Morris Claiborne says he feels great, ready to "make history" in 2014

[Nirvana]

STRENGTHS
Claiborne is an aggressive cover man who likes to use his tall frame and long arms to get in receivers' faces, shock them at the line of scrimmage and disrupt their timing. When he punches, he makes his presence felt. He can run with his back to the ball at the receiver's hip using a press/bail technique and looks natural running with his man in-phase while still keeping an eye on the ball. Claiborne is such a gifted athlete with uncommon body control that he runs with his man fluidly up and down the field and still be able to break off at any time and get involved in plays coming across him. As a zone defender, he is simply an explosive athlete with length and can keep plays in front of him and react quick enough to meet the man at the ball. He is physical in run support and will have no problem coming up to tackle from the edge.

Reads like poetry. Who is this guy? Sounds more like Sherman, who incidentally is probably a huge motivation for Morris. Not a bad paycheck to go for.

Last year in camp Dez was asked who the best corner was on the team. He said it was Claiborne.

I hope Claiborne proves all his doubters wrong. I'm skeptical too, but rooting for him.

 

[Sportsbabe]

I'm holding a place in line at the check cashing joint for Claiborne ... whatever Mo.
That is ... "don't write a check that your pass defending skills can't cash."
I'll be watching you Mo. Maybe I'll be at the table with my plate full of crow.

 

[Alexander]

Link? Because this sounds like revisionist history. For example: http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/story/13264107

No, I think the real revisionist history is by Pete Prisco himself.

No. 24: Cowboys select: Dez Bryant, WR, Oklahoma State

Analysis: You have to like the Cowboys going up to get Bryant. This is a player who will help the passing game in a big way. Forget the off-the-field issues. They were overrated. He can play.

This is from his "three years later article":

Dallas Cowboys
2010 Grade: B-

The skinny: The Cowboys landed Dez Bryant in the first round and got Sean Lee in the second. That's two good starters, although Lee is coming off an injury. Seventh-round pick Sean Lissemore is a backup at nose tackle.

How I did: I liked the move to trade up to get Sean Lee, thought Bryant was a risk -- but only for character issues -- and made Sam Young, a tackle, my third-day gem. He didn't make it with them and is now in Buffalo.

On one hand he says forget about the character issues originally, now seems to indicate he thought it was a risk.

If you really really wanted to use someone to use to prove your point about being revisionist, you could have chosen a lot wiser.

 

[Irvin88_4life]

At this point I see Claiborne as one of those guys that's just going to receive a lot of hate from the fans regardless of pretty much whatever he does. When you combine his very unsensational first 2 seasons with the trade up to take him at #6 overall, it's just too easy for the Jerry haters to point their pitchforks at Claiborne and do their thing.

Even if Mo has a very very good 2014 season by normal standards, he'll still get dumped on around these parts.

He is not that bad for the hate he gets. He had made some plays and given up some big plays. Dez, Tyron, Lee all was talked about the same way. Just last training camp people was calling Tyron a bust cause Ware was abusing him in practice not he is all pro.

Claiborne has scored a couple TDs, and has done some good things. He has showed flashes of great things but he needs to put it all together and be consistent. Mostly stay healthy for starters. He will be fine

 

[Proximo]

He is not that bad for the hate he gets. He had made some plays and given up some big plays. Dez, Tyron, Lee all was talked about the same way. Just last training camp people was calling Tyron a bust cause Ware was abusing him in practice not he is all pro.

Claiborne has scored a couple TDs, and has done some good things. He has showed flashes of great things but he needs to put it all together and be consistent. Mostly stay healthy for starters. He will be fine

I agree with this post. And the Tyron bring up is a good one, and a good example of impatience within our fanbase. There was a lot of noise on this board when he moved to LT and wasn't an immediate all pro. I can very specifically remember people saying that the LT experiment was a failure and that he needed to be moved back to the right side ASAP. Subsequently that made him a bust in those same fans' eyes since they then believed we used such a high pick on a guy who could only play RT. Fast forward to the present and we all know the truth now.

There's no reason for people to be declaring Mo a bum this early.

 

[Alexander]

He is not that bad for the hate he gets. He had made some plays and given up some big plays. Dez, Tyron, Lee all was talked about the same way. Just last training camp people was calling Tyron a bust cause Ware was abusing him in practice not he is all pro.

Claiborne has scored a couple TDs, and has done some good things. He has showed flashes of great things but he needs to put it all together and be consistent. Mostly stay healthy for starters. He will be fine

You honestly think that people expressed displeasure with Bryant, Smith and Lee to the same extent (and rightfully so) with Claiborne?

