Kiper grades us with a D

[dstew60105]

Dallas Cowboys: GRADE: D
The Big D gets a D this year. They didn't get a lot of top-end talent due in part to their not having a pick until the third round, but they then went out and reached on Jason Williams and Robert Brewster. Victor Butler is a decent pick, as is Brandon Williams, but I'm not enamored with any of their later picks. They got players that could help them in terms of depth, but no one who is going to really strengthen this football team.

 

[Doomsday101]

Dallas Cowboys: GRADE: D
The Big D gets a D this year. They didn't get a lot of top-end talent due in part to their not having a pick until the third round, but they then went out and reached on Jason Williams and Robert Brewster. Victor Butler is a decent pick, as is Brandon Williams, but I'm not enamored with any of their later picks. They got players that could help them in terms of depth, but no one who is going to really strengthen this football team.

I recall Dallas was making the biggest mistake taking Aikman over Mandrich. But Mel is entitled to his opinion and has had his share of hits and misses over the years.

 

[DFWJC]

I recall Dallas was making the biggest mistake taking Aikman over Mandrich. But Mel is entitled to his opinion and has had his share of hits and misses over the years.

I do not recall Kiper saying that at all. He loved Aikman.
I do recall him being off plenty of times....like everyone else.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Here a few gems from Mel Kiper’s 2005 Draft grades.

Detroit Lions: C+ Give the Lions credit for going away from their biggest needs to take receiver Mike Williams, who was clearly the best player available at No. 10 overall, but you have to wonder if they got enough help for the defense. Williams gives Detroit perhaps the best young receiving corps in the league

Both Mike Williams and Charles Rogers were rated in the top two on Mel’s big board. They were both wide receivers and both drafted by Detroit in the top 10. Both were also colossal failures. Both are now out of football.

New England Patriots: C Guard Logan Mankins was a reach in the first round but the Patriots obviously like his size and nastiness, and he will help fill the void left by Joe Andruzzi’s departure via free agency. Ellis Hobbs has good size but not enough skill to be more than a nickel back, and safety James Sanders was a teammate of Mankins at Fresno State and both were helped by the relationship between Patriots coach Bill Belichick and Fresno State coach Pat Hill. Tackle Nick Kaczur could play guard as well but came off the board a little early and Matt Cassel is a big project at quarterback.

Batting at the bottom of the order, the Patriots took two starting offensive linemen and a starting cornerback for a team that went undefeated during the regular season. They also got a starting quarterback in the 7th round.

Chicago Bears: A- Cedric Benson has all the makings of a star running back and Mark Bradley fills a need at wide receiver while also bringing excellent special-teams skills to the table.

 

[Doomsday101]

I do not recall Kiper saying that at all. He loved Aikman.
I do recall him being off plenty of times....like everyone else.

I recall that very well he made a big issue that Mandrich was going to be all world and that Aikman wasn't. He may have like Aikman later down the line but in 89 draft he said it was a mistake by Dallas

 

[LucaBrasi]

Well, he did like the 2 pass rushers. He wasn't enamored with the later picks, but most other reviews did like them particularly Mickens.

Its all subjective.

I used to obsess over these idiots and their grades 1 day after guys were drafted, but no more. I've pretty much accepted the fact that Jerry is the undoing of the franchise and the Cowboys won't be big winners til he's gone. Hopefully, I'll still be on the planet when that happens.

 

[dstew60105]

I recall that very well he made a big issue that Mandrich was going to be all world and that Aikman wasn't. He may have like Aikman later down the line but in 89 draft he said it was a mistake by Dallas

Don't remember Kiper saying that, but Joe Theismann was slobbering all over Mandrich.

 

[28 Joker]

Jason Williams was a third rounder. He was going to go in round three. The list of teams he visited was long. He was one of the most highly scouted players leading up to this draft.

 

[Hostile]

I think our Draft is a C+.

Adding Roy Williams makes it a B+ for me.

 

[dougonthebench]

Kiper doesnt know his head from his you know what.He's always wrong,and if he was really any good,someone would have him grading talent for their team.Not ESPN.

 

[lwehlers]

C- in my opinion. we did not get one draft pick who will push a starter in his first year. the outside linebackers are going to need atleast a half of this season to get used to playing standing up and moving in coverage. the young middle lb really has not played against bigtime talent. he will need atleast a year to start. i like some the guys we drafted by the way but i just think we could have drafted atleast two players who can push some of our starters for serious playing time this year.

 

[dougonthebench]

there ya go!

