Of Mock and Men

[jterrell]

1. Sheldon Richardson. 4-3 DT.
I suspect Richardson falls right about here. Top 15 talent with a lot of attitude. Reminds me of Warren Sapp and Sapp fell a bit. Don't know that Sheldon has same issues as Sapp just that he has a similar mouth.
When Bama has to double team you through 3 quarters you are pretty darn good. Fills biggest need and give you a dominant pass rusher to pair with Ware if you don't resign Spencer.

2. DJ Fluker. RT or dominant RG
Road grader who many want to push inside but he pass blocks as well as Doug Free while giving you Erik Williams style run blocking. He'd get some help as a rookie on pass plays but definitely a nasty, big, mauler. Saves you 4m on 2013 Cap. If Pzrnell beats him out he starts as your RG.

3. Tony Jefferson. Safety.
One of the things the 4-3 will help with is acquiring safeties. Dallas can now focus on playmakers and demand less pure man coverage skills. Jefferson is a quality playmaker who likely wouldv'e been badly beaten as a pure man coverage guy.

4. Marquise Goodwin. Slot/Returner.
Dallas needs more playmakers on offense and Goodwin can step up in the return game is Harris has to tackle more WR time. Serious, serious speed and playmaking skills.

5. Marcus Lattimore. RB.
This is the Sean Lee and Bruce Carter of 2013. Redshirts one season, splits time the next and is considered a bonafide star going into year 3/4.

6. Travis Bond. OG.
Basically your Ron Leary without bad knees. Massive guy who needs to adjust to NFL speed and strength. Could develop into a Montrae Holland level guy for you. Winning at LOS but poor in getting to 2nd level.

 

[xwalker]

...

1. Sheldon Richardson. 4-3 DT.
If his character issues check out, then I think he goes before #18. If this character don't check out, then the Cowboys won't draft him.

2. DJ Fluker. RT or dominant RG
Guard only, IMO. He does not have the foot quickness of Erik Williams even after the Car Wreck.

It's difficult to determine his value as a Guard-only. I don't see him as a good fit in Callahan's ZBS even at OG.

3. Tony Jefferson. Safety.
OK. I'm having a difficult time sorting out the Safeties.

4. Marquise Goodwin. Slot/Returner.
Maybe. I love the speed but he is small (5-9, 179).

I'm thinking that Kenjon Barner might be able to play some slot-WR in addition to RB. He has excellent speed also.

5. Marcus Lattimore. RB.
It's really difficult to comment on a pure medical decision. He obviously has the talent.

6. Travis Bond. OG.
He reminds me of Fluker. He would be worth a 6th, scheme fit or not.

.

 

[Rack]

1. Sheldon Richardson. 4-3 DT.
I suspect Richardson falls right about here. Top 15 talent with a lot of attitude. Reminds me of Warren Sapp and Sapp fell a bit. Don't know that Sheldon has same issues as Sapp just that he has a similar mouth.
When Bama has to double team you through 3 quarters you are pretty darn good. Fills biggest need and give you a dominant pass rusher to pair with Ware if you don't resign Spencer.

2. DJ Fluker. RT or dominant RG
Road grader who many want to push inside but he pass blocks as well as Doug Free while giving you Erik Williams style run blocking. He'd get some help as a rookie on pass plays but definitely a nasty, big, mauler. Saves you 4m on 2013 Cap. If Pzrnell beats him out he starts as your RG.

3. Tony Jefferson. Safety.
One of the things the 4-3 will help with is acquiring safeties. Dallas can now focus on playmakers and demand less pure man coverage skills. Jefferson is a quality playmaker who likely wouldv'e been badly beaten as a pure man coverage guy.

4. Marquise Goodwin. Slot/Returner.
Dallas needs more playmakers on offense and Goodwin can step up in the return game is Harris has to tackle more WR time. Serious, serious speed and playmaking skills.

5. Marcus Lattimore. RB.
This is the Sean Lee and Bruce Carter of 2013. Redshirts one season, splits time the next and is considered a bonafide star going into year 3/4.

6. Travis Bond. OG.
Basically your Ron Leary without bad knees. Massive guy who needs to adjust to NFL speed and strength. Could develop into a Montrae Holland level guy for you. Winning at LOS but poor in getting to 2nd level.

Throw Schewnke (sp?) in there somewhere mid/late and I'd love it.

 

[jterrell]

1. Sheldon Richardson. 4-3 DT.
If his character issues check out, then I think he goes before #18. If this character don't check out, then the Cowboys won't draft him.

2. DJ Fluker. RT or dominant RG
Guard only, IMO. He does not have the foot quickness of Erik Williams even after the Car Wreck.

It's difficult to determine his value as a Guard-only. I don't see him as a good fit in Callahan's ZBS even at OG.

