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If available, should Derek Barnett be the Cowboys’ pick at No. 28?
By John Owning
Posted on Feb 23, 2017
The Dallas Cowboys need a pass-rusher, desperately. It’s not a secret, and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones made it clear that it will be one of their primary focuses this offseason (Via the Dallas Morning News).
“If I have a chance to bring one of these premiere pass rushers, one of these war daddies that takes two to block, if I have a chance to get a player like that – I would…it’s not a question of that. It’s a question of where is he? And who gives him up if he’s a veteran, or where is he in the draft, or where is he anywhere? So, yeah we do need pressure. We’re going to try to do something about it.”
On a team that was a couple of inches away from making the NFC Championship Game, a revamped pass rush could get them over the hump next season.
One of those players who has been brought up as a possible ‘war daddy’ is Derek Barnett.
The Tennessee defensive end is one of the most productive players to come out of college in quite some time. In three years with the Volunteers, he accumulated 198 tackles, 52 for loss and 32 sacks.
While those numbers are fantastic, one has to be cognizant of placing too much weight on production in college. Instead, it is important to contextualize the production by watching his tape and evaluating his skill set.
In Barnett’s case, the question becomes whether the avenues that he used to produce at such a high level are translatable in the NFL, which is where his evaluation gets a little murky.
Listed at 6-foot-3 and 265 pounds, Barnett has a squatty frame with great flexibility in his lower half.
Barnett uses his pliability to sharpen the corner while executing his speed rush. Barnett used this rush to wreak havoc on opposing offenses throughout his career. Here’s a great example:
http://www.fanragsports.com/nfl/cowboys/available-derek-barnett-cowboys-pick-no-28/
By John Owning
Posted on Feb 23, 2017
The Dallas Cowboys need a pass-rusher, desperately. It’s not a secret, and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones made it clear that it will be one of their primary focuses this offseason (Via the Dallas Morning News).
“If I have a chance to bring one of these premiere pass rushers, one of these war daddies that takes two to block, if I have a chance to get a player like that – I would…it’s not a question of that. It’s a question of where is he? And who gives him up if he’s a veteran, or where is he in the draft, or where is he anywhere? So, yeah we do need pressure. We’re going to try to do something about it.”
On a team that was a couple of inches away from making the NFC Championship Game, a revamped pass rush could get them over the hump next season.
One of those players who has been brought up as a possible ‘war daddy’ is Derek Barnett.
The Tennessee defensive end is one of the most productive players to come out of college in quite some time. In three years with the Volunteers, he accumulated 198 tackles, 52 for loss and 32 sacks.
While those numbers are fantastic, one has to be cognizant of placing too much weight on production in college. Instead, it is important to contextualize the production by watching his tape and evaluating his skill set.
In Barnett’s case, the question becomes whether the avenues that he used to produce at such a high level are translatable in the NFL, which is where his evaluation gets a little murky.
Listed at 6-foot-3 and 265 pounds, Barnett has a squatty frame with great flexibility in his lower half.
Barnett uses his pliability to sharpen the corner while executing his speed rush. Barnett used this rush to wreak havoc on opposing offenses throughout his career. Here’s a great example:
http://www.fanragsports.com/nfl/cowboys/available-derek-barnett-cowboys-pick-no-28/
