PFW draft grade

[RS12]

http://www.profootballweekly.com/2011/05/01/rams-giants-excel-with-value-driven-philosophies


Dallas Cowboys
Jerry Jones lined the roster with some very explosive, athletic talent with his first three picks — OT Tyron Smith, OLB Bruce Carter and RB DeMarco Murray — and the selection of Smith filled a primary need at tackle. All three, however, have durability concerns, as Smith was off some draft boards for medical reasons, Carter will be forced to begin the season on the PUP list and Murray never has been able to stay healthy. OG David Arkin, CB Josh Thomas and WR Dwayne Harris were all solid value picks who could carve out niches. Murray and Harris have potential to help in the return game. The seventh-round pick sacrificed for Illinois NT Josh Brent in the supplemental draft has turned out to be worth it. With the pick the Cowboys received from San Diego for WR Patrick Crayton, they selected FB Shaun Chapas, who also could help on special teams and contend for a job. C Bill Nagy has developmental potential. With a very deep roster, the Cowboys can afford to take more chances on medical risks, and they managed to add explosion to the roster. However, their early picks involved risk. As has been characteristic of their drafts, Rounds 4-7 appear to be strongest part of their draft.
Grade: B-minus

 

[ShiningStar]

not a bad write up. a lot of honesty and facts there.

 

[Stash]

B- is the same grade I give this draft. I based my opinion off of Carter's contributions (or lack thereof) and disagreeing with the strategy of going running back in Round 3 while solid offensive guard candidates were still available.

But you can file my grade away with all of the others as we'll have to wait a few years before we can truly judge.

 

[Gaede]

Agree with that grade completely. Would be a B or even B+ if it weren't for the injury concerns over almost every player

 

[BotchedLobotomy]

I question the statement that Smith was off some teams draft boards. Pure speculation.

 

[cjr126]

i've not heard or read one bit about tyron smith having any injury concerns

 

[JeffInDC]

i've not heard or read one bit about tyron smith having any injury concerns

He had a knee scope at the end of the season. Not the same level of supposed damage as Bowers knee. Apparently, just a routine thing to clean out some stuff that was bothering him.

 

[sonnyboy]

B- is the same grade I give this draft. I based my opinion off of Carter's contributions (or lack thereof) and disagreeing with the strategy of going running back in Round 3 while solid offensive guard candidates were still available.

But you can file my grade away with all of the others as we'll have to wait a few years before we can truly judge.

DITTO

The draft is growing on me as most do.

I think the problem I, you and most here have is that we just had a different vision/assesment of the Cowboys' roster than they obviously had.

I felt 3 OL prospects were priority 1, 2 and 3 assuming Huff was in our hip pocket.

1) Starting RT
2) Interior OL with perhaps the ability to play OC
3) OT/OG prospect with the ability to play LT

I was hopeful for four drafted OL. At least three with one taken each day.

So my #1 issue as is yours, is no OL on day two.


But here's what I think we need to understand........

1) They felt Smith was a huge OL investment that satisfied the most significant need they had there.

2) They probably have higher expectations for Brewster, Costa and Young. And it least feel they deserve one more year to develope.

3) They see needs we don't. And this is where I have to give them(Garrett), the benefit of the doubt.
He knows what he wants to accomplish on offense and what he's not getting from Jones and Choice.

I'm also sure he's been informed by Ryan as to the defense's needs. "Well, Rob. You've seen the tape of what you have. What do you need?"
"Assuming we sign Huff and two of our FA DL, I'd say a nickle ILB"

 

[Stash]

DITTO

The draft is growing on me as most do.

I think the problem I, you and most here have is that we just had a different vision/assesment of the Cowboys' roster than they obviously had.

I felt 3 OL prospects were priority 1, 2 and 3 assuming Huff was in our hip pocket.

1) Starting RT
2) Interior OL with perhaps the ability to play OC
3) OT/OG prospect with the ability to play LT

I was hopeful for four drafted OL. At least three with one taken each day.

So my #1 issue as is yours, is no OL on day two.

