CFZ My thoughts on the Cowboys's Draft

[cmoney23]

Nice write-up, thanks. Lots of high-risk high-reward types in this draft, it’ll be interesting to see which ones pan out. (BTW, it’s “death knell,” not “death nail.”)

Thank you...
And thank you for the BTW. It's interesting to me because 1. I don't use that phrase very often and 2. I always thought of the phrase as death nail... meaning: the last nail in your coffin. When I researched it, I guess it's a common misnomer

 

[Ken]

I tried to watch some tape on him but the competition level is too much for me to judge. Not hating on him, just don't know.

Yea, competition level and switching positions to G.

There is some tape out there against some good competition but there isn't much.

My bigger issue is translating his skills, competition and deficiencies to Guard in the pros.

I feel like it will translate and he "should" be good but it is really hard to know. There are picks that I feel like i know will be good bc I can see it and the transition to the pros will be fine for them... Williams, Ferguson and Ridgeway come to mind.


Just can't definitively see it with all of these variables with Smith.

 

[quickccc]

- I loved the Sam (De'? ) Williams pick ! – a guy with those kind of freakish physical measurements and traits, 4.4 speed at 261 pounds, and big college sack productivity, I’ll take that chance
and hope the off field issues are behind him.

- It took some time for Gregory and Robert Quinn to bulk up at NFL level, Williams is already well framed at 260 pounds.
Now it’s about coaching him up vs run, refining techniques, getting him more peanut butter physically stronger.
Superior pass rushers just flat don’t last that long. Vastly in demand, so I can clearly see taking him right there.
Even if his role is as a rush specialist early on, I’m still down for that.

- I can hope all the profile reads, Tube highlights and film sessions I see of WR Jalen Tolbert, that he plays the part that he looks.
Most profiles details him in the same terms …" Smooth, ..silky,.. fluid.. makes catches in crowded traffic,"

- However they also bring up the drops. Is that a result of adrenaline and one that has habits for the running before he secures the ball ?
Hoping for one that can eventually even push Gallup as No.2 long term wise. He’s gonna have a rookie learning curve and depending what happens with James Washington,
he may be pressed to start while Gallup remains out.

 

[cmoney23]

Good stuff!!!

Can you make it w/ stevia?

No, your cookie will be "full diesel"... pure cane sugar!

 

[cmoney23]

The rumor from Skip is, Jerry had Dak calling the guys we picked before the draft. Which means they picked them a round earlier than they should of.

Anything coming from Skip can be thrown out and burned. IMO

 

[quickccc]

As far as mid rd to late rd picks, TE Jake Ferguson and NT Ridgeway have me the most intrigued.

- Seeing his profile reads and short clips, Fergie seems like Schultz 2.0
Ourlads liked his movement skills and seem to suggest that he will be a better player than he is an athlete on the field.
My things to look for with Ferguson, is his receiving game (ala reliable hands, a knack for pass game, separation skills, run after catch, ability to threaten deep middle seams)
and acceptable blocking.
I’m not for getting up to be Witten 2.0 , we did the same thang with Schultz.

- Ridgeway is 50-50 imo. I’d hoped we got a valued pick draftee that dropped more than what he was projected. While I ask why did he drop, hey, that’s the
Nature of the NFL draft. And 1 techs shouldn’t be a surprise. Not interested in his workout numbers more than what game tape shows as 2 gapper.

- BTW, I don’t think its’ bad draft classes more than it is bad drafting teams.

 

[rambo2]

The rumor from Skip is, Jerry had Dak calling the guys we picked before the draft. Which means they picked them a round earlier than they should of.

Smith would have been gone at 56.
Williams would have been gone at 88.
Tolbert would have been gone at 129.
Ferguson would have been gone at 155.

They got the players that they wanted and needed.

 

[quickccc]

- I would say I wish we had those 3rd rd picks as last year’s draft, for this draft to make a grab at Nacobe Dean , instead of a Gholston or Lashon Wright, but maybe the Cowboys still did not have Dean on their draft board, per pec injury (which is just one year)

- I would have loved to package some of those 5th rd picks to move back into the 3rd round to make a grab at Georgia LB Nacobe Dean.
Instinctive and great in pursuit, Butkus award winner, highly productive college LB. And red shirt stashing him per post-pec surgery would’ve been well worth it.
But perhaps this team not re-doing another high pick for a stashed prospect.

