NFL Draft blitz post draft thoughts

[cowboyjoe]

Dallas Cowboys Column
http://www.nfldraftblitz.com/cowboyscolumn.htm


By: Scott Arendt

4/27/09

The draft has come and gone, and Dallas was unusually quiet this April. Without the trademark dealings of owner/GM Jerry Jones, this draft was quite different than years past. The focus on this draft is obviously aimed to help the unspecial special teams and provide competition throughout the entire roster. It seemed to me that the draft board never fell correctly for Dallas. They had their eye on five or six prospects for the 51st overall pick, but not a single player they wanted fell to them. So, Jones traded out of the first day entirely. With 12 picks on the second day,

I assumed they would trade up and down, getting a player they targeted and get more picks for next season. They did not really happen, however, as Dallas only traded up once. They ended up selecting 12 players, almost all of them with a special teams background. Here are the selections and my thoughts on each and who I would have drafted if I was the GM. (My pick had to be selected
after the selection the team used.)

Round 3, #69 overall.
Jason Williams, LB Western Illinois. Very athletic, will replace Kevin Burnett in the short term and hopefully Keith Brooking in a season or two.
MY PICK: Brandon Tate, WR North Carolina (NE RD 3 #83)

Round 3 #75
Robert Brewster, OL Ball St. Large man with good pass blocking skills. This is not a future LT, but could be either a guard or RT. Will push Kyle Kosier.
MY PICK: Duke Robinson, OG Oklahoma (Carolina, RD 5 #163)

Round 4 #101
Stephen McGee, QB Texas AM. Very athletic and moved up draft boards in the off season. Is the #3 QB right now, has the ability to start eventually.
MY PICK: Same.

Round 4 #110
Victor Butler, DE Oregon St. Athletic pass rusher who led the Pac 10 in sacks. Future OLB and special teams player.
MY PICK: DJ Moore, CB Vanderbilt (Chicago RD 4 #119)

Round 4 #120
Brandon Williams, DE Texas Tech. Another future OLB in 3-4 scheme. Very good fist step, led Big 12 in sacks. Athletic, but needs strength.
MY PICK: Same

Round 5 #143
DeAngelo Smith, DB Cincinnati. Good cover man offers safety help as well. Will start out at safety and special teams.
MY PICK: James Casey, TE Rice (Houston, RD 5 #162)

Round 5 #166
Michael Hamlin, S Clemson. Experienced four year starter in big conference. Offers great run support but needs help in coverage.
MY PICK: Coye Francies, CB San Jose St (Cleveland, RD 6 #191)

Round 5 #172
David Buehler, PK USC. Great athlete with a powerful leg. Will be kickoff specialist and coverage guy. Yes, he can do that.
MY PICK: Stryker Solak, OLB/DE Missouri (Oakland, RD 6 #199)

Round 6 #197
Stephen Hodge, S TCU. Very powerful run stuffer. Could be special teams star.
MY PICK: same

Round 6 #208
John Phillips, TE Virginia. Solid, third TE. Good in-line blocker with good hands and great character.
MY PICK: Demetrius Byrd, WR LSU (San Diego, RD 7 #222)

Round 7 #227
Mike Mickens, CB Cincinnati. Good cover man with lots of experience. Torn meniscus in knee drove him down draft boards after entering season in top few rounds.
MY PICK: same

Round 7 #229
Manuel Johnson, WR Oklahoma. Good speed and elusiveness. Possible punt returner and slot receiver.
MY PICK: Darryl Richard, DE Georgia Tech (New England, RD 7 #234)


All in all, it was a boring draft for Dallas, but it could solidify the special teams and depth for a few years. There will be some competition at many spots, and some veterans will find themselves off the team. If that was the goal of the draft, then Dallas has succeeded. If they wanted to come in and make themselves better this season, then it was not a good draft.

 

[reddyuta]

Dallas Cowboys Column
http://www.nfldraftblitz.com/cowboyscolumn.htm


All in all, it was a boring draft for Dallas, but it could solidify the special teams and depth for a few years. There will be some competition at many spots, and some veterans will find themselves off the team. If that was the goal of the draft, then Dallas has succeeded. If they wanted to come in and make themselves better this season, then it was not a good draft.

replacing dead weight and players who are not contributing in any way is not making ourselves better?

 

[AmishCowboy]

We have Starters at all positions, drafting for long term projects was not out of line in this weak draft.

 

[cowboyjoe]

replacing dead weight and players who are not contributing in any way is not making ourselves better?

wasnt me that said that, was the writer, i just copied it and pasted what several mock post draft guys said;

 

[glassjaw]

From what I hear Brandon Tate will not be able to play until 2010. So picking him with our highest selection makes us better THIS year. Oh, ok that must be that "new math" that makes that possible in some "Bizarro" Universe!

 

[reddyuta]

wasnt me that said that, was the writer, i just copied it and pasted what several mock post draft guys said;

lol-i know that Joe.I was commenting on that article.

 

[jterrell]

The Dallas Cowboys were the only team in the NFL to have 0 touchbacks last year. The next lowest teams had 4.

Finishing last in any stat is bad but having the lowest possible total and finishing last by a mile is a problem.


The writer here states that they improved the special teams yet didn't get better??? That's simply a logical flaw. Even if he "means" they do not get better in the base offense or defense it is an opinion at best and hardly anything factual or evidential.

Its possible a number of guys will help us on defense this year. I think it is more than fair to expect at least one nickel linebacker, one nickel DB and one situational pass rusher at least out of this class as rookies.