3. Tony Jefferson. Safety.
OK. I'm having a difficult time sorting out the Safeties.

4. Marquise Goodwin. Slot/Returner.
Maybe. I love the speed but he is small (5-9, 179).

I'm thinking that Kenjon Barner might be able to play some slot-WR in addition to RB. He has excellent speed also.

5. Marcus Lattimore. RB.
It's really difficult to comment on a pure medical decision. He obviously has the talent.

6. Travis Bond. OG.
He reminds me of Fluker. He would be worth a 6th, scheme fit or not.

.

Fair critique to be sure.

Notes.

I believe Sheldon has a chance to sit at 18 largely because this DT class is crazy, crazy good. Considering Brockers was the fall back pick in 2012 it seems a DT is in order. Richardson is really good but he can wear down.

I think you mislabel Fluker. He is as quick as Phil Loadholt IMHO. Very similar players. Clearly NOT a LT ever but he could be a RT and a RG easily IMHO. Has potential to start as a RG early and move to RT. If teams put speed rushers on that side you'd want to help him for sure. OR just run right at them with this mauler who drove SEC defenders 5 yards plus almost every run play. Went against quality Bama OLB pass rushers in practice. If he had that Erik Fisher quickness he'd be pick 1 overall.

Between Barber and Goodwin; give me Goodwin. Goodwin has actually played WR and has every bit as much explosion and speed. He had terrible UT QBs and offense to work in. Barner would be a really sexy 3rd down back but I doubt he can block NFL players. Really lacks size. I think Goodwin can run the Terry Glenn route tree. And unlike Cole Beasley he wont go flying 10 yards after every hit.

 

[supercowboy8]

Fluker is terrible on this OL. We run a zone system now, Fluker is way to big and slow to run this system.

Also a lot of bad things being said about Jefferson. Not a Garrett type of guy. Not a hard worker or workout warrior and has some red flags off the field.

 

[jterrell]

Throw Schewnke (sp?) in there somewhere mid/late and I'd love it.

Only 6 picks does suck. Would be really nice to find a way to add a pick or two from players we intend to jettison anyway. Even something modest like a round 4 pick.

 

[jterrell]

Fluker is terrible on this OL. We run a zone system now, Fluker is way to big and slow to run this system.

Also a lot of bad things being said about Jefferson. Not a Garrett type of guy. Not a hard worker or workout warrior and has some red flags off the field.

Going to disagree considering there are other guys as big as Fluker playing in this system across the NFL. Fluker isn't a pulling OG to be sure but he is mobile and can get on and drive through people. He was a far superior player all year than to Barrett Jones.

If the system tells me I need to draft lesser players I change the system.

Fluker missed only 11 assignments all year and allowed only 4 sacks in the SEC West.

 

[supercowboy8]

Going to disagree considering there are other guys as big as Fluker playing in this system across the NFL. Fluker isn't a pulling OG to be sure but he is mobile and can get on and drive through people. He was a far superior player all year than to Barrett Jones.

If the system tells me I need to draft lesser players I change the system.

Fluker missed only 11 assignments all year and allowed only 4 sacks in the SEC West.

Name me one player his size with his slow feet playing in a zone blocking scheme and I will show yoy a bad blocking OL.

Fluker doesn't fit the system, we will just have to disagree on him

Only allowed that many sacks because Alabama runs the ball 80% of the time and they run a man power blocking scheme which is what he fits.

Also look at how many sacks Barrett Jones allowed at LT last year and you think Fluker is better. You haven't watched many games have you?

 

[supercowboy8]

Fluker is 355 pounds at the senior bowl which he didn't even practice or play due to injuries. Also it was said that he looks out of shape and very flabby. Sorry but no thanks to someone like that in this scheme.

 

[xwalker]

This may be pure homerism, but I believe that the Cowboys get called for more ticky-tak penalties than a lot of other teams (see Steelers, Pittsburgh).

I've noticed that college OLinemen get by with a lot of holding. Guys like Fluker with big hands can do it without being too obvious. I don't look too closely at college sack stats primarily because of holding.

Joeckel holds a lot, but he has the quickness to succeed without it.

In the NFL, Loadholt gets by with a lot of holding. He also gets flagged for it quite often. He has a really difficult time blocking speed rushers without doing it.

IMO, if any of those guys come to the Cowboys, they would get 5x the number of holding penalties as they would if they played for the Steelers.

 

[cbow44]

If we could get Richardson at 18 and Lattimore in the 5th those would be steals. Really like Marquise Goodwin, he is not only fast but cat quick. Would be a nightmare to cover in the slot. As for Fluker and Bond, they may be good maulers but I thought we were running a zone blocking scheme.

 

[RS12]

I wouldnt use a pick on Lattemore, to many skill guys I like in this draft who dont have his injury issues and might be there then. Kind of Iffy on Fluker, if he is the best OL there, then sure. Love Richardson though.