 

[Bleu Star]

Yeah. Kiper's schtick is so lame and yesterday. Mike Mayock is where it's at.

 

[28 Joker]

I think our Draft is a C+.

Adding Roy Williams makes it a B+ for me.

I don't know, Hostile. I really don't think you can put a value on it now. The Cowboys took Orlando Scandrick in round 5 last year, and he had a third round grade. I would be willing to bet Williams and Brewster had third round grades. I think Tashard Choice had a second round grade.

While the Chargers were reaching for Larry English, the most highly debated player in the draft according to one scout, and while Green Bay was giving a future number one pick away to get a pass rusher that New England passed on, Dallas was able to draft two hybrids in round 4. They are going to get tougher and tougher to find, because of all the teams switching. Dallas had Ware and a number one pick, and now they have two guys that they nabbed in round 4. They didn't have to spend a first or second rounder on them.

I would like to know what Victor Bulter's and Brandon Williams' grades were, because one of them or both of them may have a higher grade. One of the advantages of running the 34 is getting players like this in the middle rounds. That is going to be near impossible now. Dallas got them in round 4.

Brandon Williams looks like he could be a starter in the NFL, imo. Plus, he was a junior. I don't know as much about Butler, but Dallas really liked Williams' workouts. Plus, they took Butler first. They must have feared someone else taking him. These hybrid guys, as you know, have more value to Dallas and 34 teams.

Mel Kiper and Todd McShay really don't understand this, imo. They may be able to identify the front line guys, but McShay calling Jason Williams an athlete and not a football player is idiotic, imo. Just because he played at Western Illinois, doesn't mean he can't play in the NFL. However, he didn't like Felix Jones at all. That says something right there.

I think DeAngelo Smith may have graded higher than a 5th rounder. Micheal Hamlin was a potential 2nd or 3rd round pick before he ran a bad 40. His foot may have pushed him down. He broke it twice.

Mike Mickens, if he gets back to where he was, is going to have teams calling. He could have gone in round 2 if he's healthy. Dallas got him in round 7. If he runs fast before the draft and is healthy, he could have gone in round 1.

Just my thoughts. This draft is getting killed by everyone.

You didn't kill it, but everyone is freaking out.

I don't get the panic.

Todd McShay was bragging about Hakeem Nicks.

Would you take Nicks over Roy Williams?

I know you wouldn't.

Williams is our first pick. (number 20; round 1)

 

[Hoofbite]

I don't know, Hostile. I really don't think you can put a value on it now. The Cowboys took Orlando Scandrick in round 5 last year, and he had a third round grade. I would be willing to bet Williams and Brewster had third round grades. I think Tashard Choice had a second round grade.

While the Chargers were reaching for Larry English, the most highly debated player in the draft according to one scout, and while Green Bay was giving a future number one pick away to get a pass rusher that New England passed on, Dallas was able to draft two hybrids in round 4. They are going to get tougher and tougher to find, because of all the teams switching. Dallas had Ware and a number one pick, and now they have two guys that they nabbed in round 4. They didn't have to spend a first or second rounder on them.

I would like to know what Victor Bulter's and Brandon Williams' grades were, because one of them or both of them may have a higher grade. One of the advantages of running the 34 is getting players like this in the middle rounds. That is going to be near impossible now. Dallas got them in round 4.

Brandon Williams looks like he could be a starter in the NFL, imo. Plus, he was a junior. I don't know as much about Butler, but Dallas really liked Williams' workouts. Plus, they took Butler first. They must have feared someone else taking him. These hybrid guys, as you know, have more value to Dallas and 34 teams.

Mel Kiper and Todd McShay really don't understand this, imo. They may be able to identify the front line guys, but McShay calling Jason Williams an athlete and not a football player is idiotic, imo. Just because he played at Western Illinois, doesn't mean he can't play in the NFL. However, he didn't like Felix Jones at all. That says something right there.

I think DeAngelo Smith may have graded higher than a 5th rounder. Micheal Hamlin was a potential 2nd or 3rd round pick before he ran a bad 40. His foot may have pushed him down. He broke it twice.

Mike Mickens, if he gets back to where he was, is going to have teams calling. He could have gone in round 2 if he's healthy. Dallas got him in round 7. If he runs fast before the draft and is healthy, he could have gone in round 1.

Just my thoughts. This draft is getting killed by everyone.

You didn't kill it, but everyone is freaking out.

I don't get the panic.

Todd McShay was bragging about Hakeem Nicks.