Wow. A lot of exaggeration here. Seriously, a lot, unless you believe any criticism whatsoever equates to calling someone a bust.

I think the idea is just to wave a towel and just say rah rah. That seems what would be considered acceptable.

 

[Alexander]

There's no reason for people to be declaring Mo a bum this early.

A lot more than any of the criticisms you believe were being considered legitimate by others before with the other players.

 

[Kevinicus]

Claiborne gets way too much hate in these posts. Terrence Mitchell is not going to take his spot, either.

No doubt. People constantly talk say something like, "I'll just settle for improvement," but his improvement is just ignored anyway. His play was very much improved down the stretch last year, but they don't want to give him credit for that. The hate is strong.

 

[cowboy_ron]

He is not that bad for the hate he gets. He had made some plays and given up some big plays. Dez, Tyron, Lee all was talked about the same way. Just last training camp people was calling Tyron a bust cause Ware was abusing him in practice not he is all pro.

Claiborne has scored a couple TDs, and has done some good things. He has showed flashes of great things but he needs to put it all together and be consistent. Mostly stay healthy for starters. He will be fine

I think it has more to do with where he was drafted vs his production...had he been a 3rd rd pick it would be different

 

[DFWJC]

Terrence Mitchell is going to run his spot. Claiborne is a cupcake. I am usually positive in these threads but Claiborne has really disappointed me. I hope he can prove me wrong but when a guy can't cover, can't play the ball, and then on top of that he won't be physical or tackle I lose respect for the player. He is lucky that B.W. Webb is a terrible football player and that his only competition is Mitchell and some UDFA's

Mitchell was a steal.

 

[mitchell2254]

The kid has played a grand total of 2 seasons. Calling him "Allan Ball 2.0" and declaring him one of Jerry's worst draft decisions ever is a bit dramatic at this point. You're pouring it on a bit thick, is what I'm eluding to.

Perhaps it would be more reasonable to see how his career actually plays out first.

Cowboys waste a lot of time and money waiting to see how these players careers pan out. I expect Fasano and Bobby Carpenter to play big for us this year as well.

 

[Hardline]

Claiborne will have a great year and justify his draft selection. Yes. I am saying he will have a monster year . Health permitting.

 

[Irvin88_4life]

I agree with this post. And the Tyron bring up is a good one, and a good example of impatience within our fanbase. There was a lot of noise on this board when he moved to LT and wasn't an immediate all pro. I can very specifically remember people saying that the LT experiment was a failure and that he needed to be moved back to the right side ASAP. Subsequently that made him a bust in those same fans' eyes since they then believed we used such a high pick on a guy who could only play RT. Fast forward to the present and we all know the truth now.

There's no reason for people to be declaring Mo a bum this early.

Beautiful. Wish I could hit like more then once

 

[Irvin88_4life]

I think it has more to do with where he was drafted vs his production...had he been a 3rd rd pick it would be different

Why should where he is picked matter. They said Frederick was a 3rd round talent and he played as good as any 1st rounder. Brady won 3 super bowls but he was a 6th rounder. Didn't matter where you are drafted

 

[cowboy_ron]

Why should where he is picked matter. They said Frederick was a 3rd round talent and he played as good as any 1st rounder. Brady won 3 super bowls but he was a 6th rounder. Didn't matter where you are drafted

It matters a great deal....you expect a top 10 pick to perform as such...so far he has not

 

[Irvin88_4life]

It matters a great deal....you expect a top 10 pick to perform as such...so far he has not

Doesn't matter JaMarcus Russell was number 1 pick how did he turn out. Just preform doesn't matter where your drafted, just produce

 

[Iago33]

It matters a great deal....you expect a top 10 pick to perform as such...so far he has not

I agree. People would be fine with him if he were a 4th or 5th rounder, but he cost us a 1st AND a 2nd!

 

[BAZ]

Link? Because this sounds like revisionist history. For example: http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/story/13264107

You can't look up these things yourself? Do you need me to hold your hand next time you make poopy? He mentions character issues in your link, I didn't make it up!

 

[iceberg]

Dramatic much?

Maybe we should wait till he plays more than 2 seasons before making such declarations, no?

The IGS simply won't allow that

 

[cowboy_ron]

Doesn't matter JaMarcus Russell was number 1 pick how did he turn out. Just preform doesn't matter where your drafted, just produce

You're talking in circles...yes JR was a first rd pick...and a first rd bust.......expectations are high for 1st rd picks....especially high 1st rd picks.....if Claiborne don't find it pretty quick it will be hard to say he isn't a bust as well