- A Parson- Dean pair up ? Wow, that would’ve been awesome
Imagine us having Parsons, De' Williams and Dean on this front seven.

- Otherwise it’s going with serviceable LVE, and unknown Cox. And hoping one of the several rookie LBs stick this year.

 

[Creeper]

I went into this draft with low expectations. Not just for the Cowboys but for the draft as a whole. It was a historically 'bad draft'. I think I read somewhere that the Cowboys only had 15/16 guys with first-round grades?

I didn't have Tyler Smith on my radar and was a little miffed at the pick when we made it. I like the need it could potentially fill but, who? LOL
So I watched some tape on him. Specifically, every snap he had in the Ohio State Game and a lot of the OKState game. WOW!!! THIS DUDE IS A MONSTER! I've never in my 20 years of evaluating players in the draft seen a tackle just ragdoll people the way he did. I've never seen a tackle just set a seal block with the level of ease he does. He has some flaws... he has issues with, what looks like grabbing when players get into his body. It almost appears like he is too big and it's just a jumble of arms and body. If he learns to just let the defender fall down and lay on them, that problem is solved. I don't recall one instance where he got beat in the tape I saw. It's bound to happen, but impressive stuff.

Sam Williams. Another one where I was looking at my TV with the "stink eye" I wanted Nacobe Dean there. But watching Williams on tape gives me a lot to like. He will rack up sacks. (This isn't a new thought, but it's accurate) he needs work but the god-given ability is there to make an early impact.

Jalen Tolbert... was a great pick. I would have loved it in the second. He catches the ball cleanly, with his hands, runs good routes, and has a good route tree. He will be plug-and-play and give us great depth with Gallup and his injury history.

Jake Fergeson. another need pick that if you look hard enough, it's Jason Witten. He ran like crap at the combine and didn't play in an offense at Wisconsin that featured him but he is a great catcher of the football. Like Witten. Gets Open. Plays faster than he is. Willing blocker. He can come in and be a TE2 and take over TE1 next year if needed.

Waletzko... Who knows. Don't love this pick but it is the 5th round.

Bland... Another 5th round pick. He's a lotto ticket. They all are at this point.

Clark. This pick was the second pick I actually loved and was hoping we'd make at the time. Spinal Fusion is not a death nail. The Cowboys don't do everything well... but they do know their medical. This guy could be a STEAL!!

Ridgeway. This pick got me pumped. I've sat on here and read "why can't we get a run-stuffing DT??" Well, boys, WE DID!!! He might not get a sack a year playing every snap but he will keep our LBs clean and plug up the middle.

Harper, a ST guy, LB Depth. Lotto ticket. Small but fast. Could fit in sub-packages and ST?


If you made it this far! Congrats!!! You get a cookie! Enjoy the conversation.

The problem is he let a lot of DE get into his body and his arms get outside the shoulder pads. Grabbing and trying to wrestle players to the ground becomes some thing of a reflex at that point. He will get called for holding a lot in the NFL if he does not clean that up. Obviously, the Cowboys think they can coach that out of him, but that is not a guarantee. It's like CBs who never learn to look back for the ball, they are taught they are supposed to do it but at game speed they just can't get it.

I am not saying Smith won't learn, but it is a question mark right now.

 

[gimmesix]

I have a run first mindset. So every player we field should be a grade "A" run blocker. That's why I didn't like Cooper as much and why I don't like Shultz at all. Waletzko is just not my type of player. I want big, mean, nasty, bulldozers on my OL.

From the clips I've seen, he's got some mean to his game. I don't think him being athletic equates to him being passive. He's mainly just got to add bulk and strength, which is why we were able to get him in the fifth round. A tackle who moves as well as he does at his height goes in the first or second round if he's a finished product.

If you're drafting big, nasty, strong OTs in the fifth round, then you are probably getting players who don't have the feet to play left tackle. They've got the power, but quick ends will abuse them. i like this pick for the upside.

 

[john van brocklin]

I went into this draft with low expectations. Not just for the Cowboys but for the draft as a whole. It was a historically 'bad draft'. I think I read somewhere that the Cowboys only had 15/16 guys with first-round grades?

