Looking back on the 2015 draft hurts

[JBell]

Wanting Collins over Byron is like wanting filet mignon over a ribeye

 

[Reality]

Five spots after Byron Jones, another safety Landon Collins was selected. Collins is a DPOY candidate and has 6 career INTs.

The problem is that different systems use safeties differently so you cannot compare that position purely on stats. I think Byron Jones was exactly what we needed and I believe he has been a solid player for us. He's the closest hybrid safety (ex: Darren Woodson) we've had in a long time and Byron will likely get even better over the next couple of years.

In the 2nd round, three spots after Randy Gregory another DE, Frank Clark was selected. Clark has 13 career sacks.

A littler perspective is needed when we dissect the hell out of a clip of Gregory running down a RB 7 yds down the field or when we fawn over Jones' versatility. Both players are getting severely outplayed by lesser picks at their same position.

There's no question the Cowboys gambled and lost on Gregory no matter who you compare him to simply because he keeps getting suspended. They doubled-down on their 2nd-round again in 2016 with Jaylon Smith, and there is optimism that next year, he will pay off big, but when you factor in the wasted 2015 second round pick, it makes needing to win on the Jaylon pick even more important.

As I posted a while back though, you should only take high round gambles once every few years. The Cowboys have now taken two of them in back-to-back years, and even if Jaylon Smith returns to form and becomes a great player, I think the Cowboys need to avoid any high-risk-high-reward picks in the first 4 rounds the next couple of years. The Cowboys need to gain talent and throw numbers at various positions in an effort to not only fix some holes but also upgrade some positions they may be forced to overpay with new contracts, especially when it comes to overpaying for average or below average existing players on the team.

 

[ElGatoGrande]

Five spots after Byron Jones, another safety Landon Collins was selected. Collins is a DPOY candidate and has 6 career INTs.

In the 2nd round, three spots after Randy Gregory another DE, Frank Clark was selected. Clark has 13 career sacks.

A littler perspective is needed when we dissect the hell out of a clip of Gregory running down a RB 7 yds down the field or when we fawn over Jones' versatility. Both players are getting severely outplayed by lesser picks at their same position.

The Cowboys 2015 draft may still yield some players with staying power, Swaim, Wilson, Jones, Green, Nacho,,, just take a look at the Giants 2015 draft, they didn't do any better, worse I'd say. And the Seahawks 2015 draft? They only got 2 decent players out of it.

 

[Beast_from_East]

Going back and looking at each pick in hindsight is not really fair, but what is fair is looking at the history of our 2nd round picks. I don't know what they are doing or what needs to change, but out of the last 7 drafts, the only player we have drafted that turned out to be a stud was Sean Lee. Everybody else is either suspended, injured, or just sucks.

So we have hit on exactly one single player in the 2nd round the last 7 drafts.................I am still hoping Jalen is stud #2, but TBD

 

[Scotman]

The best part about this whole conversation is that it isn't all I have to read in January this year.

Those players from the 2015 draft have us in the playoffs! They are pieces of a team that is pretty dang solid.

The last thing I'd want is for any of us to have the magical ability to go back and start messing with our last few drafts.

We have team chemistry. We have a bye. We have guys that could potentially win this whole thing.

I'm not picking apart anything right now. I'll save the draft analysis for after Houston.

 

[Alexander]

Call me crazy but I'm drafting at least one player from Alabama every year

It is surprising we don't given Garrett’s Saban love

 

[jblaze2004]

Call me crazy but I'm drafting at least one player from Alabama every year

As long as it's not a running back lol

 

[romothesavior]

The problem is that different systems use safeties differently so you cannot compare that position purely on stats. I think Byron Jones was exactly what we needed and I believe he has been a solid player for us. He's the closest hybrid safety (ex: Darren Woodson) we've had in a long time and Byron will likely get even better over the next couple of years.


There's no question the Cowboys gambled and lost on Gregory no matter who you compare him to simply because he keeps getting suspended. They doubled-down on their 2nd-round again in 2016 with Jaylon Smith, and there is optimism that next year, he will pay off big, but when you factor in the wasted 2015 second round pick, it makes needing to win on the Jaylon pick even more important.

As I posted a while back though, you should only take high round gambles once every few years. The Cowboys have now taken two of them in back-to-back years, and even if Jaylon Smith returns to form and becomes a great player, I think the Cowboys need to avoid any high-risk-high-reward picks in the first 4 rounds the next couple of years. The Cowboys need to gain talent and throw numbers at various positions in an effort to not only fix some holes but also upgrade some positions they may be forced to overpay with new contracts, especially when it comes to overpaying for average or below average existing players on the team.

I think what frustrates me so much about the Gregory and Smith picks is that they probably could have waited one more round to see if they would have fallen to them. Both picks seemed like reaches based on most draft boards.

 

[Reality]

I think what frustrates me so much about the Gregory and Smith picks is that they probably could have waited one more round to see if they would have fallen to them. Both picks seemed like reaches based on most draft boards.