Would you take Nicks over Roy Williams?

I know you wouldn't.

Williams is our first pick. (number 20; round 1)

Why did you go through and highlight all the names like it came from a blog or something?

 

[ctrous25]

I give Kiper a D on that crappy hair of his

Its really hard to judge our draft, but we did fill alot of holes with this draft

 

[Hostile]

Just my thoughts. This draft is getting killed by everyone.

You didn't kill it, but everyone is freaking out.

I don't get the panic.

Todd McShay was bragging about Hakeem Nicks.

Would you take Nicks over Roy Williams?

I know you wouldn't.

Williams is our first pick. (number 20; round 1)

I honestly understand the "killing it" aspect. It is heavy on backups and Special Teams. There would be skepticism no matter which team did that.

The skepticism will die if this team improves so much in Special Teams that it improves the Defense. That's natural.

IMO our coverage teams sucked for the last 3 or 4 years. If these guys come in here hungry and knock people taste out of their mouths I will be ecstatic.

The problem is very few of these guys look like potential future starters. I don't care about that honestly. If you've noticed I never freak out about Bobby Carpenter. He contributes to this team and when he doesn't cut the mustard they will get rid of him. I'm not into "premature evaluation" at all, but I do like any other draftnik out there and I grade drafts.

The bad grades don't bother me. I like some of the players we took. Especially Mickens in the 7th. In fact I like all the DBs we took. I like Jason Williams. I have mixed feelings on Butler because I am a Pac 10 guy. I've seen good and bad from him.

The TE is a no brainer thing. Branden Williams and Hodge intrigue me.

It could end up being a very good Draft class. The proof is in the results.

Until I see results, C+ sounds right to me.

 

[big dog cowboy]

i like some the guys we drafted by the way but i just think we could have drafted atleast two players who can push some of our starters for serious playing time this year.

For example???

 

[montgod]

C- in my opinion. we did not get one draft pick who will push a starter in his first year. the outside linebackers are going to need atleast a half of this season to get used to playing standing up and moving in coverage. the young middle lb really has not played against bigtime talent. he will need atleast a year to start. i like some the guys we drafted by the way but i just think we could have drafted atleast two players who can push some of our starters for serious playing time this year.

These were my thoughts as well.

Unger would have at least pushed Gurode and possibly supplanted him as the starter. Not to mention, he could play almost any position on the OL. That is what you need in order to build an OL for years to come. He would have defiitely been more affordable then a future free agent OL pickup and possibly allowed even more cap room with Proctor and McQ cut at camps end.

Isn't that worth an additional pick to move up and get him? Or is an additional project pick who has to be groomed for a backup role a better option?

 

[J-DOG]

The draft experts fall in love with thier rankings and do not understand how the pro teams are going to utilize some of these players strength's.
Kiper admits he is not an expert on the NFL teams needs but he does claim to be an expert on when these players should go in the draft.
That's probably why he is not enamored with our draft.
I also think Mcshay and Kiper both have missed the boat on our team's talent base and why our record was what is was last season.
Kosier-starting guard-Holland backup got hurt.
Barber-starting rb got injured
Felix-2nd string rb and kickoff returner missed most of the season.
Austin-backup wr and kickoff returner missed a great deal of the season.
Romo-starting qb missed 3 games and our backups were the worst in the league.
Roy Williams the saftey gets injured and his backup Watkins goes down for the season.
Terence Newman our best cover corner misses significant time.
Spencer OLB gets injured and misses significant time.
All of the above missed significant time last season and thier backups did not perform up to level or thier backups got hurt.
We get Barber and Felix back to full strength.
We draft a backup for the tackle/guard position.
We get a backup qb and draft a young qb as 3rd string to develop for long term.
Romo is healthy for this season.
Austin and Hurd are both back healthy this season.
Kosier and Holland are back healthy this season.
We draft a cornerback.
We draft 2 safeties.
We draft 2 OLB pass rushers
We draft 1 MLB and 1OLB who can cover in nickel.
We get Newman and Spencer back healthy for this season.
All the draft experts do not realize that the amount of injuries to our first string players did have an effect on why we did not make the playoffs.
You may ask yourself well other teams have injuries but they seem to still be able to win. And I agree. It seems the other teams backups were better than ours were. Hence we drafted players who add depth as backups or who fill specific roles that we lost during FA(Burnett).
SO WE DRAFTED FOR DEPTH-THAT'S WHAT WE NEEDED!!!!!!!!!!