I didn't have Tyler Smith on my radar and was a little miffed at the pick when we made it. I like the need it could potentially fill but, who? LOL
So I watched some tape on him. Specifically, every snap he had in the Ohio State Game and a lot of the OKState game. WOW!!! THIS DUDE IS A MONSTER! I've never in my 20 years of evaluating players in the draft seen a tackle just ragdoll people the way he did. I've never seen a tackle just set a seal block with the level of ease he does. He has some flaws... he has issues with, what looks like grabbing when players get into his body. It almost appears like he is too big and it's just a jumble of arms and body. If he learns to just let the defender fall down and lay on them, that problem is solved. I don't recall one instance where he got beat in the tape I saw. It's bound to happen, but impressive stuff.

Sam Williams. Another one where I was looking at my TV with the "stink eye" I wanted Nacobe Dean there. But watching Williams on tape gives me a lot to like. He will rack up sacks. (This isn't a new thought, but it's accurate) he needs work but the god-given ability is there to make an early impact.

Jalen Tolbert... was a great pick. I would have loved it in the second. He catches the ball cleanly, with his hands, runs good routes, and has a good route tree. He will be plug-and-play and give us great depth with Gallup and his injury history.

Jake Fergeson. another need pick that if you look hard enough, it's Jason Witten. He ran like crap at the combine and didn't play in an offense at Wisconsin that featured him but he is a great catcher of the football. Like Witten. Gets Open. Plays faster than he is. Willing blocker. He can come in and be a TE2 and take over TE1 next year if needed.

Waletzko... Who knows. Don't love this pick but it is the 5th round.

Bland... Another 5th round pick. He's a lotto ticket. They all are at this point.

Clark. This pick was the second pick I actually loved and was hoping we'd make at the time. Spinal Fusion is not a death nail. The Cowboys don't do everything well... but they do know their medical. This guy could be a STEAL!!

Ridgeway. This pick got me pumped. I've sat on here and read "why can't we get a run-stuffing DT??" Well, boys, WE DID!!! He might not get a sack a year playing every snap but he will keep our LBs clean and plug up the middle.

Harper, a ST guy, LB Depth. Lotto ticket. Small but fast. Could fit in sub-packages and ST?


If you made it this far! Congrats!!! You get a cookie! Enjoy the conversation.

Sounds like you are overall happy !
Great !
There is a lot to like about our draft.
I do hope we add some free agents.

 

[Acceptablename]

The rumor from Skip is, Jerry had Dak calling the guys we picked before the draft. Which means they picked them a round earlier than they should of.

Anything Skip says is false

 

[RonWashington]

If nothing else Woletzco is depth at T , Josh Ball of last draft . I guess where Clark was picked it’s ST types so if the injury heals then you have a LB who might start in the distant future . Ridgeway seems like a nice lift for the middle of what’s been a mediocre run defense.

The four picks Smith Williams Tolbert Ferguson all seem ready to contribute now and Dallas needs each one now not later . I’m happy with the draft . Give it a B

 

[DaBoys12]

Good post. I’m pulling for all the guys drafted, hope they all have long NFL careers.

I like cookies!

 

[cmoney23]

Yea, competition level and switching positions to G.

There is some tape out there against some good competition but there isn't much.

My bigger issue is translating his skills, competition and deficiencies to Guard in the pros.

I feel like it will translate and he "should" be good but it is really hard to know. There are picks that I feel like i know will be good bc I can see it and the transition to the pros will be fine for them... Williams, Ferguson and Ridgeway come to mind.


Just can't definitively see it with all of these variables with Smith.

You have me a bit confused here... I was talking about Waletzko. I thought he was a tackle prospect. Hadn't heard about moving to Guard.

 

[cmoney23]

So we drafted a dominant LT, a guy that will “rack up sacks”, a “plug and play” WR, and “basically Jason Witten”.
LMAO, ok……

Didn't say "dominate left tackle". I said he rag-dolled competition against Ohio State and OKState. He seems like a worthy prospect for the 24th pick in this draft.

I do think Williams, if healthy, will rack up sacks... similar if not better than what Randy Gregory did for us when healthy and playing.

I do think Jalen will be a plug-and-play WR. More out of need to start but... still the truth.

and I don't think I'm alone in saying Fergeson is in the same mold of TE as Witten.

 

[Ken]

You have me a bit confused here... I was talking about Waletzko. I thought he was a tackle prospect. Hadn't heard about moving to Guard.

Yeah, clearly i misunderstood lol

 

[cmoney23]

Yeah, clearly i misunderstood lol

If you're talking about Smith... there is some good tape out there. You're right.

I don't see the move to guard as permanent. I see it as a learning opportunity to work on his hands and technique and in a year or so when we are done with Tyron Smith, he will kick out to LT.