I had a theory back in the draft about the Jaylon Smith pick. I have no proof, so this is pure speculation, but it is based off of various aspects of what went on after the Denver pick as well as the actions and reactions by people in the Dallas Cowboys war room.

My thinking was that they thought they were trading that pick to get back into the first round and they had their backup plan for who they wanted to draft in the second round in case the trade deal (or deals) fell through. I think what then happened was the trade deal(s) fell through and one of the teams above them, and after Denver, chose the backup plan player (Ogbah maybe?) and the next guy on their board was Jaylon Smith, who they probably planned to take in the third.

If I remember correctly, Stephen was on the phone right up until the last moment of their second round pick likely trying to trade down and when it fell through, they had to take the next guy on their board, which was Jaylon Smith.

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

Wanted Frank Clark but had no issues taking Gregory (in fact I was really pleased with it), but I never imagined he'd have such severe issues especially after talking such a big game after being drafted.

 

[tyke1doe]

I wish we had Clark but the domestic violence thing wouldn't get swept under the rug in Dallas like it did in Seattle.

Also, I would take Byron Jones over Landon Collins for our defense.


Jones has basically taken away the deep ball, made our SS's better, and he can line up in the slot and cover like a corner.


I do not regret Jones > Collins at all and I actually prefer it.

Can you imagine if we had Greg Hardy AND Frank Clark on our team last year?

 

[gimmesix]

Five spots after Byron Jones, another safety Landon Collins was selected. Collins is a DPOY candidate and has 6 career INTs.

In the 2nd round, three spots after Randy Gregory another DE, Frank Clark was selected. Clark has 13 career sacks.

A littler perspective is needed when we dissect the hell out of a clip of Gregory running down a RB 7 yds down the field or when we fawn over Jones' versatility. Both players are getting severely outplayed by lesser picks at their same position.

Jones is not a regret pick IMO. He's a good player.

It's fine if you want to regret taking Gregory since he's kept himself off the field. We knew the risks when we took him, though.

If I'm going to regret picks on this current team, give me ones like Gavin Escobar or pretty much the entire 2009 draft class.

 

[tyke1doe]

Wanted Frank Clark but had no issues taking Gregory (in fact I was really pleased with it), but I never imagined he'd have such severe issues especially after talking such a big game after being drafted.

Yep. Despite my better judgment, I was sucked in. No more. When people have established patterns in their lives, it is extremely difficult - near close to impossible outside divine intervention or tragic, life-altering circumstances - for them to change.

Failing a drug test at the combine should have been a HUGE red flag. But we were mesmerized by talent and a desire to bolster our pass rush.

Please, please, please, no more players with drug or domestic violence in the first, second, third or fourth rounds. Take a flyer on them in the fifth or lower. Preferably, not at all. But if you're going to gamble, gamble low.

We really could have used the pick we wasted on Gregory on another player who would likely be a contributor today.

 

[CowboyStar88]

I've never been a fan of the pick, and I don't think I ever will be.... I hate drafting workout warriors, and the legend of Byron no hands Jones continues to grow.

 

[Zordon]

I've never been a fan of the pick, and I don't think I ever will be.... I hate drafting workout warriors, and the legend of Byron no hands Jones continues to grow.

I agree. But it's obvious we're a minority opinion on here. I can see why people like him bc of his versatility to play safety and corner. Natural instincts are missing which is probably why he can't sniff a turnover.

 

[ConceptCoop]

This fanbase.


We can do this every single draft

As could every team. We can whine about how we missed out on JJ Watt, or be stoked that we got Tyron Smith. Nobody bats 1.000.

 

[CowboyStar88]

I agree. But it's obvious we're a minority opinion on here. I can see why people like him bc of his versatility to play safety and corner. Natural instincts are missing which is probably why he can't sniff a turnover.

I don't mind being in the minority on this one, I've never changed my stance on it. I am not a fan. Listen the "versatility" argument is fine, but a FS should be changing the field position and creating TO's. I find it funny how people call out others because they think it's just about stats, but unfortunately it is a very important stat. They change the complexity of the game, but hey he is "versatile"

So was Charles Woodson, and he still made plays and created TO's. But I guess the standards these days for safety play is pretty low for this fanbase. How I long for the days of Darren Woodson/Brock Marion/George Teague.

 

[dogunwo]

Wanting Collins over Byron is like wanting filet mignon over a ribeye

I happen to prefer Ribeye

 

[dogunwo]

It is surprising we don't given Garrett’s Saban love

Alabama players are overrated. Not that they don't have some great players coming out of that program, but the fact that they "played for Alabama" so just draft them is stupid. See my post earlier in this thread regarding Clemson players.

 

[yimyammer]

looking at the 2016 draft feels so good, my attention span cant go back any further

this draft has a chance to make up for years of disappointments (if it hasn't already)