I am Really Confused!!

[rwalters31]

In the past the board is usually in sync with the draft predictions. But this year it is all over the place. I liked when we all went for the trenches both offense and defense. This is where the wars are won. However. I see where TE, WR, LB, CB, QB are being thrown around here. I still like the idea of the trenches in the first three rounds if the best players are there when the Cowboys pick. To name a few mentioned here: DeCosta, Konz, and Poe. Then throw in CB, TE, and LB.

My thoughts anyway

 

[Fanatico]

Yeah, it's funny how there's so many different opinions on what the Cowboys do. Over at bloggingtheboys.com, they listed 10 different mock drafts with 9 different players being selected in the first round. I think that's what Red J and JJ probably wanted.
http://www.bloggingtheboys.com/2012...afts-ten-mocks-nine-different-names#storyjump

 

[big dog cowboy]

In the past the board is usually in sync with the draft predictions. But this year it is all over the place.

I've noticed this also. That is probably the biggest reason it won't surprise me if we move down from 14 a few spots. Unless there is a sure fire pro bowl player (like Smith last year) there might be a pool of players we like and Stephen works the phones.

 

[Hostile]

In the past the board is usually in sync with the draft predictions. But this year it is all over the place. I liked when we all went for the trenches both offense and defense. This is where the wars are won. However. I see where TE, WR, LB, CB, QB are being thrown around here. I still like the idea of the trenches in the first three rounds if the best players are there when the Cowboys pick. To name a few mentioned here: DeCosta, Konz, and Poe. Then throw in CB, TE, and LB.

My thoughts anyway

I suggest a big reason for this would have to be divergent philosophies about what our biggest needs are. Is it pass rush, OL, or Secondary?

Opinions differ on where we lacked the most.

 

[cowboysooner]

I'll be shocked if we pick a secondary player in the 1st.

 

[YosemiteSam]

I suggest a big reason for this would have to be divergent philosophies about what our biggest needs are. Is it pass rush, OL, or Secondary?

Opinions differ on where we lacked the most.

We had several needs last year, but OT was a big one and there was an elite talent on the board for that position. That made last years draft pretty easy to guess what our pick was going to be.

That said, this pick will be a guard or a defensive front five player. I personally believe it will be a front five player and not an OL player. There are several guards in the draft. I think they will go defensive front and can grab guards later.

 

[CATCH17]

There is no question pass rush was our biggest weakness last year. The passrush got us out of games before the offense could even have a chance.


The question is which hole will have the best player available and of what importance is that position.

I think, even with as good as Decastro is, that guard wont be the top priority unless front 7 players are picked over.

 

[Hostile]

There is no question pass rush was our biggest weakness last year. The passrush got us out of games before the offense could even have a chance.


The question is which hole will have the best player available and of what importance is that position.

I think, even with as good as Decastro is, that guard wont be the top priority unless front 7 players are picked over.

No, that is your opinion. I don't agree at all, therefore it is not unquestioned.

 

[Doomsday101]

I suggest a big reason for this would have to be divergent philosophies about what our biggest needs are. Is it pass rush, OL, or Secondary?

Opinions differ on where we lacked the most.

I think that is part of it but even mock drafts vary more than usual, there seems no consensus even on the players who are in this draft. One constant has been DeCastro and I think that is why many have looked at him as our pick if he is still on the board. Looking at the grades coming off the combines only 4 guys pull higher grades than DeCastro and that is Luck, RGIII, Blackmon and Matt Kalil.

Looking at OLB and DL there does not seem to be a big separation in terms of dominance.

 

[CATCH17]

No, that is your opinion. I don't agree at all, therefore it is not unquestioned.

If Romo had great protection we would've been lucky to have been a game better.

Our defense constantly let us down. Both Eagles games and the last Giants game were over before Tony ever had a chance.


The Eagles are just a huge mismatch for us and we have to get better at containing Vick.

The Giants aren't as bad of a matchup for our offense but we can't just let Eli have all day to throw.


Get a better pass rush and we'll beat those teams. If we get in a shootout then that is exactly what they want.

 

[rwalters31]

There is no question pass rush was our biggest weakness last year. The passrush got us out of games before the offense could even have a chance.


I see where Hos has a difference of opinion. However, your explanation seems to me to fit last year’s performance. There is an old engineering saying that "understanding the problem is 90% of the answer". A lack of a pass rush made an average secondary look more like a sieve. The lack of blocking made Romo look for the pass rush instead of receivers down field. This seems to me to be the problem and in both cases the battles were lost in the trenches. The answer would seem to be solving these problems. The only question left is who would be the selection when Dallas’s turn comes up.

 

[CATCH17]

There is no question pass rush was our biggest weakness last year. The passrush got us out of games before the offense could even have a chance.


I see where Hos has a difference of opinion. However, your explanation seems to me to fit last year’s performance. There is an old engineering saying that "understanding the problem is 90% of the answer". A lack of a pass rush made an average secondary look more like a sieve. The lack of blocking made Romo look for the pass rush instead of receivers down field. This seems to me to be the problem and in both cases the battles were lost in the trenches. The answer would seem to be solving these problems. The only question left is who would be the selection when Dallas’s turn comes up.

I agree that both need to be fixed and I agree that Decastro is most likely to be the best player available.

