NFL-based three-round mock

[AbeBeta]

New rule. If you don't understand that what a 3-tech is supposed to provide for this defensive scheme, you shouldn't talk about 3-techs.

The 2 and 3 that we spent on the position the last two years provided exactly a half-sack between them last year and also did a poor job against the run. The position is still a priority need.

Right. Both those picks played well last year and the last thing the staff wants to do is stunt that.

 

[gimmesix]

Love this draft

I would replace Cox with Adebo or Bolton

Since Bolton is ranked 50 by Brandt, do you mean taking Bolton instead of Melifonwu and Adebo instead of Cox? I'm not in favor of that because it's of utmost importance that we find a starting corner and waiting to 75 lowers the chances of that.

Now if you want to double-dip at corner with Melifonwu and Adebo, I could live with that because it would give us two shots at finding a starter. I'd probably wait until the fourth, though, to add a second corner. Maybe roll the dice on someone like Robert Rochell of Central Arkansas. Of course, it's likely his rookie season will look a lot like Reggie Robinson's did, but you can't let that scare you away.

 

[gimmesix]

Right. Both those picks played well last year and the last thing the staff wants to do is stunt that.

If you consider half a sack playing well at 3-tech, I'm not sure what to say.

 

[Plankton]

Not my favorite because it starts off addressing a position where we actually have two quality starters and a decent backup. Doesn't address free safety where we have a player on a one-year deal coming off injury projected to be the starter. And waits later than I'd like to address corner, which means there's a strong possibility that we'd have to start either Lewis or Brown this year. Adebo might turn out to be great since this corner class is strong, but we really shouldn't expect to get a better player than Lewis (who also was drafted in the third round) at that point.

So other than McNeill, I'm not sure you addressed our most pressing needs.

I'm not drafting for need - I'm drafting for who I think is the best talent that was available at the slot. Gregory is a FA after this season. Who is the solid backup - Armstrong? He's a spare. Phillips is a guy who can definitely see the field in a NASCAR rush package, and become the starting RDE in 2022, if not sooner. JOK is a grand larceny steal at 44, and he can play a number of positions. Adebo is a guy who I think has the length and skill to be a good #2 corner, and would be able to start during this season. McNeill would give the Cowboys a 1T who isn't strictly a slug or a blocker magnet.

 

[gimmesix]

I'm not drafting for need - I'm drafting for who I think is the best talent that was available at the slot. Gregory is a FA after this season. Who is the solid backup - Armstrong? He's a spare. Phillips is a guy who can definitely see the field in a NASCAR rush package, and become the starting RDE in 2022, if not sooner. JOK is a grand larceny steal at 44, and he can play a number of positions. Adebo is a guy who I think has the length and skill to be a good #2 corner, and would be able to start during this season. McNeill would give the Cowboys a 1T who isn't strictly a slug or a blocker magnet.

Basham. We picked him up to be our Aldon Smith this year, except with Gregory not suspended for one, he won't be relied on as much.

You feel that JOK is a larceny steal, but according to Brandt's rankings being used here, he's lower than Grant, who fills a need. I see now that you are going for the players that you believe are the best, not the ones Brandt believes are the best. I tried not to reach based on his rankings, other than giving into my craving for a big, disruptive DT in the first round, which I at least did with a trade down. McNeill may also have been a reach, according to his rankings, but I don't know by how much.

I'm not saying I agree with his rankings, just that they were the parameters I used and I tried to justify the picks based on them.

 

[Plankton]

Basham. We picked him up to be our Aldon Smith this year, except with Gregory not suspended for one, he won't be relied on as much.

You feel that JOK is a larceny steal, but according to Brandt's rankings being used here, he's lower than Grant, who fills a need. I see now that you are going for the players that you believe are the best, not the ones Brandt believes are the best. I tried not to reach based on his rankings, other than giving into my craving for a big, disruptive DT in the first round, which I at least did with a trade down. McNeill may also have been a reach, according to his rankings, but I don't know by how much.

I'm not saying I agree with his rankings, just that they were the parameters I used and I tried to justify the picks based on them.

I used the same parameters, but arrived at a different conclusion. As you said, you took Barmore far higher than what his Brandt ranking was, and it was a need. I am not sold on Donovan Wilson at SS, and JOK provides the Cowboys with an option for that position, for OLB and a rover in a 5 DB defense. I don't think that there is a chance in hell that he's sitting there at 44. Taking a lesser player at that spot due to a perceived "need" is not a good draft philosophy, IMO. It's not as if I was taking a QB who will never see the field.

 

[gimmesix]

I used the same parameters, but arrived at a different conclusion. As you said, you took Barmore far higher than what his Brandt ranking was, and it was a need. I am not sold on Donovan Wilson at SS, and JOK provides the Cowboys with an option for that position, for OLB and a rover in a 5 DB defense. I don't think that there is a chance in hell that he's sitting there at 44. Taking a lesser player at that spot due to a perceived "need" is not a good draft philosophy, IMO. It's not as if I was taking a QB who will never see the field.

Grant filled a need and isn't a lesser player, according to Brandt's ranking, so you ended up taking a lower-ranked player over a higher-ranked one. That's what I did admittedly with Barmore and I don't mind getting scolded for taking a "need" there over better-ranked players. Of course, when you get into the 40s and 50s, I think a fair argument can be made that there's not really a perceived difference between the players, so I don't have a problem with JOK in that sense. I just believe if the value is the same or similar, I'd rather have the player at a position of clear need (and one considered a cornerstone of this scheme) over one where the starters are more in focus (Neal, Smith, LVE at linebacker and Wilson at strong safety). You may be more of the mind-set that we can't get good enough on defense this year to compete, but I believe that we can by strategically addressing a few weak positions. I don't know if FS is going to be one of those, but I trust Wilson to handle SS more than I trust Kazee coming off injury at FS.