How does Parnell compare?

[hendog]

How do you think Jeremy Parnell compares to the 2nd/3rd wave of OT's in this draft. Assuming we won't have a chance at one of the big 3 OT, if the coaches feel he is close in talent or development I suspect we won't draft a tackle this year. Sign Clabo or Winston if they feel JP is close and needs a little more time. I'm sure this is no revelation on this board (been discussed over and over) just wondering how you guys thought he stacked up compared to the likes of
Fluker
Watson
Armstead
Long
Williams (UNC)
Faulk
Freigal
And others??

 

[xwalker]

How do you think Jeremy Parnell compares to the 2nd/3rd wave of OT's in this draft. Assuming we won't have a chance at one of the big 3 OT, if the coaches feel he is close in talent or development I suspect we won't draft a tackle this year. Sign Clabo or Winston if they feel JP is close and needs a little more time. I'm sure this is no revelation on this board (been discussed over and over) just wondering how you guys thought he stacked up compared to the likes of
Fluker
Watson
Armstead
Long
Williams (UNC)
Faulk
Freigal
And others??

I've studied Parnell as much as any other player since he first came to the Cowboys.

I would have to split the comparison into 2 categories, physical and skill/experience.

Experience:
Minimal. He had not played OT in a real game at OT at any level (college or Pro) until 2012. He has played all of the preseason games for the past 2 years. In 2012 he started 1 game at LT and played another 1/2 game when Tyron got injured. He rotated every other series with Free in the last several games. He has practiced with the team for 2 years which is more practice time than college players get in 4 years.

Physical:
He a is prototype athlete (1) for the position. He is big and tall with long arms and big hands. He has very quick feet. As quick as Tyron and possibly quicker. When he first got to the Cowboys his strength was questionable; however, now he appears to be very strong with a much stronger upper body than Free. He displays what the football people call heavy-hands, which is the ability to get your hands on the defender and keep them there. This is something that Free just can't accomplish. One of the Cowboys media guys, I think it was Mickey said that Parnell's arms might be longer than Tyron's. It is unfortunate that NFL rosters are never accurate on player weights and sometimes not on height either. Parnell is listed at 6-6, 311 but I would guess that he weighs more. Also, when he was with the Saints they listed his height at 6-8 not that it really matters. You can see that when he is standing side by side with Tyron that Parnell is taller and heavier.

Comparison to current draft prospects:
Parnell is very athletic, but I don't think he would run a 4.6x forty like Lane Johnson or Terron Armstead. I think his quickness measureables would be similar to Tyron's something like a 4.8 or 4.9 forty. His arm length as stated above is said to be similar to Tyron's which is 36-3/8". Tyron's arm length was longer than all of the draft prospects with the exception of Fluker (36-3/4).

This is difficult. I don't see any exact comparison. Parnell is probably more like Tyron than he is anybody in the current draft.

He is a little bit like Menelik Watson. Parnell is taller, with longer arms and probably a little quicker/more-athletic.

He is also a little bit like Terron Armstead. Parnell has longer arms, bigger hands, is taller and has a thicker more powerful build but does not have the extreme foot speed of Armstead.

If Parnell had magically gone back to college and played all of 2012 and then entered the 2013 draft, I believe that he would be a 1st round pick. Cowboys fans would then be clamoring for the Cowboys to draft him.

The bottom line:
Parnell has excellent physical ability to play OT in the NFL but must get more experience in real (not preseason) games. He is basically maxed out as a practice player. He could practice another 10 years and not be as ready as he would be with about 6 games of starting experience in real games.

If a team is going to develop a project player, at some point they have to give that player a chance to play. I think that the rotation with Free was a terrific idea. It allowed Parnell to get some experience without being overwhelmed. Young DLinemen often get snaps in a rotation but it is rare with OLinemen; although, Houston has done it a few times in recent years. In 2012 they rotated Ben Jones in at RG which proved very beneficial because the starter was injured mid-season and Jones took over.

