Is there a big difference between Tyron Smith and Derek Sherrod?

[Fla Cowpoke]

Yeah, Tyron Smith is the better player by a pretty good margin. Although, I like Derek Sherrod and was on his train early. I think Sherrod is a natural LT and will be a solid LT in the NFL. Carimi's best position is going to be RT, imo. By year two, Sherrod would probably give you better LT play than Doug Free.

Smith is already in the 9-13 range. He will be considered seriously by Dallas, Washington (yes Washington), Minnesota, and Detroit. Smith will not escape all these teams due to talent meeting need.

Doug Free was not an elite NFL LT last year, and I don't think he will ever be one. JMO Doug Free isn't Jake Long, D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Joe Thomas... not even close. Plus, Free isn't as talented as players like Russell Okung or Trent Williams or Rodger Saffold, ect...

Both Smith and Sherrod would most likely give Dallas better LT play by year number 2, than Doug Free is going to provide the Cowboys. Free is a better run blocker than pass protector, and Free isn't close to being the player that Flozell Adams was at LT, during his long career.

Do you pass on a 20 year old Tyron Smith, just because you might get 4 or 5 serviceable years from Free at LT? I sure don't. Smith is a cornerstone player in the offensive line for the next 12 years. You can't say that about J.J. Watt or Cameron Jordan. Those two players are not Richard Seymour.

Trading down is asking for trouble, and I"d rather have one blue chip player, than two good players or one good player and a 3rd round pick. Trading down (while Phil Loadholt was on the board in 2009) has already cost Dallas big time and is a big reason why they are in the mess they are in now.

Stay at 9 and take Tyron Smith, because he is going to be better than anything the Cowboys have at OT (not even close), and he has the skill set and physical make up to develop into an elite OT.

I can't wait for his pro day, because Smith is probably going to be in the 310-315 range.

I do think Smith can be an exceptional talent, but I think you are selling Free a bit short. Free may never be elite, but in his first year as a starter he was above average, and the metrics indicate he was one of the best run blocking tackles in the league.

But getting a guy that can start at RT but that could play LT is very important....we really don't have another LT on the roster. If we draft Smith or Sherrod, and Free goes down, we could move Smith/Sherrod and plug Young in at RT. But with Carimi I think we would be hosed if Free went down.

 

[Fla Cowpoke]

I'm all for drafting production over potential. But it's nice to have a player who's been productive that has a bunch of upside, like Sherrod. Carimi isn't as athletic and will never be a LT in the NFL, while Sherrod will be IMO.

Carimi isn't as athletic? I think the Combine numbers might make you reconsider.

Carimi was faster than Sherrod in the 40, did 6 more reps on the bench, had a better vertical and a better broad jump. Carimi didn't run the cone or shuttle at the Combine, but I am guessing his numbers won't be far from Sherrod's.

 

[Fla Cowpoke]

Well stated and short and to the point. I agree with you on your offensive line analysis.

Davis was an average player last year, and the Cowboys have been getting diminishing returns since at least December 2008, when Davis first started showing major weaknesses in pass protection. It has been a slow, steady decline since then. Now, his run blocking, much better than Kosier's last year, is average and dropped off the table last year, when compared to 2009. Will it get better at age 33? I wouldn't hold my breath.

Colombo...We are on the same page for sure, and I was pounding that dump Colombo drum after that divisional debacle (Vikings). Why is he still here? ..Because the Cowboys organization dropped the ball in the 2009 draft...I hope they liked watching Loadholt block Ware and Spencer while Ray Edwards made Colombo look like a scrub. Colombo was never a good enough player to pass on a real good value like Loadholt. The Cowboys had his name on the card and opted to trade down.. Ouch...Hey, we got Jason Williams and Robert Brewster...Yippi...

Kosier didn't grade out overall as well as Davis last year according to Pro Football Focus. His run blocking was below average and rated poorly or in the red or negative. I would let him walk, or give him Holland's backup money. You are right, though. They will most likely resign him, and I don't like the thought of three interior players being 33 years old. That is old, and we are not talking about Larry Allen or Nate Newton here, either, in regards to Davis and Kosier.

