How Well Does Dallas Draft?

[NeonDeion21]

In a recent ESPN.com article, Rick Riley did a NFL Re-Draft of the 2006, 2007, 2008 Drafts. Each Draft shows how the first round should havegone. He then ranks the teams according to a draft grade based on the value of the player such as The Jaguars gaining +57 spots because Maurice Jones-Drew should have been the #3 pick instead of the #60 pick.

Heres the link if anyone wants to check it out. http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?id=6528474

According to Riley, the Cowboys are ranked 27th overall due to their bad 1st round drafting. This isn't a surprise to Cowboys fans because it is precevied that Dallas has been poor in their drafting abilities lately.

However, is this true? Yes, Bobby Carpenter and 2nd Round Picks Anthony Fasano and Martellus Bennett could be considered busts. But drafting in the NFL isn't just about the 1st and 2nd round right? I count UDFA part of the draft process. So let's take a look at some of the other notable picks and UDFA signings in the same 3 drafts.

In 2006, the Dallas Cowboys signed an UDFA by the name of Miles Austin. Since 2006, Miles Austin has earned 2 Pro Bowl Honors and is considered by most to be a Top 10 WR in this league. In a full 2006 redraft, he would be a top ten pick in my own opinion.

In 2007, Dallas selected with their #122 pick, Offensive Tackle Doug Free. Free has been the Cowboys best lineman for 2 seasons now and will soon be paid like a top tackle. A great draft pick in the 4th round.

In 2008, with the #143 the Cowboys selected Orlando Scandrick, conerback from Boise St. Scandrick is considered one of the top 3rd CB's in the league with potential to grow into a solid starter. Another great value in the deep part of the draft.

Fans get so enamored with the 1st round picks of a draft and are basing their entire draft grades on the 1st round. Teams are built with mid-late round picks and UDFA. Take a look at some of the top players on this team:

Tony Romo - UDFA
Jason Witten - 3rd Round
Jay Ratliff - 7th Round
Bradie James - 4th Round
Miles Austin - UDFA
Doug Free - 4th Round

Whenever a team acquires Pro-Bowl players via the draft, it is obviously a good thing. But if you can acquire them later in the draft or acquire them as UDFA, obviously the team is doing something right.

This team is not the 5th worst drafting team in the league that I know.

 

[Rynie]

"conerback from Boise St. Scandrick is considered one of the top 3rd CB's in the league with potential to grow into a solid starter."

 

[jobberone]

That part about Scandrick was a little over the top.

 

[laythewood28]

In a recent ESPN.com article, Rick Riley did a NFL Re-Draft of the 2006, 2007, 2008 Drafts. Each Draft shows how the first round should havegone. He then ranks the teams according to a draft grade based on the value of the player such as The Jaguars gaining +57 spots because Maurice Jones-Drew should have been the #3 pick instead of the #60 pick.

Heres the link if anyone wants to check it out. http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?id=6528474

According to Riley, the Cowboys are ranked 27th overall due to their bad 1st round drafting. This isn't a surprise to Cowboys fans because it is precevied that Dallas has been poor in their drafting abilities lately.

However, is this true? Yes, Bobby Carpenter and 2nd Round Picks Anthony Fasano and Martellus Bennett could be considered busts. But drafting in the NFL isn't just about the 1st and 2nd round right? I count UDFA part of the draft process. So let's take a look at some of the other notable picks and UDFA signings in the same 3 drafts.

In 2006, the Dallas Cowboys signed an UDFA by the name of Miles Austin. Since 2006, Miles Austin has earned 2 Pro Bowl Honors and is considered by most to be a Top 10 WR in this league. In a full 2006 redraft, he would be a top ten pick in my own opinion.

In 2007, Dallas selected with their #122 pick, Offensive Tackle Doug Free. Free has been the Cowboys best lineman for 2 seasons now and will soon be paid like a top tackle. A great draft pick in the 4th round.

In 2008, with the #143 the Cowboys selected Orlando Scandrick, conerback from Boise St. Scandrick is considered one of the top 3rd CB's in the league with potential to grow into a solid starter. Another great value in the deep part of the draft.

Fans get so enamored with the 1st round picks of a draft and are basing their entire draft grades on the 1st round. Teams are built with mid-late round picks and UDFA. Take a look at some of the top players on this team:

Tony Romo - UDFA
Jason Witten - 3rd Round
Jay Ratliff - 7th Round
Bradie James - 4th Round
Miles Austin - UDFA
Doug Free - 4th Round

Whenever a team acquires Pro-Bowl players via the draft, it is obviously a good thing. But if you can acquire them later in the draft or acquire them as UDFA, obviously the team is doing something right.

This team is not the 5th worst drafting team in the league that I know.

He shouldn't even be on the team.

 

[DFWJC]

I agree that we are not 27th. Ithink we are more in the middle of the pack. We hit few and miss a few.