Footnotes:
1. Prototype athlete does refers to a players physical athletic ability. It does not refer to his ability to function as an NFL player.

 

[Eskimo]

Parnell has good height, great arm length and good athleticism. I've heard that he is actually very strong.

Part of the problem with understanding Parnell is he was a late convert to football and was mostly scouted to Mississippi as a basketball player and into his Sr. year was listed at 6-8 and 245 pounds. I think he is now listed at 6-7 and 320 pounds so his body has undergone marked changes over the last few years. There is an old video of him doing some of the Combine drills at a Pro day in the year when Michael Oher was drafted (2009) and he looked downright shredded back then, almost like a body builder. I'm not sure how much he weighed but maybe the 245 pounds would be accurate.

He also didn't really go through a proper Combine and we don't know all his measurements and measurables on an objective basis because of this.

Furthermore, we have really only gotten to see him compete against NFL caliber competition who are far more experienced than he is. He is very likely going to be a late bloomer with a huge development curve that he is probably only at the midpoint of his development despite being in the league for 3 full years.

It'll be interesting to see what we do at RT. If we stand pat and release Doug Free and only bring in a rookie then it is a ringing endorsement of what the staff thinks about him and his readiness to start this year. They now have a good bit of him on tape in game situations to decide what he needs to work on and whether he is going to be a viable starter after putting him in to split reps the last 3 games of the year plus the start he made for Tyron against Cleveland. I think the team is very high on him based on the extension we gave him before the start of the season last year.

I think we found a diamond in the rough here as guys with his size, strength and athleticism don't grow on trees. He has gotten better every year and didn't look out of place playing out there last year at RT and LT.

It'll be interesting to see if we have struck gold twice with Weems. He also seems to be a decent combination of size and athleticism. He started for the Oregon Ducks so played high level ball. They liked him enough to pluck him off someone else's PS - just like how they acquired Parnell.

 

[hendog]

Wow!! Awesome info. Much more than I expected. Sounds like we might actually have a starting RT. I for one sure hope so. Thanks!!

 

[hendog]

If the light could suddenly turn on for JP with this offseason and training camp, somehow manage to draft Cooper and sign Moore to play RG our OL could turn into a strength instead of the ball and chain it's been for years. Let everyone else (hopefully another draft pick or 2 included) fight it out for C and the swing positions. How glorious would it be to have a good OL!!

 

[Idgit]

If the light could suddenly turn on for JP with this offseason and training camp, somehow manage to draft Cooper and sign Moore to play RG our OL could turn into a strength instead of the ball and chain it's been for years. Let everyone else (hopefully another draft pick or 2 included) fight it out for C and the swing positions. How glorious would it be to have a good OL!!

I think this is more or less what our plan is...or should be. If Cooper or Warmack aren't there, we'll still likely add an OG we like in the 2nd. And then add Moore and move Mack to compete at C and potentially backup all three interior OL positions. It's a pretty good plan, even with a 2nd round OG in there if they draft the right guy (or if Leary--who they seem pretty high on--surprises in camp).

As for your OP, I think Parnell, if he were coming out in this draft with his current skill set, would probably have a mid-to-high 3rd round grade on him. His position could be upgraded by a couple of players in the first 2 rounds, or by Clabo at a higher expense in FA. Beyond that, I'd just go with what we've got and concentrate on making sure we've somehow got at least three OTs who can play at a relatively high level in the event somebody misses considerable time next year.

 

[jobberone]

I still have to look at the latter games of 2012 but I don't expect a lot different than what I've seen so far. So I agree with xwalker and Eskimo. Parnell is a superior athlete to Free and roughly on a par with Smith although I think Parnell may be stronger. I have no idea what they will do with Free. I think Parnell can beat Free and likely any draftee at the position this year. There are no tackles in the draft significantly better than Parnell although some may be better in certain aspects. That doesn't mean we won't draft a tackle. I think Parnell could play left or right tackle and will start at RT this fall. All he needs is experience.

