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Matt Mosley on the Cowboys and NFL draft (4/28)
12:33 PM CDT on Friday, April 28, 2006
Matt Mosley, ***BANNED-URL***'s Cowboys beat writer, answered your questions on Friday, April 28.
moderator: We welcome Matt Mosley for a chat about the Dallas Cowboys and the NFL draft.
Bruce B., Whitelaw, Wis.: Any chance that the Cowboys would give Pete Hunter another look at the safety postion. I know he didn't want to change positions, however maybe being cut a few times has humbled him.
Matt Mosley: Bruce, I'm all fired up about some draft talk and you start me off with Pete "I'm not moving to safety" Hunter? I like Pete, but he overplayed his hand last year and you won't see him around here again. But just for you, I'll give him a call and see what he's up to. He's an unbelievable billiards player by the way.
Todd Huggins: Who will be doing the kickoffs for the Cowboys? I heard Tony Dungy say the Colts had to have a roster spot for that when Mike Vanderjagt was the kicker.
Matt Mosley: Mr. Moderator, you have to screen some of these folks. Now, we're gonna launch into some kickoff specialist talk. Listen, Bill Parcells isn't going to waste a roster spot on a kickoff specialist and I know for a fact that punter Mat McBriar can't do the honors. So big Mike will have to get familiar with kicking off again, something he hasn't done since 2003 if memory serves correct.
Mark Canello, Manchester, Conn.: I would pick an offensive lineman with the first three picks of the draft if I were the Cowboys. Our line is the worst part of our team. What do you think?
Matt Mosley: No better place than Manchester, Conn. this time of year, Mark. But you're getting carried away with this offensive line talk. The Cowboys will draft defense first (pass-rushing LB) and then maybe go after an offensive tackle in the second or third round. I put a lot of names in my most recent column, but remember Daryn Colledge from Boise State. He continues to shoot up my draft board, which is in complete disarray at this point.
Richard Watson: Why the drop on Winston Justice? Physical test scores are impressive! Few in the draft bring more to the table than this offensive tackle. Please do not use immaturity as the reason.
Matt Mosley: Richard, you're editing me before I even have a chance to tell you how immature Justice is! No, I'm not going with the immature angle. Here's what I've heard on him: He's a total finesse guy, which doesn't always work out at the next level. My guys tell me Justice will end up in his quarterback's lap if someone drills him in the chest. And I can assure that will happen at some point. If Justice is there at No. 18, the Cowboys will pass ... Or they could use him as trade bait if someone like Tampa Bay at No. 24 is in love with the guy.
Frank Simmons: What do you view as the Cowboys' greatest need in the upcoming draft? Please prioritize them.
Matt Mosley: Frank, now we're having some fun. I think the Cowboys need and want another dynamic pass-rusher coming off the edge. That could be Ohio State's Bobby Carpenter or North Carolina State's Manny Lawson. After that, I think the club would be wise to draft an offensive lineman. You could go with an offensive tackle like Daryn Colledge or a versatile guy like Charles Spencer out of Pittsburgh. You'll have to get Colledge in the second round. Spencer may be there in the third. Spencer is projected as a guard, but he's played defensive tackle and left tackle. Huge at 6-4, 352.
Kenneth Cooper, Pa.: Since Jason Ferguson has only proved to be average at best, would Dallas have any interest in Haloti Ngata from Oregon, if he is available at No. 18 or trading up to say No. 14 to get him?
Matt Mosley: I'll grant you that Ferguson wasn't great last season, but let's not label him as "average at best" quite yet. Ngata is the rare guy that could actually do a lot more than just take up space in the middle of a 3-4. I don't see a 334-pound man who can run at 5 flat 40-yard dash slipping this far, but stranger things have happened. After watching at least three Oregon games over the last few years (love that late night FSN game), I can tell you that Ngata gets a little lazy at times.
Kenneth Cooper, Pa.: Some experts have Vince alling to No. 12 in the first round. If he does, would Dallas consider moving up to get him?
Matt Mosley: You share the name of the father of aerobics, the great Dr. Ken Cooper of the Cooper Aerobic Center fame. Not sure why I just shared that with you. Back to young Vince. Just heard him give one of the worst interviews I've heard in a long, long time this morning on one of our local radio stations. The kid acted like he was going to fall asleep at any moment. That said, I think he'll go No. 3 to the Titans. As we get closer to the draft, I'm hearing a lot more people say that.