IMO, missing on a 1st rounder does not offset by passing on a player for 7 rounds and then gambling that nobody else will lure him into camp before getting him in as an UDFA. Free Agents are not drafted and you lose control of getting them when you don't at least spend a 7th rounder on them. Romo almost went to Denver as an UDFA.

For example, in 2003 we took Zuriel Smith in 6th and Justin Batres in the 7th instead of Romo (who we deemed not worthy of a draft pick). They do get credit for landing him as a UDFA but it should not help your draft grade.

It's great that we ended up developing Romo and Austin into great players and we had some inside info on them to take basically no risk in bringing them in, but they also had to chose us vs us drfating them.
Big difference. We looked good to them because we sucked at QB and WR, so they had a shot here at least.

Anyway, UDFA or not, I see us as better than 27th.

 

[speedkilz88]

Rick Riley is a bafoon. Neither Fasano or Bennett are bust. Fasano was not a good fit here but he is a good TE and will have a solid career. Bennett is one of the best blocking TEs in the league, right there with Witten. He still caught 35 passes on a team where he his around the 5th in line and was held in to block allowing Witten to go out and catch passes.

 

[realtick]

Rick Riley is a bafoon. Neither Fasano or Bennett are bust. Fasano was not a good fit here but he is a good TE and will have a solid career. Bennett is one of the best blocking TEs in the league, right there with Witten. He still caught 35 passes on a team where he his around the 5th in line and was held in to block allowing Witten to go out and catch passes.

Fasano was a bust for the Cowboys because they got very little to no production from him in contrast to where they drafted him.

The same could be said for a guy like Stephen Peterman. He's not a bust of a player, but rather a bust of a pick for the Cowboys.

You draft players to produce for you, not for other teams.

In regards to Bennett, I agree, I don't think he's a bust.

 

[speedkilz88]

Fasano was a bust for the Cowboys because they got very little to no production from him in contrast to where they drafted him.

The same could be said for a guy like Stephen Peterman. He's not a bust of a player, but rather a bust of a pick for the Cowboys.

You draft players to produce for you, not for other teams.

In regards to Bennett, I agree, I don't think he's a bust.

I think you can say Fasano wasn't a good pick. But I still can't agree he's a bust because he is a solid starter in the league. He also wasn't even cut, the Cowboys got a pick that was turned into both Scandrick and Choice. Some guys just don't fit your system but the talent was obviously still there. Not that it's going to happen but if Fasano became a HOF type player for Miami, it would be silly to call him a bust because he was traded.

 

[DFWJC]

Fasano, even now, would not be worth a 2nd rounder. JMO
He's not a total bust..but I'd say he is maybe an average NFL tight end.
At least he has had a career.
He was a slight bust for us though (due to us burnign a 2nd rounder). But us having Witten didn't help.

Bennett was over drafted as a second rounder, but his story remains to be seen.

 

[realtick]

I think you can say Fasano wasn't a good pick. But I still can't agree he's a bust because he is a solid starter in the league. He also wasn't even cut, the Cowboys got a pick that was turned into both Scandrick and Choice. Some guys just don't fit your system but the talent was obviously still there. Not that it's going to happen but if Fasano became a HOF type player for Miami, it would be silly to call him a bust because he was traded.

You're not understanding the nuance.

Fasano may not be a "bust" as an individual player, but he was a busted pick for the Cowboys.

You don't draft players with the intent on trading them. Nor do you draft players with the expectation that they'll produce for some other team. You draft them for the sole purpose of producing for you. If that doesn't happen for you, then that draft pick comes into question.

In other words, it was a wasted pick; they got nothing to very little for drafting him as a franchise.

 

[speedkilz88]

You're not understanding the nuance.

Fasano may not be a "bust" as an individual player, but he was a busted pick for the Cowboys.

You don't draft players with the intent on trading them. Nor do you draft players with the expectation that they'll produce for some other team. You draft them for the sole purpose of producing for you. If that doesn't happen for you, then that draft pick comes into question.

In other words, it was a wasted pick; they got nothing to very little for drafting him as a franchise.

I just disagree that it can be looked at that way. Either the player was worthy of the pick or they were not worthy of the pick based on how well they play or played.

Fasano not that I liked the pick was still a good enough player not to be considered a bust.

Jimmy Smith, the Cowboys got nothing from the guy because of injuries. I can't call him a bust because the guy ended up being a multi pro bowler.

The Cowboys in the 70s drafted FB Todd Christensen and tried to convert him to TE. He balked, got cut and became a great receiving TE for the raiders. Can't call him a bust either.

The Cowboys in the 80s drafted a LB in the second round. I can't recall the name but he either didn't fit Landry's defense or there just wasn't room for him. They cut him in camp and even called the 49ers and recommended him and he played for them for a decade. Can't call him a bust imo.

 

[MarionBarberThe4th]

The Felix Pick is the killer

 

[sonnyboy]

I agree that we are not 27th. Ithink we are more in the middle of the pack. We hit few and miss a few.

