McClay: The 2023 draft class must make a year 2 jump

[Cowboys5217]

"Logic" would be firing the GM if a draft class fails and you've not built a Conference Championship game roster for 30 years.

So, what "logic" are you talking about that I don't understand?

Exactly. These guys trying to lob insults like we don't know what we are talking about or don't know football have no leg to stand on as long as Jerry stays GM despite near 30 years of failure and no way to fire him for mismanagement.

You would think their "superior intellect" and "logic" would allow them to see that before they spout off making fools of themselves while trying to rhetorically shame and silence those who tell it like it is with the Cowboys.

 

[CowboyoWales]

For one thing that doesn't make sense, I submit that Dan Quinn may well deserve some of the blame for having Mazi lose 30 lbs.

Anytime the scouting department and the staff chooses a one tech to serve as a run stopper, you don't convert him into a 3 tech.

Yep, or the larger run stopping DE converted into a pass-rushing 3-Tech. It's probably because we (especially Quinn) gears everything off the pass-rush.

Agreed. And making Mazi slim down was really stupid.

Yep, we started looking at the pass-rush potential (which McClay mentions in the War Room), rather than sit him an optimum weight and concentrate of run blocking and aiding the pass rushing lanes (it's not as if we weren't bless in the number of pass rushers).

 

[MikeT22]

The 2023 Dallas Cowboys draft class isn't going to determine if this team is a disappointment or not.

Well it will go a long ways towards it, along with this years rookies, as well as some marginal guy from the other recent drafts like Sam Williams, Tolbert, Gholston, etc.

 

[xwalker]

What’s sad is this is exactly what the GM ought to be saying to McClay, not something McClay is saying to the media.

He is the acting GM.

Jerry is Jennifer Beals.

McClay is Marine Jahan...The professional dancer that did all the dance scenes in Flashdance.

 

[Bullflop]

Yep, or the larger run stopping DE converted into a pass-rushing 3-Tech. It's probably because we (especially Quinn) gears everything off the pass-rush.

Yep, we started looking at the pass-rush potential (which McClay mentions in the War Room), rather than sit him an optimum weight and concentrate of run blocking and aiding the pass rushing lanes (it's not as if we weren't bless in the number of pass rushers).

Yeah, I imagine the temptation to try him out at pass rushing was more of a temptation than DQ could ignore. At least, the team discovered that Mazi wasn't getting the best kind of help to discover the best way to use him. Changing someone who was suited for being a 1-tech DT and not for being a pass rusher was discovered at his and the team's unfortunate expense.

Maybe returning to his former weight will help Mazi to finally recover his old self, once again. Let's hope he's utilized correctly this time around. It'd surely be a relief if our coaches can recover the best aspects of his talent, once and for all. The defense would likely prosper if that's possible.

 

[75boyz]

Yeah, I imagine the temptation to try him out at pass rushing was more of a temptation than DQ could ignore. At least, the team discovered that Mazi wasn't getting the best kind of help to discover the best way to use him. Changing someone who was suited for being a 1-tech DT and not for being a pass rusher was discovered at his and the team's unfortunate expense.

Maybe returning to his former weight will help Mazi to finally recover his old self, once again. Let's hope he's utilized correctly this time around. It'd surely be a relief if our coaches can recover the best aspects of his talent, once and for all. The defense would likely prosper if that's possible.

Or it could possibly be that he's just not that good as a heavy or slimmed down version.

You'd be hard pressed to convince me otherwise that his Michigan film jumped off the screen at ya.
LOL

jmo

 

[Bullflop]

Or it could possibly be that he's just not that good as a heavy or slimmed down version.

You'd be hard pressed to convince me otherwise that his Michigan film jumped off the screen at ya.
LOL

jmo

I'm prepared to keep an open mind as to what his future contribution with the Cowboys becomes. Yet, I'm hopeful that he'll improve with the proper training and development in the months ahead. If not, he'll be one of the few first rounders who haven't panned out for the Cowboys. No doubt but what his initial experience with them wasn't nearly what was expected, though. Let's hope he'll overcome that awful start that he had last year.