Kenneth Cooper, Pa.: Houston and several other teams are supposed to be interested in trading down to get extra picks in the first round in the interest of filling multiple needs quickly. How marketable is Dallas' pick at No. 18? What could we expect if we trade out of the first round?
Matt Mosley: Mr. Moderator, cut this guy off! He just hit me with three questions in a row. Let's stop trying to pad our stats. Kenneth, I will say that the Cowboys will do whatever it takes to get that fourth-round pick back. Jerry Jones seems obsessed with making that happen.
TDS: What's the latest word from Valley Ranch on the 18th pick?
Matt Mosley: The latest word is the same word I've been delivering since early last week. I think Bobby Carpenter is the guy they want at No. 18. But that's what worries me. Sometimes we hear things that most of you guys don't. In this case, a lot of people have been throwing this guy's name out there. I'd like to think I helped start that trend, but I seriously doubt that's the case. All that to say that it wouldn't surprise me if the Cowboys went a different direction here. We're hearing Carpenter and Manny Lawson's name quite a bit, so maybe they end up going with the Florida State guy (Kam Wimbley). The problem with this kid is that he's not nearly as fast as Carpenter and Lawson. He's a little bigger than Lawson, who is listed at 241 pounds.
Troy, Fargo, N.D.: Do you think the Cowboys are looking at Maurice Stovall in the draft? I saw every game this year, and he would be a great pick up.
Matt Mosley: I like Stovall's size (6-4, 217) but he's not the fastest guy around (4.6) and scouts think he's going to drop a some balls because he doesn't have a natural approach to catching the ball. I will say the guy can flat out jump. But the Cowboys aren't going to take a receiver on the first day and that's where he'll probably go. By the way, this is one of the worst wide receiver drafts in my lifetime.
Rick S: I've been out of touch ... who are the likely Dallas picks in the first round?
Matt Mosley: The Cowboys may look to trade down from the No. 18 pick. But keep a close eye on when the linebackers going off the board. At some point, there will be a run on outside linebackers. The Cowboys hope that a couple of them are still there at No. 18. I'll give you the same guys I've given everyone else. Bobby Carpenter and Manny Lawson are the two guys that are getting the most buzz. That said, watch our for a guy like Greenway slipping down the board.
Frank: While the Cowboys don't have pressing needs at any position ... they do need a youth movement at WR, a big run stuffing DT, an outside, stout against the run yet rush the passer linebacker, two offensive linemen and finally a safety or corner. I want to emphasize the DT. With no La'Roi Glover, the Cowboys can't be serious about Thomas "the pepper" Johnson being the backup DT, can they? Who is a valuable third or let's say they recoup that fourth round pick, DT?
Matt Mosley: Sorry for the delay there folks. Just had to do some Lubbock radio. No youth movement at wide receiver in this draft. Run-stuffing defensive tackle would be nice, but there aren't a ton of them out there. And stop beating up on my guy Pepper Johnson. Shared some low country grits with him at a recent Taste of the NFL party and he appears to be ready for action. You want a valuable guy in the third round? Remember the name McQuistan out of Weber State.
G.I.: How do the Cowboys feel about Haloti Ngata? Recent mocks have him slipping. I feel he would be a great choice for them at 18. The run defense was fairly poor last year, especially late in the season. I feel this can be atrributed to the fact that the LBs were run off the line of scrimmage by opposing OL because Jason Ferguson was abysmal and La'Roi Glover, who is now gone, was not an ideal plugger NT in the 3-4. Ngata might be the solution to a lot of problems.
Matt Mosley: Ahhh...You can never have enough Haloti Ngata talk. Just saying the guy's name makes me smile. And you obviously know way too much about football to be wasting your time with me. The LBs were run off the line of scrimmage by opposing OL? That's great stuff. I may use that down the road. I think "abysmal" is too strong a word to use on Ferguson. Ngata might be slipping, but a 334-pound who can move doesn't fall all the way to No. 18.
swabie38: Will the Cowboys trade down and try to pick up some more picks, since they don't have a fourth-round choice?
Matt Mosley: Swabie, you better believe Jerry Jones is going to get that fourth-round pick back. The Cowboys will start the day with six picks tomorrow. Wouldn't surprise me one bit if they ended up with eight players. And I'm talking some ridiculous trading down in the sixth and seventh rounds. Bill and Jerry's Most Excellent Draft Adventure will be a sight to behold. OK, when I start saying things like that, it's time to go. I'll do a couple more since I took a short break to do radio earlier in the chat.
tecexec: Any chance the Cowboys will draft DeAngelo Williams from Memphis. I watched him in college, and the kid reminds me of Emmitt Smith.
