My Yearly Report on What I Am Hearing About the Draft

[Chocolate Lab]

I seem to remember that Jerry spoke "off record" after he stepped down from the podium on his Day 1 draft press conference and admitted he had no previous plans to move back, and only did so after Unger was no longer on the board.

They pulled off the trade back with only about 2 seconds left on the clock. If they had the mindset that they were going to move back way ahead of time, they probably would have laid some groundwork with some teams ahead of time so that it wasn't such a last second fustercluck.

Maybe... Or maybe Unger was the one guy he'd have stayed there for, and when he went, Jerry went ahead with the trade.

And it's pretty hard to lay groundwork ahead of time that far down the line when you really have no idea who may or may not be there.

 

[dbair1967]

Yep. A good example is 2009 draft. The Cowboys sit at the 51st pick, and had Max Unger sitting there at the the last player in a tier of top players. Jerry admits he's the guy they had circled for the 2nd round. He's sitting just a few picks away. Does the regarded "highly aggressive" Jerry Jones move up to get the last highly rated man on his board? No. He sits back and let's Seattle leapfrong ahead of him and grab his guy in front of him. The result is the Cowboys don't have anyone left they deem worthy of the pick, and so at the last second they decide to punt in the 2nd round just for the sake of moving back in the 2nd round (Jerry himself admitted after the draft he had no plans on moving down until Unger was snatched up by Seattle), eventually falling into the 3rd which eventually would be translated into Jason Williams

I have no doubt if it were a position other than offensive lineman, Jerry wouldn't have been so lethargic about getting the last highly rated guy on his board. Afterall, he moved up twice last year to get Sean Lee and Dez.

This is nothing but conjecture on your part. First off, how do you know they didnt try to move up to get the guy? Second, you dont move up to get people with the idea that you are defending against other teams behind you trading up past you to get a guy.

There could be lots of reasons for not trading up. Maybe they didnt feel he was worth sacrificing picks for. Maybe nobody would take what they may have been offering.

 

[dbair1967]

His lethargy is driven by the fact he really is not a good evaluator of talent, especially at certain positions.

It is hard to be decisive when you count on the loudest voice in the room directing who you need to go after.

I think many of you vastly overstate what Jerry does on draft day. he may stand in front of a camera and brag about how he makes decisions on this guy or that guy, but he defers to the scouts and coaches on just about everything.

I think he was different right after Jimmy left, but the day he hired Parcells he changed his ways and hasnt went back to 94-01 Jerry since.

 

[Manwiththeplan]

Not that I'm trying to make excuses, but Unger hasn't exactly lit Seattle on fire. In hindsight, I'd still trade up for him, but it's not like we missed on a dominating inside lineman. Still time for him, but you get the point.

 

[Idgit]

I think many of you vastly overstate what Jerry does on draft day. he may stand in front of a camera and brag about how he makes decisions on this guy or that guy, but he defers to the scouts and coaches on just about everything.

I think he was different right after Jimmy left, but the day he hired Parcells he changed his ways and hasnt went back to 94-01 Jerry since.

Exactly. And I don't know that that change was as recent as the Parcells hire. He may have put himself forward for a few years after Jimmy left, out of pride, but you don't get to where Jerry Jones is in life by hiring experts to give you good data and then ignoring what they tell you.

I know it fits in nicely with the caricature of an owner with a big ego, but it's just not the truth.

By and large, our drafting and FA evaluation has been solid under the current scouting regime. I don't know what people are complaining about. It's coaching, preparation, and execution that have hurt us.

 

[dmq]

Maybe we constantly get picked off in the draft because Jerry somehow lets everyone know who we are targeting.

 

[Hostile]

A team with two first round picks next year could conceivably be in the mix to land Andrew Luck. I could see someone willing to take our next years first just to have that be a possibility.

Yeah, I had someone mention to me that San Francisco would be looking to do exactly that. That would land us 7 and 9. Which certainly makes Peterson and Smith possible. I think it would be easier if we could trade players too in order to sweeten the deal. Maybe San Fran is willing to take that risk. In their shoes, I would be.

 

[ejthedj]

Yeah, I had someone mention to me that San Francisco would be looking to do exactly that. That would land us 7 and 9. Which certainly makes Peterson and Smith possible. I think it would be easier if we could trade players too in order to sweeten the deal. Maybe San Fran is willing to take that risk. In their shoes, I would be.

It is always dumb to trade next years first. Maybe if you need a franchise QB, but never for anything else. Never.

Why? See 2009. You blow an entire draft if you don't have a first round pick because you end up getting desperate in later rounds.

The Pats prove you trade FOR future picks. You don't trade them away.

You're just enamored with this years guys bc they are fresh and on the mind. You'll be just as enamored with next years guys for the same reasons. And you'll be mad we don't have a first.

Not to mention, it costs two picks for the price of one. it's stupid, short-term thinking. Just stop. I hope we're smarter than this

 

[Chocolate Lab]

It is always dumb to trade next years first. Maybe if you need a franchise QB, but never for anything else. Never.

Why? See 2009. You blow an entire draft if you don't have a first round pick because you end up getting desperate in later rounds.

The Pats prove you trade FOR future picks. You don't trade them away.

You're just enamored with this years guys bc they are fresh and on the mind. You'll be just as enamored with next years guys for the same reasons. And you'll be mad we don't have a first.