 

[PAPPYDOG]

Cowboys VP of player personnel Will McClay when asked about needing last year’s draft class (Mazi Smith, Luke Schoonmaker, DeMarvion Overshown, Viliami Fehoko, etc.) to make a Year 2 jump:

“Those guys have to make a jump for us to succeed. They’ve been in the system for a year. Now, we’ve got a little different defensive scheme, but they’ve been around here. They’ve been a part of the process.

“When you have a good team and we’ve won 36 games in three years, we haven’t won the big one, but that’s highly productive to win that many games. To do that, you have to have a number of good players.
So when you draft players, those players don’t always immediately step in and fill that role. But when you’re drafting a player, you’re drafting them for the four to five years of their contract, and you’re trying to get a return on investment.

“We need those guys to take a jump now based on the cap and the way things are. And they just have to step up. At the end of the day, that’s exactly what it is. We’ll continue to try and fill holes and add players as we go through this process. But guys just have to step up. It’s their time now.

“We’ve lost a number of really quality vets that have been on our roster, that have been with us for a while. These young guys need to step up. There’s no other way about it.”
"

Cowboys VP of player personnel Will McClay when asked about needing last year’s draft class (Mazi Smith, Luke Schoonmaker, DeMarvion Overshown, Viliami Fehoko, etc.) to make a Year 2 jump:

“Those guys have to make a jump for us to succeed. They’ve been in the system for a year. Now, we’ve got a little different defensive scheme, but they’ve been around here. They’ve been a part of the process.

“When you have a good team and we’ve won 36 games in three years, we haven’t won the big one, but that’s highly productive to win that many games. To do that, you have to have a number of good players.
So when you draft players, those players don’t always immediately step in and fill that role. But when you’re drafting a player, you’re drafting them for the four to five years of their contract, and you’re trying to get a return on investment.

“We need those guys to take a jump now based on the cap and the way things are. And they just have to step up. At the end of the day, that’s exactly what it is. We’ll continue to try and fill holes and add players as we go through this process. But guys just have to step up. It’s their time now.

“We’ve lost a number of really quality vets that have been on our roster, that have been with us for a while. These young guys need to step up. There’s no other way about it.”
"

Wow, he speaks?
I thought his only vocabulary was the word YES..............guess I was wrong.

 

[PAPPYDOG]

Mazi Smith is out of the league in 3 years

Mazi will go the Taco route..............

 

[PAPPYDOG]

McClay is the de facto GM. What is your complaint? That he doesn’t also negotiate the contracts?

The only de facto that applies here is that he is a glorified YES MAN and wouldn't know talent if it hit him in the face.

 

[krs1bro]

I had high hopes for Mazi. I don't care if its rookie year. You either have "it" or you don not. Overshown can and will be a baller! 2nd round tight end that we absolutely
did not need. Overall pretty dismal draft.

 

[speedkilz88]

That's a pretty low bar.

1st round: Mazi Smith - 17 games, 3 starts 1 sack 13 combined tackles.\
2nd round: Luke Schoonmaker - 17 games, 8 receptions, 65 yards, 2 TD's
3rd round: DeMarvion Overshown - Out entire season
4th round: Viliami Fehoko - no stats

Most could improve last season's productivity in one game.

If your going to judge just off of one year maybe it was just a weak draft?
Giants did the best with their first two picks so far.