Matt Mosley: I don't see them taking Williams unless he slips late into the second round and he's the best player on the Cowboys' board. I'm a Laurence Maroney guy, but Williams is definitely a good player who will go in the late first or early second round. Does he remind me of Emmitt Smith? No, but no one really does.
Jeff Watson: If the Cowboys end up with Bobby Carpenter, does he have any possibility of helping at inside linebacker as well as outside?
Matt Mosley: I think Carpenter has the rare combination of speed and power that would allow him to play outside or inside. The Cowboys are looking at him as an OLB, but he's definitely capable of moving inside. That's just one more reason I like Carpenter at the No. 18 spot.
Rapscallion: How does this sound: Round 1, OLB Carpenter, Round 2, FS Simpson, Round 3, OT Jon Scott? After that, who knows.
Matt Mosley: Rapscallion, I obviously like your first pick and can't completely argue with your second pick. Ko Simpson is a nice player, but I still think the Cowboys try to find an offensive tackle at this spot. If Simpson's rated higher than Colledge on the Cowboys' board, though, he'll be at Valley Ranch next weekend. I highly, highly doubt the Cowboys will take Jonathan Scott in the third round. Parcells likes the kid, and I'll think he'll play in the league for a long time. But the Cowboys are looking for a little more of a brawler. Guys like Colledge and this McQuistan kid will tear your heart out, which is sort of a shocking thing to watch on live TV.
Long Face: How far back could they drop back and feel safe about getting a player they wanted?
Matt Mosley: You guys have been prolific today. For those of you still waiting for answers, send them to mmosley@***BANNED-URL*** and I will answer them during my wall-to-wall draft blog tomorrow. This will at least ensure that someone reads the blog. I mean you folks can only watch Mel Kiper for so long. Now, let''s take one more question from a man who refers to himself as "Long Face," an obvious reference to one of the great local TV reporters of my generation. Long Face wants to know how far the Cowboys can drop back and still get the player they want. It's a fair question. I think the Cowboys could trade down as low as No. 26 and still get a nice player. More to come on this and many other subjects on tomorrow's blog. Now, I have to get back to my bagel and Peruvian coffee at White Rock Coffee.
For everyone who's been a part of this one, good afternoon and good luck.
12:33 PM CDT on Friday, April 28, 2006
Matt Mosley, ***BANNED-URL***'s Cowboys beat writer, answered your questions on Friday, April 28.
moderator: We welcome Matt Mosley for a chat about the Dallas Cowboys and the NFL draft.
Bruce B., Whitelaw, Wis.: Any chance that the Cowboys would give Pete Hunter another look at the safety postion. I know he didn't want to change positions, however maybe being cut a few times has humbled him.
Matt Mosley: Bruce, I'm all fired up about some draft talk and you start me off with Pete "I'm not moving to safety" Hunter? I like Pete, but he overplayed his hand last year and you won't see him around here again. But just for you, I'll give him a call and see what he's up to. He's an unbelievable billiards player by the way.
Todd Huggins: Who will be doing the kickoffs for the Cowboys? I heard Tony Dungy say the Colts had to have a roster spot for that when Mike Vanderjagt was the kicker.
Matt Mosley: Mr. Moderator, you have to screen some of these folks. Now, we're gonna launch into some kickoff specialist talk. Listen, Bill Parcells isn't going to waste a roster spot on a kickoff specialist and I know for a fact that punter Mat McBriar can't do the honors. So big Mike will have to get familiar with kicking off again, something he hasn't done since 2003 if memory serves correct.
Mark Canello, Manchester, Conn.: I would pick an offensive lineman with the first three picks of the draft if I were the Cowboys. Our line is the worst part of our team. What do you think?
Matt Mosley: No better place than Manchester, Conn. this time of year, Mark. But you're getting carried away with this offensive line talk. The Cowboys will draft defense first (pass-rushing LB) and then maybe go after an offensive tackle in the second or third round. I put a lot of names in my most recent column, but remember Daryn Colledge from Boise State. He continues to shoot up my draft board, which is in complete disarray at this point.
Richard Watson: Why the drop on Winston Justice? Physical test scores are impressive! Few in the draft bring more to the table than this offensive tackle. Please do not use immaturity as the reason.
