB with all these attributes, and speed as well, then you have a franchise type RB (ie. DMac). But a RB MUST have vision, instincts, lateral agility, and quickness to the LOS to be successful in the NFL. While everyone knows K.Smith doesn't have speed, he also doesn't have lateral agility or quickness to the LOS. Because he doesn't have quickness to the LOS, he's going to be a 1-dimensional RB because he's only going to be effective running out of the I-formation with a FB leading him. He won't be able to run off tackle, run from a spread formation, or catch passes out of the backfield. He's a one-trick pony, and very overrated.

 

[DawnOfANewD]

Every year I go through several versions of a Mock Draft for the Cowboys. This is the inaugural launch of my Christmas wish list. My primary needs on the team are CB, WR, RB, OT, and ILB. I base this upon age, salary, and probable Free Agent defections. Your comments are always welcome, good and bad.

1a. Sam Baker, OT, USC, 6'5", 308. This pick may shock some people. It shouldn't. If he had not been injured in 2007 Sam Baker is a top 10 pick. I have a feeling the Hotel is not coming back. It's just a gut feeling really based on pure dollar amounts, but I'm not ready to put Doug Free at LT and say let's go. There are several OT candidates in the first round, I think only Jake Long and Ryan Clady have no chance of being there at 22. Baker needs to get stronger, but he does not get beaten inside or outside. Simply put this pick is insurance on our Franchise QBs health. I never frown at OL in round 1.

Just wondering who you'd take if we did re-sign Adams. Would you sort of address the other areas earlier, ie. use the 1a. pick on a CB instead of waiting for the 1b. pick to be up, use the 1b. pick on a WR instead of the waiting for the 2nd-rounder to be up, use the 2nd on a RB or FB instead waiting for the 3rd or 4th-round, etc.?

 

[dwmyers]

First things first. Your avatar is fantastic. IMO now the best on the site.

I decided I wanted a Staubach avatar and thought I couldn't beat Adam JTs, but I looked. I found this image of Staubach at Navy and that became the avatar.

He is still my ideal as a quarterback. You could say I think quarterbacks should be quarterbachs. No one I've seen for the 'Boys managed time outs as well as he did.

Who knows on how far guys will fall. Our pick is 28th of each round, so he may not, but a Tashard Choice still could. This draft is deep at RB. I don't put it past Jerry to go RB over OT and take Felix Jones. I just think Baker is the better value long term.

I'm in Atlanta and my recollection of Choice is that he was a reliable high-level performer. He's worth paying attention to.

 

[ayjackson]

I like the first three picks quite a bit - player and position. I like the next two as well. Hell I like all the picks.

It is tempting to let Flo go with Free, McQ and Marten on the roster and the tackles available in the draft. I would be happy with Baker/Otah/Williams/Cherilus battling with the backups for the LT position. I think we'd survive just fine.

 

[Hostile]

Just wondering who you'd take if we did re-sign Adams. Would you sort of address the other areas earlier, ie. use the 1a. pick on a CB instead of waiting for the 1b. pick to be up, use the 1b. pick on a WR instead of the waiting for the 2nd-rounder to be up, use the 2nd on a RB or FB instead waiting for the 3rd or 4th-round, etc.?

As I said earlier, Felix Jones and go OT in the 4th. I like Heath Benedict of Newberry as a good sleeper OT.

 

[Tyronosaurus77]

I think that we have to go CB with the 22nd pick. I would be ecstatic if we landed Antoine Cason. With the second pick I deffinately feel we can go best player available. Whether that is a RB, OL , ILB, WR remains to be seen. It depends on what we bring in through Free Agency. A FA pickup at any of those positions could put it off until later in the draft or even next year.

I believe that if we skipped RB at 28 unless Jerry felt the right one was still there or we could always move up in the second to land one. RB is so deep this year. I think that Barber can be a three down back running even though he has split carries on all levels of his career. I think there are a couple of RB's that would fit in nicely just depends on how they come off the board.

If we went 1a. CB and RB in the second then I wouldnt mind a WR, ILB or OL with the 28th pick. I honestly feel that we will be able to draft the best available.

 

[Woods]

I kind of like Cason at 22 and OT C Williams at 28, if we don't re-sign Flo and go the OT route.

I don't think Hardy lasts until our 2nd round, unfortunately. It would be great if he did.

 

[Sasquatch]

My main concern, esp on offense, is lack of speed without TG. And I think we have to proceed with that assumption. TO isn't getting any younger and burner speed isn't really his game anyway. Hardy is a special asset with avg speed. I think a speed bomb with our first or second pick here will be made.

And yet our passing attack was top third of the NFL in terms of long completions with Romo just behind Brady in average yards per catch. I understand the desire to add to speed to our team, one thing that was not emphasized under the Parcells regime, but I don't think it's as critical as ensuring that our franchise QB is well protected. If it comes down to a speedy WR or RB and a OT in RD 1, with the players receiving the same basic grade, I think you have to go with the OT.