jday
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In the dawning hour of the draft process, it initially occurred to me that with so much depth in the Cowboys positions of need in this year draft (DE, S, CB), they may forego the temptation to draft for need and simply take the Best Player Available regardless if it addresses a position of dire want or not. In the following mock, I’m taking a step back from that assessment. It’s not that I think the Cowboys will solely draft for need; it just so happens that it is more than likely that the Best Player Available will also address a need….because there are so many talented corners, safeties and defensive ends in this particular draft.
Despite the relative ease in finding players that address a need, it is extremely difficult to figure which direction they will go. So, for such an instance, I have created a Mock Trifold. Below you will find three potential drafts. The players therein are all players the Cowboys have visited with in some capacity. Furthermore, each player has been specifically selected as players that would fit the system the Cowboys are trying to employ...at least, I think so...
For instance, the Cowboys seem to be moving away from corners who specialize in man-coverage, preferring corners who flourish in zone. The beauty of that is the Cowboys don’t necessarily have to go get a corner in the first round. They can address corner at 28 (there should be several excellent choices available), but there are several corners of the zone-persuasion that will be available as late as the fourth round. Similarly, the Cowboys can also wait as late as the third round to address safety. Granted, in either case, the Cowboys will be taking a short step down in talent for addressing a position of need, nevertheless, the step is not as far down as it would be in previous drafts over the last several years.
So, without further ado…
Round 1 Pick 28 TJ WATT DE OBI MELINFONWU SS GAREON CONLEY CB
Round 2 Pick 60 QUINCY WILSON CB JORDAN WILLIS DE JOSH JONES SS
Round 3 Pick 92 JOSH JONES SS QUINCY WILSON CB JORDAN WILLIS DE
Round 4 Pick 133 CHIDOBE AWUZIE CB CHIDOBE AWUZIE CB CHIDOBE AWUZIE CB
Round 6 Pick 211 DONNELL PUMPHREY RB KD CANNON WR AMARA DARBOH WR
Round 7 Pick 228 KD CANNON WR SETH RUSSELL QB MATT BREIDA RB
Round 7 Pick 246 SETH RUSSELL QB MATT BREIDA RB SETH RUSSELL QB
If you had asked me last week, I would have thrown up in my mouth at the suggestion of Watt in the first. I strongly suspected that a big part of his rising up the various draft expert boards abroad was due to who his brothers are (JJ Watt and Derek Watt). Truth be told, there may still be something to that, but part of my issue was my admitted misunderstanding of what the Cowboys were actually looking for. In the model I created in my head, the guy the Cowboys would want is 270+, and flexible to play any position along the line. I have since been corrected that what the Cowboys are specifically looking for is RDE, who ideally weighs anywhere from 255 to 265 lbs and has the explosion to get after the quarterback, and plays with good technique to also play against the run. Just to get this out there, though, if Solomon Thomas is still available, Watt who? Solomon can play any position along the Cowboys line, and even has the athleticism to play RDE. Of the likely DE's to be available that meets all the above requirements,though, Watt wins by a large margin. The other players I looked at and studied draft reports on were either too slow or a one trick pony, amassing many of their impressive stats by simply outrunning the edge. Trick pony’s typically get shut down there first 2 to 3 years until they are able to develop technique, and if a guy is slow in college, there is not much a professional team can do to fix it. So, Watt it is….or is it? Dun, dun, dun…
Early in the draft process, I picked a semi-pet-cat. I wasn't necessarily sold on his ability year one; he definitely looks like a guy who will need some seasoning, considering the conference he is coming from, but his physical tools are off the charts. In two to three years, a backfield feature Byron Jones and Obi Melanfonwu could be a ridiculous daunting task to pass on by opposing QB’s. Again, I get it. You want your first rounder to not only start, but make an impact. Trouble is that guy is usually not still hanging around at 28. Unless…
…Gareon Conley is still there. Of the three, this guy makes the most sense, and stands to make the most impact in year one. If Conley should fall to the Cowboys, it’s a no brainer. Kevin King is also a consideration here, but like Obi, I suspect his transition to the NFL would be a 1 to 2 season journey, before he could truly make an impact for the Cowboys.
Again, any of these three guy’s wouldn’t upset me being picked in the first round, but if the Cowboys do go Watt, they very well could be lucking into a pretty awesome scenario that would involve the subsequent picks of Quincy Wilson CB (a sleeper that may eventually be considered one of the best in this year’s crop if he goes to the right system, if my internet reading can be believed), followed by Josh Jones (who may not slide as deep as 3, but very well could and I would jump for joy if he did) and one of my favorite mid-round potential picks, Chidobe Awuzie (if for no other reason, his name is fun to say). I’m a big fan of Donnell Pumphrey in the Lance Dunbar/kick/punt returner role; but admittedly, I’m not sure if his body will hold up to NFL abuse. I finished off with KD Cannon and Seth Russell in the 7th round.