Matt Mosley: Richard, you're editing me before I even have a chance to tell you how immature Justice is! No, I'm not going with the immature angle. Here's what I've heard on him: He's a total finesse guy, which doesn't always work out at the next level. My guys tell me Justice will end up in his quarterback's lap if someone drills him in the chest. And I can assure that will happen at some point. If Justice is there at No. 18, the Cowboys will pass ... Or they could use him as trade bait if someone like Tampa Bay at No. 24 is in love with the guy.
Frank Simmons: What do you view as the Cowboys' greatest need in the upcoming draft? Please prioritize them.
Matt Mosley: Frank, now we're having some fun. I think the Cowboys need and want another dynamic pass-rusher coming off the edge. That could be Ohio State's Bobby Carpenter or North Carolina State's Manny Lawson. After that, I think the club would be wise to draft an offensive lineman. You could go with an offensive tackle like Daryn Colledge or a versatile guy like Charles Spencer out of Pittsburgh. You'll have to get Colledge in the second round. Spencer may be there in the third. Spencer is projected as a guard, but he's played defensive tackle and left tackle. Huge at 6-4, 352.
Kenneth Cooper, Pa.: Since Jason Ferguson has only proved to be average at best, would Dallas have any interest in Haloti Ngata from Oregon, if he is available at No. 18 or trading up to say No. 14 to get him?
Matt Mosley: I'll grant you that Ferguson wasn't great last season, but let's not label him as "average at best" quite yet. Ngata is the rare guy that could actually do a lot more than just take up space in the middle of a 3-4. I don't see a 334-pound man who can run at 5 flat 40-yard dash slipping this far, but stranger things have happened. After watching at least three Oregon games over the last few years (love that late night FSN game), I can tell you that Ngata gets a little lazy at times.
Kenneth Cooper, Pa.: Some experts have Vince alling to No. 12 in the first round. If he does, would Dallas consider moving up to get him?
Matt Mosley: You share the name of the father of aerobics, the great Dr. Ken Cooper of the Cooper Aerobic Center fame. Not sure why I just shared that with you. Back to young Vince. Just heard him give one of the worst interviews I've heard in a long, long time this morning on one of our local radio stations. The kid acted like he was going to fall asleep at any moment. That said, I think he'll go No. 3 to the Titans. As we get closer to the draft, I'm hearing a lot more people say that.
Kenneth Cooper, Pa.: Houston and several other teams are supposed to be interested in trading down to get extra picks in the first round in the interest of filling multiple needs quickly. How marketable is Dallas' pick at No. 18? What could we expect if we trade out of the first round?
Matt Mosley: Mr. Moderator, cut this guy off! He just hit me with three questions in a row. Let's stop trying to pad our stats. Kenneth, I will say that the Cowboys will do whatever it takes to get that fourth-round pick back. Jerry Jones seems obsessed with making that happen.
TDS: What's the latest word from Valley Ranch on the 18th pick?
Matt Mosley: The latest word is the same word I've been delivering since early last week. I think Bobby Carpenter is the guy they want at No. 18. But that's what worries me. Sometimes we hear things that most of you guys don't. In this case, a lot of people have been throwing this guy's name out there. I'd like to think I helped start that trend, but I seriously doubt that's the case. All that to say that it wouldn't surprise me if the Cowboys went a different direction here. We're hearing Carpenter and Manny Lawson's name quite a bit, so maybe they end up going with the Florida State guy (Kam Wimbley). The problem with this kid is that he's not nearly as fast as Carpenter and Lawson. He's a little bigger than Lawson, who is listed at 241 pounds.
Troy, Fargo, N.D.: Do you think the Cowboys are looking at Maurice Stovall in the draft? I saw every game this year, and he would be a great pick up.
Matt Mosley: I like Stovall's size (6-4, 217) but he's not the fastest guy around (4.6) and scouts think he's going to drop a some balls because he doesn't have a natural approach to catching the ball. I will say the guy can flat out jump. But the Cowboys aren't going to take a receiver on the first day and that's where he'll probably go. By the way, this is one of the worst wide receiver drafts in my lifetime.
Rick S: I've been out of touch ... who are the likely Dallas picks in the first round?
Matt Mosley: The Cowboys may look to trade down from the No. 18 pick. But keep a close eye on when the linebackers going off the board. At some point, there will be a run on outside linebackers. The Cowboys hope that a couple of them are still there at No. 18. I'll give you the same guys I've given everyone else. Bobby Carpenter and Manny Lawson are the two guys that are getting the most buzz. That said, watch our for a guy like Greenway slipping down the board.