Eagles
1 9 Jalen Carter DT (33 tkls, 6 sks, 2ff, 1 td) 2024 starter
1 30 Nolan Smith Edge (18 tkls, 1 sk) 2024 backup behind Huff & Sweat
3 65 Tyler Steen (1 start) 2024 starter - with Jurgens moving to C
3 66 Sydney Brown S (43 tkls, 3 pd, 1int) 2024 backup
4 105 Kelee Ringo CB (21 tkls, 2 pd, 1int) 2024 backup
6 188 Tanner McKee QB 2024 3rd string backup
7 249 Moro Ojomo DL (2 tkls)

Commodes
1 16 Emmanuel Forbes CB (38 tkls, 11 pd, 1 int) 2024 backup - signed FA Michael Davis from Chargers
2 47 Quan Martin NB (46 tkls, 4 pd, 2 int) 2024 backup - drafted Sairinstil 2/24
3 97 Ricky Stromberg C (0 starts) 2024 backup - signed FA Tyler Biadasz
4 118 Braeden Daniels OT (IR) 2024 backup
5 137 KJ Henry DE (19 tkls 1.5 sks) 2024 backup
6 193 Chris Rodriguez RB (247 yds 2td) 2024 3rd string backup
7 233 Andre Jones DE (4 tkls, 3 pd) 2024 backup

Giants
1 24 Deonte Banks CB (64 tkls, 11 pd, 2 int) 2024 starter
2 57 John Michael-Schmitz C 2024 starter
3 73 Jalin Hyatt WR (23 373) 2024 starter
5 172 Eric Gray RB (17 48) 2024 backup (might be passed up by Tyrone Tracy for 2nd string)
6 209 Tre Hawkins CB (35 tkls, 1 pd) 2024 backup
7 243 Jordan Riley DL (8 tkls)
7 254 Gervarrius Owens S (1 tkl)

 

[Buzzbait]

Yep, we started looking at the pass-rush potential (which McClay mentions in the War Room), rather than sit him an optimum weight and concentrate of run blocking and aiding the pass rushing lanes (it's not as if we weren't bless in the number of pass rushers).

Totally agree CW, We didn't need Mazi to slim him down for pass rush, we need that mass to help stop the run. Hopefully they'll bulk him back up to provide a worthy counterpart for DL Justin Rogers! I'd love to see those 2 brutes turn the middle of our DL into a scary place for RBs to enter!

 

[Typhus]

Agreed. And making Mazi slim down was really stupid.

I bet Mazi agrees.

 

[Buzzbait]

I bet Mazi agrees.

I hope that under Zimmer, Mazi can showcase what he can do on that DL. This is his 2nd year, hopefully he can prove his doubters wrong and kick some RB tail with Rogers this year. Let's go Mazi!

 

[Maverick84]

The Cowboys will suck? I expect them to suck.

This is a family forum.

 

[Buzzbait]

I'm prepared to keep an open mind as to what his future contribution with the Cowboys becomes. Yet, I'm hopeful that he'll improve with the proper training and development in the months ahead. If not, he'll be one of the few first rounders who haven't panned out for the Cowboys. No doubt but what his initial experience with them wasn't nearly what was expected, though. Let's hope he'll overcome that awful start that he had last year.

Wouldn't be the 1st time the light came on in the 2nd year. Hopefully Zimmer will make the difference.

 

[JoeKing]

This is a family forum.

Oh, I'm sorry. Family sucks.

 

[Momanpr100]

Incorrect. Nobody here cares about winning a willd card game

Brutha man, there is only 1 big game. And that's exactly what he said. Yall don't like truth or lies.

 

[CowboyoWales]

Yeah, I imagine the temptation to try him out at pass rushing was more of a temptation than DQ could ignore. At least, the team discovered that Mazi wasn't getting the best kind of help to discover the best way to use him. Changing someone who was suited for being a 1-tech DT and not for being a pass rusher was discovered at his and the team's unfortunate expense.

Maybe returning to his former weight will help Mazi to finally recover his old self, once again. Let's hope he's utilized correctly this time around. It'd surely be a relief if our coaches can recover the best aspects of his talent, once and for all. The defense would likely prosper if that's possible.

Yep. I assume we'll get the criticism from those that advocate drafting for elite position, but if Mazi can stuff the run then, to us, it's a massive bonus. The interesting part of that night was whether there was a trade back scenario with a team interested in Bergeron?