Jerry Jones Draft? Maybe not.

[SkinsandTerps]

Good post BP.

What this draft tells me is Wade will probably be back next year.

He should be expected to be back, but I don't see it as a sure thing.

Its a good young team, but still needs to just "get it".

Look at the Chicago Bulls against the Boston Celtics right now. They are getting more confident. I still don't know if they will win the series but they know they can beat the defending world champs.

If the Cowboys cant make the playoffs...Wade might be a goner. The only excuse would be is that they are young.

 

[SkinsandTerps]

Fast forward a few years and these players are all of a sudden pro bowlers. I remember the Mankins choice in the first round and how no one thought he was worth a first round tag.

He fit their system. He was not great and still is just a good player.

He was drafted in the first round for a reason. When you have nothing better than 3rd round the criticism is elevated.

 

[thechosen1n2]

well thought out post....its speculation, but there is definitely reasonability behind the speculation.

 

[NextGenBoys]

I think that he might have also been hot for Bradley Fletcher, who the Rams took right in front of us. I saw Jerry look right at Stephen after the pick.

I saw him in person almost every game of the season. Dude is a player and would have been PERFECT as our 4th corner.

I am happy with our picks at CB though.

 

[RoadRunner]

I will be happy if this plan for a 'kickoff specialist' pans out, we were murdered in field position last year.

I agree with that.

Overall, this draft was about depth more than anything else.

 

[theebs]

IN a video I put up a few weeks ago from the blitz, where Tom Ciskowski went UNC's pro day He said right out in on uncertain terms what they were going to do, no one was listening though.

They followed to a T what ciskowski said.

watch the video again, pay attention to what Tom C says starting at 1:43
[youtube]1Aln_ZHCfqw&feature=channel_page[/youtube]

To me this, combined with kicking out the malcontents signals that Stephen and the coaching staff have gotten through to jerry that certain types of people maybe bad for the team.

 

[BAT]

IN a video I put up a few weeks ago from the blitz, where Tom Ciskowski went UNC's pro day He said right out in on uncertain terms what they were going to do, no one was listening though.

They followed to a T what ciskowski said.

watch the video again, pay attention to what Tom C says starting at 1:43
[youtube]1Aln_ZHCfqw&feature=channel_page[/youtube]

To me this, combined with kicking out the malcontents signals that Stephen and the coaching staff have gotten through to jerry that certain types of people maybe bad for the team.

Nice. And I would like the Cowboys to continue kicking out the malcontents and diva players. Not just on STs, but on offense & defense too.

 

[NeonNinja]

Outstanding post BP. I'm happy with the draft, of course all we can do is sit back and hopefully watch them become good football players. I especially like targeting great character guys and ones that have a passion to play the game.

 

[Randy White]

I don't think Jerry ever created a strategy by himself.

Jerry has always been a "team" guy. When he had Jimmy here he followed Jimmy's thoughts and bought in, when he had Lacewell after that he followed Lacewell's thoughts, then BP and now Tom C and Wade.

Jerry has tons of faults but the truth is he mans up and takes responsibility for group decisions and he is a leader and enabler. .

Why is it so hard for people to understand that ?

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Good post, BP.

I have always felt that Jerry leaned heavily on what his coach wanted. We all know BP had tons of input, but I think Jerry always did that. You can even go back to Campo when he was lobbying hard for Antonio Bryant.

Oh, he loves to get the face time and tell everyone that "he" did such-and-such, but except for rare occasions like with Quincy -- when Aikman's sudden retirement left us in a bind -- he is not making picks himself. And he certainly is not watching film and grading players on his own. He's getting very strong input, at the very least, from his coaches. It's not a coincidence that we're not obsessed with size anymore and we aren't going for the combine warriors that don't produce. Just look at Wade's obvious enthusiasm over Brandon Williams, or like you said Herring's excitement about the new linebackers. The problem from 1995-2002 was that the people he was listening to didn't know what they were doing.

I wouldn't even be shocked if there was a little more leaning on the coaches this time after last year, when the problem children on the team, who were all Jerry's idea, didn't work. I never thought Wade was very enthusastic about Pacman, especially after he got suspended. We also heard about how some in Valley Ranch preferred Siavii to Tank -- that had to be the coaches, because it sure wasn't Jerry. Maybe Jerry admitted that his way didn't work, so let's try it another way.

 

[adbutcher]

I don't think Jerry ever created a strategy by himself.

Jerry has always been a "team" guy. When he had Jimmy here he followed Jimmy's thoughts and bought in, when he had Lacewell after that he followed Lacewell's thoughts, then BP and now Tom C and Wade.

Jerry has tons of faults but the truth is he mans up and takes responsibility for group decisions and he is a leader and enabler. I'd LOVE to work for Jerry in any business. He listens to his folks, makes the decision and then blames himself if it doesn't work.

Now the issue is as you can see above the importance of those guys who fill his ear. His loyalty means even awful track records get an extended trial: see Lacewell, Larry.

A lot of people will point to 1995 because the team talked up special teams so much. And that's fine. It is the cross Jerry has to bear for Lacewell's era. But it is also disingenuous of fans or media paying attention. We haven't had a bust of a draft in what 5 or 6 years now? That's a pretty good run and last year's draft was amongst the best we have had even though we didn't draft a true day 1 starter at all.

This team really did have holes on special teams. They also didn't have the premium picks to go get a starter although Jerry will tell you Roy Williams is very much a starter tied to this draft class. I think the overall strategy makes sense. Jason Williams will be an excellent special teamer but he can also play a position. A guy like Stephen Hodge is merely a special teamer but are Alan Ball and Courtney Brown really more than that? Is Hodge not a better special teamer than either of those guys by a country mile? I think ultimately this team chose well. The picks in round 3 and 4 were clearly designed to be players on the defense/offense. After round 4 they went special teams heavy. That's not a bad strategy because once upon a time Miles Austin was a special teams pick as well. You don't draft guys in rounds 6 and 7 to play for you right away.

I suspect this draft is far better than any pundit thinks. It would hardly shock me if Brandon Williams ends up a better pass rusher than Brian Orakpo who went round 1. Williams and Orakpo were in the same conference but Williams was the Big 12 sack leader not Orakpo. Williams had 13 sacks as a junior to Orakpo's 11.5. They had the same 5.5 the previous season when Williams was a sophomore. Who's the better pass rusher? Not sure it is the guy who looks best in the pic on your wall.

But it's not just there. Mike Mickens was a beast at Cincy. He was second in the conference with 4 INTs and first in yardage off those pick returns. And he was injured. In 2007 he had 6 picks and that tied him for 3rd. The guy who was first in the Big East in 2007? Cincy teammate Deangelo Smith who we also drafted....

Do NOT sleep on this draft class as it was a very good imho!

And trust... did Jerry and Tom C not earn our trust with last year's draft haul? If not trust then what about 1 year benefit of the doubt.