 

[Idgit]

...It'll be interesting to see if we have struck gold twice with Weems. He also seems to be a decent combination of size and athleticism. He started for the Oregon Ducks so played high level ball. They liked him enough to pluck him off someone else's PS - just like how they acquired Parnell.

You've mentioned this in a couple of threads, and I'm glad you did because I didn't pay too much attention to the addition when it happened. Your Spidey sense telling you anything in particular here? Or just interested because we cared enough to free up a roster spot for him? Looks like a guy who's been with the Vikes, Pats, and Broncos already in relatively short-order, which I'd normally consider a sign that he's not been hiding out unnoticed on a PS squad for a team looking to develop him in the offseason....

Two-year starter at left tackle for the Ducks who was the recipient of the Bob Officer Award, presented to the player who excels in spite of physical adversity in 2011. Raised in New Orleans, his family was displaced by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, evacuating to Memphis before moving to the West Coast. Weems has a tattoo of Louisiana with the words “A Blessing in Disguise” circling it. He has already earned a degree in English and is working toward a second in sociology. Weems became a leader and role model at Oregon and played on a highly successful offensive team, especially as a senior. He possesses NFL size, has long arms, a wide blocking base and above-average strength, but he will struggle with speed rushers, quickness and athleticism.

Measurables: 6-foot-5-1/8, 318…10¼-inch hands…34½-inch arms…26 reps…365-pound bench-press…5.35-5.56 40-yard dash…27½-inch vertical jump…7-foot-7 broad jump…5.13 20-yard shuttle…8.57 three-cone.

 

[burmafrd]

It would be much less of a risk to jettison Free and have Parnell start then it was when we tossed Gurode and anointed Costa as our new center.

 

[Idgit]

It would be much less of a risk to jettison Free and have Parnell start then it was when we tossed Gurode and anointed Costa as our new center.

I think so, too. That was a huge gamble at that point.

We do need a better third OT, though, if we just let DF go. And preferably one that doesn't need a lot of snaps to get into position to play.

 

[Fredd]

I was always OK with Parnell, but you guys are selling me on him @ RT...get a guard in the first or if gone, get DL....

 

[xwalker]

In regards to Darrion Weems:

Measurables: 6-foot-5-1/8, 318…10¼-inch hands…34½-inch arms…26 reps…365-pound bench-press…5.35-5.56 40-yard dash…27½-inch vertical jump…7-foot-7 broad jump…5.13 20-yard shuttle…8.57 three-cone.

Good job finding his measureables. It appears that he didn't run at his Pro Day due to a bad hamstring. The measureables appear to be a combination of his Pre-College testing in 2007 and from a Junior Day.

He ran the 5.35 forty at the Junior Day. Most players that have both a Junior Day and a Pro Day or Combine usually run faster at the later events. In order words, the 5.35 should be worst case for him.

Weems looks good in game footage at Oregon. He appears to have good quickness/foot-speed. He has good size and appears to have good anchor strength. He needs work on his technique and playing in the Oregon offense might not be the best preparation for playing in the NFL. The biggest issue that I noticed is that he will sometimes get to upright coming out of his stance which takes away from his power. His footwork and hand usage was not always optimal either, but that stuff can be corrected in the NFL.

My biggest concern with Weems is the fact that he was with multiple different NFL teams in a short period of time.

Summary: Weems appears to have the size, strength and foot speed to play OT in the NFL, but he needs work on his technique.

 

[Eskimo]

You've mentioned this in a couple of threads, and I'm glad you did because I didn't pay too much attention to the addition when it happened. Your Spidey sense telling you anything in particular here? Or just interested because we cared enough to free up a roster spot for him? Looks like a guy who's been with the Vikes, Pats, and Broncos already in relatively short-order, which I'd normally consider a sign that he's not been hiding out unnoticed on a PS squad for a team looking to develop him in the offseason....