Frank: While the Cowboys don't have pressing needs at any position ... they do need a youth movement at WR, a big run stuffing DT, an outside, stout against the run yet rush the passer linebacker, two offensive linemen and finally a safety or corner. I want to emphasize the DT. With no La'Roi Glover, the Cowboys can't be serious about Thomas "the pepper" Johnson being the backup DT, can they? Who is a valuable third or let's say they recoup that fourth round pick, DT?
Matt Mosley: Sorry for the delay there folks. Just had to do some Lubbock radio. No youth movement at wide receiver in this draft. Run-stuffing defensive tackle would be nice, but there aren't a ton of them out there. And stop beating up on my guy Pepper Johnson. Shared some low country grits with him at a recent Taste of the NFL party and he appears to be ready for action. You want a valuable guy in the third round? Remember the name McQuistan out of Weber State.
G.I.: How do the Cowboys feel about Haloti Ngata? Recent mocks have him slipping. I feel he would be a great choice for them at 18. The run defense was fairly poor last year, especially late in the season. I feel this can be atrributed to the fact that the LBs were run off the line of scrimmage by opposing OL because Jason Ferguson was abysmal and La'Roi Glover, who is now gone, was not an ideal plugger NT in the 3-4. Ngata might be the solution to a lot of problems.
Matt Mosley: Ahhh...You can never have enough Haloti Ngata talk. Just saying the guy's name makes me smile. And you obviously know way too much about football to be wasting your time with me. The LBs were run off the line of scrimmage by opposing OL? That's great stuff. I may use that down the road. I think "abysmal" is too strong a word to use on Ferguson. Ngata might be slipping, but a 334-pound who can move doesn't fall all the way to No. 18.
swabie38: Will the Cowboys trade down and try to pick up some more picks, since they don't have a fourth-round choice?
Matt Mosley: Swabie, you better believe Jerry Jones is going to get that fourth-round pick back. The Cowboys will start the day with six picks tomorrow. Wouldn't surprise me one bit if they ended up with eight players. And I'm talking some ridiculous trading down in the sixth and seventh rounds. Bill and Jerry's Most Excellent Draft Adventure will be a sight to behold. OK, when I start saying things like that, it's time to go. I'll do a couple more since I took a short break to do radio earlier in the chat.
tecexec: Any chance the Cowboys will draft DeAngelo Williams from Memphis. I watched him in college, and the kid reminds me of Emmitt Smith.
Matt Mosley: I don't see them taking Williams unless he slips late into the second round and he's the best player on the Cowboys' board. I'm a Laurence Maroney guy, but Williams is definitely a good player who will go in the late first or early second round. Does he remind me of Emmitt Smith? No, but no one really does.
Jeff Watson: If the Cowboys end up with Bobby Carpenter, does he have any possibility of helping at inside linebacker as well as outside?
Matt Mosley: I think Carpenter has the rare combination of speed and power that would allow him to play outside or inside. The Cowboys are looking at him as an OLB, but he's definitely capable of moving inside. That's just one more reason I like Carpenter at the No. 18 spot.
Rapscallion: How does this sound: Round 1, OLB Carpenter, Round 2, FS Simpson, Round 3, OT Jon Scott? After that, who knows.
Matt Mosley: Rapscallion, I obviously like your first pick and can't completely argue with your second pick. Ko Simpson is a nice player, but I still think the Cowboys try to find an offensive tackle at this spot. If Simpson's rated higher than Colledge on the Cowboys' board, though, he'll be at Valley Ranch next weekend. I highly, highly doubt the Cowboys will take Jonathan Scott in the third round. Parcells likes the kid, and I'll think he'll play in the league for a long time. But the Cowboys are looking for a little more of a brawler. Guys like Colledge and this McQuistan kid will tear your heart out, which is sort of a shocking thing to watch on live TV.
Long Face: How far back could they drop back and feel safe about getting a player they wanted?
Matt Mosley: You guys have been prolific today. For those of you still waiting for answers, send them to mmosley@***BANNED-URL*** and I will answer them during my wall-to-wall draft blog tomorrow. This will at least ensure that someone reads the blog. I mean you folks can only watch Mel Kiper for so long. Now, let''s take one more question from a man who refers to himself as "Long Face," an obvious reference to one of the great local TV reporters of my generation. Long Face wants to know how far the Cowboys can drop back and still get the player they want. It's a fair question. I think the Cowboys could trade down as low as No. 26 and still get a nice player. More to come on this and many other subjects on tomorrow's blog. Now, I have to get back to my bagel and Peruvian coffee at White Rock Coffee.
For everyone who's been a part of this one, good afternoon and good luck.