I like Gurode more than others, but again, he's 33. I feel pretty good about him starting next year and would feel better if he had two new, young, strong, athletic guards playing next to him. His run blocking dropped off the table last year, too. Although, PFF rated him the 6th best run blocking center. He graded out (overall grade) above average and very comparable to his 2009 year according to them. He graded out very well in the screen game and in pass protection. However, I sure don't like the prospects of Phil Costa playing beside two old, average players like Davis and Kosier.

If his replacement falls into your lap, I take him in round 2. Center is really important position, and again, tough to find. If your center gets hurt, it can wreck your season, especially in Dallas. If you don't have one, you have major problems in your offensive line.

Wisniewski looks like a bull at 313, and he is a smart, young, technically sound player. He has good athletic ability for the position and fits the Gurode mold. Dallas will rate him high, I think. I could be wrong, but I don't think so. He has some upside in the NFL with adding that strength and size. Watkins may be the better NFL guard, but Wisniewski is going to be a really good NFL center.

The Cowboys passed on 5 starting offensive linemen in that 2009 draft, including Phil Loadholt. What a disaster. I sound like a broken record, but Phil Loadholt, Andy Levitre, Sabastian Vollmer, Antione Caldwell, and Luis Vasquez were passed up. Dorell Scott (DL form Clemson) went in round 4.

How in the world do you pick 12 players (7 on defense by the way) and end up with ZERO defensive linemen and 1 project, small school offensive linemen, who is now on the practice squad, after the entire league wouldn't claim him on waivers?

Then, I 'm supposed to just accept J.J. Watt or Cameron Jordan or a CB while a blue chip OT goes to Washington, Minnesota, or Detriot.

If the organization screws this draft up, it's going to get uglier than last year, imo. Again, I think they are 2 drafts away and not one player away. I'd fix the offensive line first, because Dallas has the weapons on offense (like the Colts) to win the Super Bowl, but they have an old offensive line that will land them in third place inside their own division. When a college team is rebuilding, the offensive line is the number one priority. The Jets were not perfect on defense last year, and their offensive line hid some weaknesses that they had on that defense. You can control the game with your offensive line. I still remember the Jets line wearing down the Vikings and running all over them. Dallas couldn't block the Vikings front in the running game on a good day, but they were able to do it in 2007, not even close now.

Dallas needs to be able to run (right or left or middle) or pass at will, so they can control the football and keep the defense off the field. You will never win a championship with that atrocious short yardage or goal line run blocking, alone.

That is why I'm dogged in wanted to address the offensive line. Value and need are going to collide on those early picks, and I don't want a inferior player like Gabe Carimi or Marcus Gilbert at RT and Kosier back at LG, so Dallas can draft another defensive player in the first round. That's not going to cut it, imo. The clock is ticking on Tony Romo, and Dallas is built to win now. It isn't 2006, anymore.

Tyron Smith won the Morris Trophy for the best offensive linemen in the PAC TEN. The defensive linemen vote on that award. He really does remind me of D'Brickashaw Ferguson, who was below 300 pounds at Virginia and considered a "finesse" player. Ferguson is a top 3 LT in the NFL, and he was the second best run blocking LT in the NFL according to Pro Football Focus.

The last OT to go in the 9-12 range was Ryan Clady, and he was named All Pro in his second year.



Also, I forgot the Oakland Raiders of the 1970s and early 1980s. They had three Hall of Famers on their offensive line. (Art Shell, Gene Upshaw, and Jim Otto).

Would the Cowboys trade down if Art Shell was on the board or pick a CB or 34 end? They might...LOL

The Commanders of the 1980s(-infant 1990s) won three Super Bowls and played in four. They had "The Hogs".

I pretty much agree with you on just about everything you have posted here. Would love Smith and Wisniewski but wouldn;t complain about a trade down, getting Sherrod later with Wisniewski plus picking up an extra 2nd or third rounder in the process.