McClay Interview on Draft

[Zman5]

McClay lost the Midas touch.

I don't think he ever had it drafting players on defense.

 

[cowboyed]

I'm of the belief we need a GM but at the same time.......there are teams with GM's around the league and they suck at drafting....its probably why Jerry has held on to the position as long as he has.

But its also important to add that Jerry is not solely making these picks. Jerry is not scouting anyone. He's hired scouts to make these decisions for him. We already know what happened when it came down to Zack Martin and Johnny Football.

I so agree! Identifying and selecting players is the handiwork of the scouts led my McClay, and the coaching staff led by McCarthy. It's player drafting by committee and Stephen and Jerry do have input, but a consensus is achieved on whom to put and select on the draft board including alternates if a targeted player is no longer available. If there wasn't an organized process, open discussion and collective decision making on drafting these players, there would be yearly chaos and resentment by the staff resulting in folks quitting left and right.

 

[Bullflop]

What might be fair to bear in mind with the process that McClay had to deal with is that he was obliged to make decisions based upon defensive needs and what was left to pick after other teams have exercised their picks. With the Wright pick, he explained how they still wanted to choose, collectively, from the defensive backs that were left, once other teams had already picked theirs.

Let's consider that he was obliged to decide, in conjunction with Jerry and Dan Quinn, to arrive at a mutual agreement about whom to choose. It's hard to say who might have been the choice if McClay had been the lone individual deciding upon the players remaining. Evidently, need was the primary objective at the point when they mutually chose the CB (Wright) that remained then.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

I so agree! Identifying and selecting players is the handiwork of the scouts led my McClay, and the coaching staff led by McCarthy. It's player drafting by committee and Stephen and Jerry do have input, but a consensus is achieved on whom to put and select on the draft board including alternates if a targeted player is no longer available. If there wasn't an organized process, open discussion and collective decision making on drafting these players, there would be yearly chaos and resentment by the staff resulting in folks quitting left and right.

Yep. I think it’s a overreaction by fans because of recent misses like Taco. There are going to be busts. It’s just what it is.

 

[visionary]

I'm of the belief we need a GM but at the same time.......there are teams with GM's around the league and they suck at drafting....its probably why Jerry has held on to the position as long as he has.

But its also important to add that Jerry is not solely making these picks. Jerry is not scouting anyone. He's hired scouts to make these decisions for him. We already know what happened when it came down to Zack Martin and Johnny Football.

and the stupidity continues

 

[jnday]

McClay lost the Midas touch.

It is really misleading to say he has lost his touch with coaches having too much influence on the picks.

 

[JoeKing]

From Reports Scouts and McClay wanted other players at certain spots and Coaches over ruled them. so honestly if this draft sucks i'm blaming my cousin Danny, family or no i bleed Silver and blue

Maybe that's true in previous drafts but Dan Quinn and Will McClay worked together on this draft class and they agreed on every defensive selection made. No other defensive coaches went against them. So I can guarantee that the coaches hijacking the pick did not happen to this draft at any point. This was a collaborative effort between McClay and Quinn.

 

[Maxmadden]

I don't know who is the GM of this team exactly, but it is not Will McClay. He may have some input but he oversees scouting and sets up the draft board. I can't complain about any of the picks until we see how this unfolds.

I was perplexed by the over drafting of Wright, but Quinn attended his pro day in person and it was specifically to see this kid. This was a Quinn pick all the way.

 

[gimmesix]

I see what you're saying. I honestly just want to field a good defense no matter what the scheme is. Ravens and Steelers do have a system in place...but what they have on defense is what we have on offense. I'm sure they wish they had a better and more consistent offense in place to go with those defenses.....


I will say....if Quinn builds this defense up and becomes a HC candidate again.....it seems like we will bless screwed because we don't have that guy in place. Whether we liked him or not it seems like Kris Richard was that for Maranelli and before that was Kiffin to Maranelli. If Quinn does what they hope.....they are going to be in a bad situation.

I would think Joe Whitt Jr. might be that guy. Quinn brought him over with him from Atlanta and he also was groomed by Dom Capers in Green Bay. Although the Falcons' defense was bad last year, he has coached some pretty good secondaries.