Oh, I think you're exactly right.

In fact I would like to have gone:

Smith Round 1
Wiesnewski Round 2
Rackley Round 3

Overkill for sure, but moves I feel would re-stock a neglected and underperforming offensive line.

But here's what I think we need to understand........

1) They felt Smith was a huge OL investment that satisfied the most significant need they had there.

And I agree. I appluad them for staying put and getting their guy.

2) They probably have higher expectations for Brewster, Costa and Young. And it least feel they deserve one more year to develope.

No problem with that, but I don't see a true guard prospect there. I'm actually pulling for Bright getting a shot as I thought he played well in the preseason.

3) They see needs we don't. And this is where I have to give them(Garrett), the benefit of the doubt.
He knows what he wants to accomplish on offense and what he's not getting from Jones and Choice.

This is where I get scared. They haven't seen the needs that many of us have for the past several years when it comes to the offensive line and it has continued to come back to hanut them. This draft is a good start, but I think they could have and should have done even more.

I'm also sure he's been informed by Ryan as to the defense's needs. "Well, Rob. You've seen the tape of what you have. What do you need?"
"Assuming we sign Huff and two of our FA DL, I'd say a nickle ILB"

I think they made moves thinking that Huff is a done deal. But I think they're putting a lot on Rob Ryan to simply 'fix'.

 

[johnnyd]

I like the draft as a whole. Swap out either moffit or rackley for murray and give me davon house or edmund gates in r4 since i took my OG alreasy and im estactic .

But's it's no like in disapointed with these guys i just hope health wise carter is ok because i truly think that he the sideline to sideline beast that this D needs im sick of guys running around brooking and james like they were standing still

 

[jterrell]

I question the statement that Smith was off some teams draft boards. Pure speculation.

you are speculating that he is speculating

i haven't heard this myself but he may have a source stating this.
i do know some teams were concerned because tyron wasn't healthy yet by the combine and ended the season injured.

----

The list of prospects at the NFL Scouting Combine was reduced by one Saturday morning when USC offensive tackle Tyron Smith pulled out of the workouts. Smith, who participated only in the bench press (29 reps) before leaving the Combine, told the NFL Network he is recovering from a knee injury and was advised by trainers to wait until his March 30 pro day to work out fully.

Read more: http://aol.sportingnews.com/nfl/story/2011-02-26/uscs-tyron-smith-pulls-out-of-combine#ixzz1LJY97rZU

 

[Future]

I feel like this draft grade drops a TON if we don't sign Huff.

 

[jterrell]

I feel like this draft grade drops a TON if we don't sign Huff.

I don't know how anyone grades this draft with ANY thought of free agency.
We have no idea what the system will be or when it will be.

You pretty much have to grade the draft on it's own merits imho.

Now the off-season grade? Yea, if we don't get a starting safety that goes in the pot.

Huff has been working out here in Dallas and it is home. He is wearing Cowboys shorts even. (handed him by the evil Marty B TV!) Connecting the dots makes sense but this is a very unique free agency and Jerry has man love for Al Davis so likely won't just poach a guy from him without the go ahead even if rules make it easy to do so.

As an added note not getting a safety doesn't hurt my draft grade because this was a terrible draft at Safety according to every scouting report we can find. The best safety I actually saw play this year was Ahmad Black and he ran the 40 in infinity. I heard the kid from UCLA was stellar but scouts seemed mixed and we would have had to reach for him.

 

[TheRat]

B- is the same grade I give this draft. I based my opinion off of Carter's contributions (or lack thereof) and disagreeing with the strategy of going running back in Round 3 while solid offensive guard candidates were still available.

But you can file my grade away with all of the others as we'll have to wait a few years before we can truly judge.

I'm baffled as to why people don't like the Murray pick. News flash: neither MB3 nor Choice are that good and Felix Jones is merely solid. MB3 is on a steep decline, and Choice had one good year - his rookie year - and is prone to mental mistakes. RB was a need going into this draft and we got value with the Murray pick.