The other two scenarios address needs in much the same way, ensuring that the first four picks address 2 corners, 1 safety, and 1 war-daddy (hopeful).
Thoughts?
Despite the relative ease in finding players that address a need, it is extremely difficult to figure which direction they will go. So, for such an instance, I have created a Mock Trifold. Below you will find three potential drafts. The players therein are all players the Cowboys have visited with in some capacity. Furthermore, each player has been specifically selected as players that would fit the system the Cowboys are trying to employ...at least, I think so...
For instance, the Cowboys seem to be moving away from corners who specialize in man-coverage, preferring corners who flourish in zone. The beauty of that is the Cowboys don’t necessarily have to go get a corner in the first round. They can address corner at 28 (there should be several excellent choices available), but there are several corners of the zone-persuasion that will be available as late as the fourth round. Similarly, the Cowboys can also wait as late as the third round to address safety. Granted, in either case, the Cowboys will be taking a short step down in talent for addressing a position of need, nevertheless, the step is not as far down as it would be in previous drafts over the last several years.
So, without further ado…
Round 1 Pick 28 TJ WATT DE OBI MELINFONWU SS GAREON CONLEY CB
Round 2 Pick 60 QUINCY WILSON CB JORDAN WILLIS DE JOSH JONES SS
Round 3 Pick 92 JOSH JONES SS QUINCY WILSON CB JORDAN WILLIS DE
Round 4 Pick 133 CHIDOBE AWUZIE CB CHIDOBE AWUZIE CB CHIDOBE AWUZIE CB
Round 6 Pick 211 DONNELL PUMPHREY RB KD CANNON WR AMARA DARBOH WR
Round 7 Pick 228 KD CANNON WR SETH RUSSELL QB MATT BREIDA RB
Round 7 Pick 246 SETH RUSSELL QB MATT BREIDA RB SETH RUSSELL QB
If you had asked me last week, I would have thrown up in my mouth at the suggestion of Watt in the first. I strongly suspected that a big part of his rising up the various draft expert boards abroad was due to who his brothers are (JJ Watt and Derek Watt). Truth be told, there may still be something to that, but part of my issue was my admitted misunderstanding of what the Cowboys were actually looking for. In the model I created in my head, the guy the Cowboys would want is 270+, and flexible to play any position along the line. I have since been corrected that what the Cowboys are specifically looking for is RDE, who ideally weighs anywhere from 255 to 265 lbs and has the explosion to get after the quarterback, and plays with good technique to also play against the run. Just to get this out there, though, if Solomon Thomas is still available, Watt who? Solomon can play any position along the Cowboys line, and even has the athleticism to play RDE. Of the likely DE's to be available that meets all the above requirements,though, Watt wins by a large margin. The other players I looked at and studied draft reports on were either too slow or a one trick pony, amassing many of their impressive stats by simply outrunning the edge. Trick pony’s typically get shut down there first 2 to 3 years until they are able to develop technique, and if a guy is slow in college, there is not much a professional team can do to fix it. So, Watt it is….or is it? Dun, dun, dun…
Early in the draft process, I picked a semi-pet-cat. I wasn't necessarily sold on his ability year one; he definitely looks like a guy who will need some seasoning, considering the conference he is coming from, but his physical tools are off the charts. In two to three years, a backfield feature Byron Jones and Obi Melanfonwu could be a ridiculous daunting task to pass on by opposing QB’s. Again, I get it. You want your first rounder to not only start, but make an impact. Trouble is that guy is usually not still hanging around at 28. Unless…
…Gareon Conley is still there. Of the three, this guy makes the most sense, and stands to make the most impact in year one. If Conley should fall to the Cowboys, it’s a no brainer. Kevin King is also a consideration here, but like Obi, I suspect his transition to the NFL would be a 1 to 2 season journey, before he could truly make an impact for the Cowboys.
Again, any of these three guy’s wouldn’t upset me being picked in the first round, but if the Cowboys do go Watt, they very well could be lucking into a pretty awesome scenario that would involve the subsequent picks of Quincy Wilson CB (a sleeper that may eventually be considered one of the best in this year’s crop if he goes to the right system, if my internet reading can be believed), followed by Josh Jones (who may not slide as deep as 3, but very well could and I would jump for joy if he did) and one of my favorite mid-round potential picks, Chidobe Awuzie (if for no other reason, his name is fun to say). I’m a big fan of Donnell Pumphrey in the Lance Dunbar/kick/punt returner role; but admittedly, I’m not sure if his body will hold up to NFL abuse. I finished off with KD Cannon and Seth Russell in the 7th round.
The other two scenarios address needs in much the same way, ensuring that the first four picks address 2 corners, 1 safety, and 1 war-daddy (hopeful).
Thoughts?
.