 

[Zordon]

1. Sheldon Richardson. 4-3 DT.
If his character issues check out, then I think he goes before #18. If this character don't check out, then the Cowboys won't draft him.

2. DJ Fluker. RT or dominant RG
Guard only, IMO. He does not have the foot quickness of Erik Williams even after the Car Wreck.

It's difficult to determine his value as a Guard-only. I don't see him as a good fit in Callahan's ZBS even at OG.

3. Tony Jefferson. Safety.
OK. I'm having a difficult time sorting out the Safeties.

4. Marquise Goodwin. Slot/Returner.
Maybe. I love the speed but he is small (5-9, 179).

I'm thinking that Kenjon Barner might be able to play some slot-WR in addition to RB. He has excellent speed also.

5. Marcus Lattimore. RB.
It's really difficult to comment on a pure medical decision. He obviously has the talent.

6. Travis Bond. OG.
He reminds me of Fluker. He would be worth a 6th, scheme fit or not.

.

Richardson has character issues? I thought he was just a big smack talker. Cowboys could use some of that edge.

 

[cowboysooner]

Nice draft. I assume this is keeping spencer. Without spencer pass rush at defensive end would be addressed in the top 2 rounds.

 

[DBOY3141]

Only 6 picks does suck. Would be really nice to find a way to add a pick or two from players we intend to jettison anyway. Even something modest like a round 4 pick.

It's about quality not quantity. Remember when we had 13 picks? How did that work out? We need to be smart with the picks, not worry about getting more.

 

[CATCH17]

Fluker is terrible on this OL. We run a zone system now, Fluker is way to big and slow to run this system.

Also a lot of bad things being said about Jefferson. Not a Garrett type of guy. Not a hard worker or workout warrior and has some red flags off the field.

We do not run a zone scheme.

We run zone SOMETIMES but for the most part we run Power Football.

I think we should do more zone and hopefully we transition to it.

 

[Boys122]

Not bad. Props on the mock.

 

[jterrell]

Fluker may be 355 right now but he'll have a chance to get down to 330 where he needs to be long before the NFL season starts. Larry Allen got fat every off-season too... that worked out ok for us. If Fluker was playing for Saban at 355 that is even more impressive considering how well he moved. I am going to pretty much disregard anyone suggesting he can't move as he drove people every play well off the ball. He didn't just stonewall them. Calling him flat and sloppy is basically silly. Look at the pic in the link below.



There are very few pure zone blocking schemes and those that are still often have one big mauler.

We saw how Phil Loadholt helped run block for Peterson this year.
I saw Loadholt and thought RG all the way. He was badly beaten by speed rusher in the Senior Bowl practices. Then he came in right away and really helped the Vikings.

http://www.al.com/alabamafootball/index.ssf/2013/01/after_wowing_at_weigh-in_dj_fl.html


Fluker checked in at 6-foot-4, 7/8 and 355 pounds at today's weigh-in at the Mobile Convention Center. That's 20 pounds more than he was listed at during his redshirt junior season at Alabama, but that wasn't viewed as a negative.

Daniel Jeremiah, a former scout who now works as an analyst for the NFL Network, wrote on his Twitter account that Fluker was "the most impressive prospect" at Monday's weigh-in.

"Not sloppy, Jeremiah wrote, "just massive."

Fluker is projected as a first-round draft pick by both ESPN NFL Draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. and NFL.com's Gil Brandt. He's Kiper's top-ranked right tackle.

Fluker was one of two redshirt juniors to receive invitations to the Senior Bowl, a first in the game's history. He wouldn't have participated in an event such as this if he opted to go pro after the 2011 season, something he seriously considered.

"I'm more mentally prepared this time," Fluker said. "Physically, I had the physical gifts right then but I'm more mentally stable right now."

 

[AsthmaField]

I would love Richardson in the first. I'm afraid he will go before we pick, but if he doesn't, I hope we jump on him. I really like Floyd and Short as well. We should come out of the first with one of those 3, I hope.

I really like Fluker too. I know some aren't sold on him, but the guy is nasty and a mauler, 2 things we need on the line. He might not fit Callahan's scheme, but if he does, I'd love to have him on the right side at either G or T.

Goodwin is a player I really hope Dallas thinks about. We have the two size guys in Austin and Bryant, so maybe they'll forget size for a second and get a slot guy/returner who I think is a very good pick in the mid rounds.

Not a fan of Jefferson and I think we need to get a RB that can come in and back Murray up from day 1.

 

[xwalker]

We do not run a zone scheme.

We run zone SOMETIMES but for the most part we run Power Football.

I think we should do more zone and hopefully we transition to it.

They ran a lot of Zone Stretch runs in 2012, but I agree that it was not all Zone.

Callahan made a statement something like "I paid for my kids college educations teaching the Zone Blocking Scheme". I think this was back in training camp.