IMO, missing on a 1st rounder does not offset by passing on a player for 7 rounds and then gambling that nobody else will lure him into camp before getting him in as an UDFA. Free Agents are not drafted and you lose control of getting them when you don't at least spend a 7th rounder on them. Romo almost went to Denver as an UDFA.

For example, in 2003 we took Zuriel Smith in 6th and Justin Batres in the 7th instead of Romo (who we deemed not worthy of a draft pick). They do get credit for landing him as a UDFA but it should not help your draft grade.

It's great that we ended up developing Romo and Austin into great players and we had some inside info on them to take basically no risk in bringing them in, but they also had to chose us vs us drfating them.
Big difference. We looked good to them because we sucked at QB and WR, so they had a shot here at least.

Anyway, UDFA or not, I see us as better than 27th.

One of the better more balanced posts on the issue of if RFA "counts".

Here's my take on this.

We used to have a 12 round draft for some time while there were 28 teams.
That's 336 selections.

Now we have 32 teams and 7 rounds. That's 224 and with the comp picks I guess it gets pushed to the mid 250 range.

OK so that's 80-90 missing selections.

Those top rated, highley sought after RFAs who are signed within hours of the draft each year matter. For a long time they were draftable players.

Our ability to find the right ones and convince them to sign here is HUGE.

And we've done it year after year.

I've done no research and have no solid evidence to support my claim here. But I'd bet dollars to donuts that no team has had more success with UDRFAs than we have in the 7 round draft era.

And I'd bet it's not even close.

So as I see it, it does count. I give RFA signings the same "credit", I would a 7th rd pick.

Team A drafts an All-Pro in the 7th Rd. Did they know he'd be that good? If so why didn't they take him in rd 5 or maybe rd 3. See where I'm going? Where does it end?

Player acquisition is player acquisition. No matter if its round 1, 4, 7 or RFA.

 

[DFWJC]

Player acquisition is player acquisition. No matter if its round 1, 4, 7 or RFA.

That much is true if you also add in any sort of player acquistion (like RFA, URFA, UDFA, etc).
Then, of course, we are not talking about drafting only--we are talking about overall player acquistion.

When the player gets to choose, Dallas does well because Dallas is a popular player destination. We have more people watch some of our practices than some teams have watch their preseason games. We just have a recruiting advantage over many other clubs.

I understand your point about the longer drafts in the past vs now, but getting UDFA allows a team to move to the front of the line in "round 8"...so it is not the same.

Fair enough though---in overall player acquisition, the 'Boys would rank higher. That does not mean they have drafted well.
imo

 

[TheCount]

I hope the Scandrick comment was a typo.

And I think we've had a number of average to awful drafts over the last decade. The 2005 draft is the only reason this team has survived all the bombs since and before that draft.

2010 and 2011 have some potential to be good drafts for us, I'm hoping both classes pan out.

You could say the 2003 draft was another life preserver, as well.

 

[big dog cowboy]

The Felix Pick is the killer

I agree. He is a killer RB for the Cowboys. His pass protection still needs a little work however.

 

[dwmyers]

You're not understanding the nuance.

Fasano may not be a "bust" as an individual player, but he was a busted pick for the Cowboys.

You don't draft players with the intent on trading them. Nor do you draft players with the expectation that they'll produce for some other team. You draft them for the sole purpose of producing for you. If that doesn't happen for you, then that draft pick comes into question.

In other words, it was a wasted pick; they got nothing to very little for drafting him as a franchise.

If you're ranking Dallas's drafting your argument is irrelevant. Dallas drafted a good player. If you're ranking Dallas's talent management then his history counts. But that's not the same as drafting the player, nor should aspersions be cast on Dallas's scouting because of a player management issue.

Back in 1969 a kid named Greg Cook was drafted by the Bengals. First round choice. Bill Walsh says he would have been one of the best QBs the NFL had ever seen if he hadn't torn up his arm. But he did, and if that pick were to be ranked in the way picks seemed to be ranked by Rick Riley, Glen would be treated as a bust.

I'm not sure what Rick Riley is doing is a sane way to determine who is actually good at drafting players (course, I'm only seeing what he did second hand..)

Just my ought two, but teams with strong scouting tend to show it in the quality of their later round picks.

D-

 

[MarionBarberThe4th]

I agree. He is a killer RB for the Cowboys. His pass protection still needs a little work however.

When I posted this article yesterday I noted
that 8rb's were rated above him and he was taken before most of them.

Not to mention how impactful Desean has been.

He's supposed to be the lightning but has only 7 TD's

 

[big dog cowboy]

that 8rb's were rated above him and he was taken before most of them.

I'm going to guess all 8 have more carries also. Seems only natural someone would rank those above Felix.

 

[DFWJC]

I hope the Scandrick comment was a typo.
.

.. .......