I just don't agree that Offensive Guard is more important for this team than front 7.

Garrett can barely manage a game properly so i'd like to get a defense that can bail him out and get some stops.

 

[tm1119]

There is no question pass rush was our biggest weakness last year. The passrush got us out of games before the offense could even have a chance.


The question is which hole will have the best player available and of what importance is that position.

I think, even with as good as Decastro is, that guard wont be the top priority unless front 7 players are picked over.

Passrush got us out of games early? That doesn't even make sense. Our secondary got torched on a regular basis last year. You can't make excuses for guys who didn't do their jobs. Especially when we finished tied for 7th in sacks with 40+ as a team.

 

[YosemiteSam]

Both the offensive line and the defense as a whole was terrible last year.

 

[Doomsday101]

I agree that both need to be fixed and I agree that Decastro is most likely to be the best player available.

I just don't agree that Offensive Guard is more important for this team than front 7.

Garrett can barely manage a game properly so i'd like to get a defense that can bail him out and get some stops.

It may not be but then saying get a pass rush and actually taking a player in this draft that will actually live up to the title of pass rusher are 2 different things.

Unfortunately this is not a great group of so called pass rushers. I think there are some who could develop into quality players and pass rusher but they all come with some doubts.

 

[Phrozen Phil]

If Romo had great protection we would've been lucky to have been a game better.

Our defense constantly let us down. Both Eagles games and the last Giants game were over before Tony ever had a chance.


The Eagles are just a huge mismatch for us and we have to get better at containing Vick.

The Giants aren't as bad of a matchup for our offense but we can't just let Eli have all day to throw.


Get a better pass rush and we'll beat those teams. If we get in a shootout then that is exactly what they want.

I would argue that keeping Tony upright and our offense on the field would be our best strategy in terms of taking the BPA (if DeCastro is available). Not taking the best prospect at his position in years, IMHO would be a mistake. He would represent at least 10 years of not worrying about that position. The Eagles were able to get to our QB way too often, forcing way too many
3rd and long situations. Our defense spent far too much time on the field and, like several other games, simply ran out of gas.

If we play to the strength of this draft, we can still get pass rush talent, but it does not have to be in round one. If DeCastro is gone, then we couold likely see some D-Line talent or some more secondary help at that point. There's no need to reach. The pass rushers in this draft do not appear to worthy of our first pick.

As for us getting in a "shooting match" with other teams, we can utilize a good ground game and change the tempo of the game. After Murray's injury, we became one-dimensional again and were getting clobbered. Against the Giants, when it really mattered at the end of the game, we could not move the ball and keep it away from Manning. As evidenced by other threads, our goal line offense was and is an area of concern.

Improving the interior of both lines is important and I expect we can and will get help in the draft. Getting Carr will make a diffeence in the secondary as he has shown better ability to cover than Newman.

 

[reddyuta]

I think we can short list 3 guys based on their their availability @14.Decastro,Ingram and Cox.They should only pick Decastro if they think he he head and shoulders above the guards available in the early part of rd 2.

 

[fortdick]

There is no question pass rush was our biggest weakness last year. The passrush got us out of games before the offense could even have a chance.


The question is which hole will have the best player available and of what importance is that position.

I think, even with as good as Decastro is, that guard wont be the top priority unless front 7 players are picked over.

You are correct, pass rush was a problem, but it was the other team's pass rush that was the problem.

That is why we need to go Oline. The defense is better with Carr and Conor, but the Oline has not upgraded a thing.

DeCastro is a must.

 

[jterrell]

I think that is part of it but even mock drafts vary more than usual, there seems no consensus even on the players who are in this draft. One constant has been DeCastro and I think that is why many have looked at him as our pick if he is still on the board. Looking at the grades coming off the combines only 4 guys pull higher grades than DeCastro and that is Luck, RGIII, Blackmon and Matt Kalil.

Looking at OLB and DL there does not seem to be a big separation in terms of dominance.

Except it is very possible Glenn gets drafted before DeCastro.
Draftniks are simple-minded copy cats.

None of this matters until the ACTUAL draft.

We have no idea where anyone will go after the first two picks until we see Goose's mock where he has team reps tell him who they like.

DeMarcus Ware was rated in the 20's in the weeks before the draft.
He constantly rose from a starting grade in the 2nd/3rd round to us. After his selection many of our own fans thought was a reach based upon old mocks and draftnik reports.

 

[jterrell]

You are correct, pass rush was a problem, but it was the other team's pass rush that was the problem.

That is why we need to go Oline. The defense is better with Carr and Conor, but the Oline has not upgraded a thing.

DeCastro is a must.

Metrics disagree with BOTH of you. We rushed fairly well finishing top 10 in percentage of sacks on passing pays. And we were middle of the league in sacks and hits allowed.

BUT we sucked in pass coverage. And we couldn't tackle on either edge.

The biggest need was absolutely without doubt CB, which is why we spent 50 million there.

Seeing as we spent on 2 OL, 1 stud CB and ignored the DL thus far, I'd suggest we want to go that route in R1. It helps that there are 5 or 6 guys in the 11-20 range who can play along our 5 DL/OLB positions.

I would rate them:
1. Ingram
2. Cox
3. Coples
4. Mercilus
5. Brockers
6. Poe