Not to mention, it costs two picks for the price of one. it's stupid, short-term thinking. Just stop. I hope we're smarter than this

 

[Hostile]

It is always dumb to trade next years first. Maybe if you need a franchise QB, but never for anything else. Never.

Why? See 2009. You blow an entire draft if you don't have a first round pick because you end up getting desperate in later rounds.

The Pats prove you trade FOR future picks. You don't trade them away.

You're just enamored with this years guys bc they are fresh and on the mind. You'll be just as enamored with next years guys for the same reasons. And you'll be mad we don't have a first.

Not to mention, it costs two picks for the price of one. it's stupid, short-term thinking. Just stop. I hope we're smarter than this

I don't agree with that at all.

 

[rash]

I don't agree with that at all.

Why not Hos? It actually makes a lot of sense.

 

[ndanger]

I don't agree with that at all.

If you can land both Peterson and Smith it would seem foolish to not do it. You could look at in this way. By next years draft Smith would have a year under his belt. He is essentially your first round pick next year. How many draft picks come in with a year of NFL experience. I would do the deal in a minute and never look back.

 

[Cowboys22]

There is no way at all that SF is trading us the #7 pick this year without getting the #9 this year. I just cannot see any team doing anything like that. Dallas' 1st next year could end up in the mid to late 20's and they would lose on the deal bigtime.

 

[Jenky]

Why not Hos? It actually makes a lot of sense.

Cause there's a possibility of the future draft class being piss poor.

"It is always dumb to trade next years first."

 

[Chocolate Lab]

There is no way at all that SF is trading us the #7 pick this year without getting the #9 this year.

No kidding.

Well, maybe if we included Romo.

 

[CrazyCowboy]

I don't agree with that at all.

Our history of trading future 1st rd picks have not been very good looking back on it.....matter of fact, we have never been the winner of those deals in the past.

 

[Alexander]

Larry Allen, Eric Williams.

Shane Hannah, Jacob Rogers, Robert Brewster, Steve Scifres, Clay Shiver, James Marten.

And we are not talking about players who were just average. Some did not even play a single down of regular season football for the team and all were chosen in the first three rounds.

Sorry, that kind of drafting incompetence at the position is inexcuseable.

 

[Alexander]

I think many of you vastly overstate what Jerry does on draft day. he may stand in front of a camera and brag about how he makes decisions on this guy or that guy, but he defers to the scouts and coaches on just about everything.

That is part of the issue. He has to defer because--He. Has. No. Eye. For. Talent. So he is only going to be as good as the people who surround him and are bending his ear. Our recent "success" is due to the fact that Cisowski is very good at what he does.

The problem is scouts and coaches fall irrationally in love with players as well. We have seen "pet cats" dotting all of our drafts in recent years. The GM should be the one to be able to weigh the value of the player no matter who likes them.

Some of our worst draft decisions were based not only on bad information but especially on biases, such as Larry Lacewell's obsession with the SEC.

That is why we have always needed a true dedicated general manager who could add his own qualified opinion to the mix and if necessary be a tie breaker who at least had a firm eye for talent.

 

[Outlaw Heroes]

That is part of the issue. He has to defer because--He. Has. No. Eye. For. Talent. So he is only going to be as good as the people who surround him and are bending his ear. Our recent "success" is due to the fact that Cisowski is very good at what he does.

The problem is scouts and coaches fall irrationally in love with players as well. We have seen "pet cats" dotting all of our drafts in recent years. The GM should be the one to be able to weigh the value of the player no matter who likes them.

Some of our worst draft decisions were based not only on bad information but especially on biases, such as Larry Lacewell's obsession with the SEC.

That is why we have always needed a true dedicated general manager who could add his own qualified opinion to the mix and if necessary be a tie breaker who at least had a firm eye for talent.

These sorts of observations, however useful they may have once been, have become stale and inaccurate (not to say a little unreflective).

Jerry has been in the business now for over two decades. He's had the benefit of learning at the side of great football minds like Jimmy and Tuna. He shows great passion for the game and a desire to soak up as much as he can. Unless one thinks that he's dumber than a box of rocks, it's hard to believe to Jerry hasn't become a qualified football guy in his own right over the past 22 years. Not even rocket science is rocket science. Football certainly isn't.

 

[sonnyboy]

This is great Hos. Thanks for your effort.

I'm very excited about what you say they are thinking because it appears they are focused mostly on the what I feel they should........

OL - Seems like you mentioned a ton of names. Looks like they are most certainly going to address ROT by pick 40 and ultimately select multiple players at the position. This makes me happy!

DE - Apparently not viewed as a primary need and I agree.

I do have a few questions..........

You say a deal is on the table with Cleveland. So can we assume if PP is still on the board, we're moving up for him?

The slim 10% chance you give it, is that because it's very unlikley he makes it to #6?

What about FS? If PP happens, would the boys consider him at FS to fill that need?


I love the scenario where we trade next year's 1st and end up with Peterson and Smith.

When you take everything into consideration: OL need, Smith as being so young and the likelyhood of our 2011 1st being as low, it works.


I'll give you a scenario I like more and would like to know your thoughts on its chances......

We trade down to the middle of round one for Pouncey. Then package that extra pick along with our #40 to move back up high enough into round one enough to nab Castonzo or Carimi.

Now we've addressed the OL in a BIG way and still have our the rest of our 2011 and 2012 picks.