Of course, that's if Quinn succeeds here, which is a big if based on our defenses not being very good in more than 10 years.

 

[Rogerthat12]

If you have 7 minutes to spare, I thought this was a good interview about the draft. Some nuggets on a few players, the board when it comes to BPA and need, and offense vs defensive players.

I thought it was interesting that as the draft went on, teams started to go heavy on need and not BPA and that is how Cox slipped.

From dallascowboys.com

https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/mcclay-talks-draft-process-day-3-picks-more

“ that how draft go”...Jerry.

 

[Dre11]

From Reports Scouts and McClay wanted other players at certain spots and Coaches over ruled them. so honestly if this draft sucks i'm blaming my cousin Danny, family or no i bleed Silver and blue

Post a link or it's a lie, as McClay said it was the closest the scouts and coaches meshed because of the pandemic, stayed true to their board.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

I would think Joe Whitt Jr. might be that guy. Quinn brought him over with him from Atlanta and he also was groomed by Dom Capers in Green Bay. Although the Falcons' defense was bad last year, he has coached some pretty good secondaries.

Of course, that's if Quinn succeeds here, which is a big if based on our defenses not being very good in more than 10 years.

Forgot all about Joe Whitt...very well could be right.

 

[jnday]

Pick 99 looks like a Dan Quinn pick to me.
There is no way....zero....that McClay and his staff and Wright rated that highly.
They may've liked him, but not at 99. Does not fit McClays m.o. whatsoever.
They had 2 extra 3rds and threw one as a bone to the new coach.

But someone earlier in this thread McClay was at one time the possibly the best in the business.....and that's lunacy.
Lets start with Ozzie Newsome....

McClay could be the best in the business, but we will never know as long as coaches are influencing the draft. I have said many times that Jerry could buy a couple of the draft magazines and have drafts that are just as good as what Dallas has had over the last several years. Marinelli ruined several drafts and now Quinn is following in the same path. All of the pre-draft excitement of having the extra third round picks was hilarious. Third round picks having success is rare and the second round success hasn’t been much better.

 

[jnday]

Post a link or it's a lie, as McClay said it was the closest the scouts and coaches meshed because of the pandemic, stayed true to their board.

Do you really expect him to say something other than what he said? McClay is not going to publicly come out and admit that he disagreed with allowing the coaches to have too much influence in making the draft picks.

 

[Dre11]

Do you really expect him to say something other than what he said? McClay is not going to publicly come out and admit that he disagreed with allowing the coaches to have too much influence in making the draft picks.

No, I expectef him to explain what happened, I don't go around thinking he was going to lie, if I have no proof of a lie, I don't go around assuming people are lying, that might be you , not me. He's said plenty of times, they're on the same page. Just because he didn't say it publicly doesn't mean he disagreed.

 

[Brax]

Maybe that's true in previous drafts but Dan Quinn and Will McClay worked together on this draft class and they agreed on every defensive selection made. No other defensive coaches went against them. So I can guarantee that the coaches hijacking the pick did not happen to this draft at any point. This was a collaborative effort between McClay and Quinn.

Proof please or is this your opinion?

 

[baltcowboy]

So he’s useless or powerless if his 3rd round picks fail? Really? So if his 1st round pick succeeds and his 2nd round succeeds he’s a idiot because his 3rd round picks failed? The hell?

Yeah if only Parsons, Joseph and Ball hit the Cowboys would have had a great draft. 3rd round picks around the league have been cut in their second season routinely in the NFL.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

Yeah if only Parsons, Joseph and Ball hit the Cowboys would have had a great draft. 3rd round picks around the league have been cut in their second season routinely in the NFL.

Exactly. If you come out of this draft with three players you take it.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

Proof please or is this your opinion?

Yes he’s doing a lot of guaranteeing for someone that wasn’t there. I will say I did hear McClay say these picks got his stamp of approval when he was asked who’s draft is this. About as good as you can get from him.

 

[jnday]

No, I expectef him to explain what happened, I don't go around thinking he was going to lie, if I have no proof of a lie, I don't go around assuming people are lying, that might be you , not me. He's said plenty of times, they're on the same page. Just because he didn't say it publicly doesn't mean he disagreed.

I would say that he is telling the truth. I doubt that he is telling the whole story though.