No special insight from me here. I didn't see him play in preseason. I do like big guys with adequate athleticism from top programs. I don't know how he'll develop here but I always pay attention when we go out of our way to acquire a prospect like this as it means there is something we really like about him to make the commitment.

I am just anxious to see how he does in training camp and preseason.

I think it is partly just how well this worked the last time we did it with Garrett at the helm with Parnell. I wonder if we struck lightening twice. It is kind of like how we have done with 7th round DL in the last decade: Josh Brent, Jay Ratliff, Sean Lissemore.

I truly do believe some teams are excellent at recognizing talent at certain position through certain means that other teams are not quite as good at. Some are great at the top of the draft, some are great at the bottom, some are really good at UDFA, some are good at finding unheralded vet FAs and some are good at using older Pro Bowl vets at the end of their careers. I just hope that maybe we're good at stealing OTs off other team's practice squads. :laugh2:

I think part of his struggles may be scheme related coming from that Chip Kelly offense. I had a brief look at some of his game tape and there appeared to be some decent raw material to work with. I like his footwork, size, length and ability to anchor. If he lacks technique then that is the sort of thing we can try and fix working with our OL coaches to see if we can get it straightened out. It is just hard to find guys with his size, footwork, strength and athleticism. We already know he can play at a high level against top competition and do well. We just need to bring him up to NFL techniques in a pro set offense.

 

[XxTDxX]

I'm fine with Parnell.. I think if we upgrade one of the interior OL positions we can be fine with Parnell at RT.

 

[respectdatstar]

I think we give the RT job to Parnell. We can try to snag Warmack/Cooper in the first or Pugh/Long in the 2nd. The OL should be very much improved this season. I feel good about this draft for us.

 

[Rack]

Parnell is a career backup. A solid swing tackle.

Nothing more.

 

[Maxmadden]

Parnell is a career backup. A solid swing tackle.

Nothing more.

Wow, you said that so convincingly that I almost believed you.

 

[Rack]

Wow, you said that so convincingly that I almost believed you.

People always want to believe we have Superman on our roster, and he's a backup. Just that he hasn't "had his chance yet". It happens every year.


I remember when Torrin Tucker was supposed to be a gem RT. He was also big, quick, and had long arms. The dude was horrible.


Hey, I like Parnell. I'd rather him start than Doug Free that's for dang sure, but he's not your ideal starter. He's a solid backup.

It's funny to read people say he's more athletic than Doug Free. Doug Free's nickname coming out of college was "Freak" cuz of his athleticism. Obviously that athleticism doesn't translate to playing RT In the NFL.

Again, I'd rather have Parnell start than Free, but let's not act like Parnell is a prototype here.

 

[jobberone]

People always want to believe we have Superman on our roster, and he's a backup. Just that he hasn't "had his chance yet". It happens every year.


I remember when Torrin Tucker was supposed to be a gem RT. He was also big, quick, and had long arms. The dude was horrible.


Hey, I like Parnell. I'd rather him start than Doug Free that's for dang sure, but he's not your ideal starter. He's a solid backup.

It's funny to read people say he's more athletic than Doug Free. Doug Free's nickname coming out of college was "Freak" cuz of his athleticism. Obviously that athleticism doesn't translate to playing RT In the NFL.

Again, I'd rather have Parnell start than Free, but let's not act like Parnell is a prototype here.

Time changes things. Free doesn't move like he used to only 2-3 years ago and maybe that's part of his problems. I wasn't that impressed with Parnell either from watching the games but he's definitely better than I thought after the season. Most have said he needs snaps/experience. If you look at the tackles play he struggles less than the other two but he has his share of oops plays that are more frequent per snap than the other two. Hence the optimism.

 

[Idgit]

Parnell is a career backup. A solid swing tackle.

Nothing more.

Callahan's on record saying he's capable of starting in the NFL, for whatever that's worth.