Late Rounds-6th and 7th Theories

[conner01]

That's more like 15% and not 25%, with the filter set to players drafted in 2009 to 2015 and considered a teams primary starter for 1 season or more.

There are more undrafted players in the nfl than 6th rnd picks, probably 6th and 7th combined. About 400 players are undrafted on nfl rosters

 

[Verdict]

Thinking about free agency in the sixth round is pretty stupid, in my opinion. You should still be focusing on your board and drafting your highest rated players who might have slipped, not rounding out next year's practice squad. This is the same way they lost out on Thomas Rawls. They thought they could sign him as an UDFA, so they drafted a crappy tackle instead, even though Rawls was clearly the better player.

I think the Cowboys' theory makes more sense in the 7th round, since fewer players will be drafted after we draft and the talent level is close to being depleted anyway. It is a calculated risk taking a player you like less, because you believe a player you like more will sign with you as a free agent.

This isn't unheard of, since we did it with Witten, and let him slide a round and we still got him. That worked out pretty well, though the risk in that case probably wasn't a good risk.

We did the same thing with Demarcus Ware. Few people remember that Spears was drafted behind Ware, but we actually wanted Spears MORE, but we thought Spears would last until our later first round pick, but they were confident that Ware would not. There is risk in all of this drafting stuff.

One more ...... we traded down and left meat on the take with Steven Jackson to take Julius Jones to get a second first round pick in the following draft. While that was a poor decision in that draft, we used the pick the next year on Spears. If we did not have that pick, it is a distinct possibility that we would have taken Spears first with out #1 pick, and lost out on Ware altogether.

 

[Verdict]

Look at Rawls last year.
We could have drafted him in the 7th round.
I think Jerry is thinking about Rawls when making this statement.

Yes. The year that Fred Beard was drafted approximately one half of the first round players selected did not get their 5th year option exercised. One of the teams refusing to exercise the 5th year option was the Ravens, with the great Ozzie Newsome at the helm. IIRC I think the Steelers may have also been one of the teams who did not exercise the 5th year option.

We of course, did exercise our 5th year option on Fred Beard. We could have been one of the teams who didn't, but we weren't due to very good drafting. Do the Cowboys get any credit when they are right?

 

[Floatyworm]

Because Powell wasn't a Church clone like Frazier.

I don't see how a 5'10 safety is anything close to Church....Now JJ Wilcox on the other hand...might wanna come to work this training camp.

 

[BAT]

I don't see how a 5'10 safety is anything close to Church....Now JJ Wilcox on the other hand...might wanna come to work this training camp.

He's 6-0 220 actually. And there have been many draft analysts who compare his game to Church.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/2000164/kavon-frazier

 

[AbeBeta]

Look at Rawls last year.
We could have drafted him in the 7th round.
I think Jerry is thinking about Rawls when making this statement.

Look at Rawls last year. He stole a woman's purse.

Gee, Cowboys draft pursue stealer after signing a woman beater. Most media outlets pay little attention to UDFA but draft picks, that generates news.

Obviously, there were other concerns here.

 

[Doomsay]

That's more like 15% and not 25%, with the filter set to players drafted in 2009 to 2015 and considered a teams primary starter for 1 season or more.

I don't think you are considering UDFA's.

 

[TwoCentPlain]

There are more undrafted players in the nfl than 6th rnd picks, probably 6th and 7th combined. About 400 players are undrafted on nfl rosters

Good data. I see little, if any talent difference, between the undrafted FAs and the 6th and 7th rd picks. And that is the key if you have the late round philosophy the Cowboys seem to have. When grading the Cowboys drafts and other teams, I think you have to factor in the UFAs. I think the Cowboys have possibly done the best with UFAs in the NFL. The Cowboys seem to have an advantage when it comes to UFAs. First, it is the Cowboys and most players want to play here, or at least start here because of the guaranteed exposure as a Cowboy. Second, the Cowboys have a great track record when it comes to UFAs.

UFAs also have a better chance of making a team because they can pick and choose which team is right for them. For example, a WR would probably prefer a team which might be weak or light at the WR position. A team might have an excellent TE coach and the UFA TE can choose that team to better develop.

 

[BAT]

Look at Rawls last year. He stole a woman's purse.

Gee, Cowboys draft pursue stealer after signing a woman beater. Most media outlets pay little attention to UDFA but draft picks, that generates news.

Obviously, there were other concerns here.

Glad we didn't take him then, real tired of idiots like Randle. No more stupid players.