 

[jterrell]

I'm baffled as to why people don't like the Murray pick. News flash: neither MB3 nor Choice are that good and Felix Jones is merely solid. MB3 is on a steep decline, and Choice had one good year - his rookie year - and is prone to mental mistakes. RB was a need going into this draft and we got value with the Murray pick.

I am fine with the Murray pick. Not over the moon about but think it can be a real sold fit after we do the inevitable and cut both Choice and Barber. Murray could really produce for us as he has great hands and a nose for the end zone. He has very solid speed, can block and has receiving ability galore.

All that said, let's not go crazy.

Felix was a true stud at Arkansas. He averaged about twice per carry what Murray did in college and was a nationally ranked kick returner. Coming out of college Felix was lightning in a bottle. That was 20 pounds ago but it was the facts when drafted. Felix was ripping up SEC defenses.

Where I think Sturm has a point is his mini-rant is that we missed on Choice. He should be able to handle whatever Felix can't. Because he can't we needed a 2nd RB. I don't care if one guy starts or they split 50/50 you can't run with just 1 back. And we apparently hate Choice. At least Jerry does. He's like one of 3 or 4 players Jerry has ever called out publicly like he is Bill Parcells. Choice seems to have quit on anything but being the man at RB. He is not trying to play special teams. That's a real fast path to the unemployment line in this league.

Barber is a solid player to me even to this day. He needs to play in spots and to re-gain his weight so he can really bang those 7 to 10 carrier per game but he has a role if he just didn't get paid like a franchise RB.

 

[Doomsday101]

NFL Network Bucky Brooks:

Jerry Jones has an affinity for speed and explosiveness, so the Cowboys' talented class embodies those traits. Tyron Smith is one of most athletic offensive tackles that we've seen in years and he gives the unit a rock-solid force on the right side. Bruce Carter and DeMarco Murray are explosive options with the potential to immediately become significant contributors. The team nabbed a pair of sleepers in Josh Thomas and Dwayne Harris at great values. The Cowboys' draft didn't have a lot of sizzle, but is long on substance and production.

B+

 

[Woods]

NFL Network Bucky Brooks:

Jerry Jones has an affinity for speed and explosiveness, so the Cowboys' talented class embodies those traits. Tyron Smith is one of most athletic offensive tackles that we've seen in years and he gives the unit a rock-solid force on the right side. Bruce Carter and DeMarco Murray are explosive options with the potential to immediately become significant contributors. The team nabbed a pair of sleepers in Josh Thomas and Dwayne Harris at great values. The Cowboys' draft didn't have a lot of sizzle, but is long on substance and production.

B+

I really felt that the staff, especially on Day 3, were on a roll.

Too bad we didn't have more picks, I would have loved to see who else they would have come up with.

 

[TheRat]

I am fine with the Murray pick. Not over the moon about but think it can be a real sold fit after we do the inevitable and cut both Choice and Barber. Murray could really produce for us as he has great hands and a nose for the end zone. He has very solid speed, can block and has receiving ability galore.

All that said, let's not go crazy.

Felix was a true stud at Arkansas. He averaged about twice per carry what Murray did in college and was a nationally ranked kick returner. Coming out of college Felix was lightning in a bottle. That was 20 pounds ago but it was the facts when drafted. Felix was ripping up SEC defenses.

Where I think Sturm has a point is his mini-rant is that we missed on Choice. He should be able to handle whatever Felix can't. Because he can't we needed a 2nd RB. I don't care if one guy starts or they split 50/50 you can't run with just 1 back. And we apparently hate Choice. At least Jerry does. He's like one of 3 or 4 players Jerry has ever called out publicly like he is Bill Parcells. Choice seems to have quit on anything but being the man at RB. He is not trying to play special teams. That's a real fast path to the unemployment line in this league.

Barber is a solid player to me even to this day. He needs to play in spots and to re-gain his weight so he can really bang those 7 to 10 carrier per game but he has a role if he just didn't get paid like a franchise RB.

Arkansas's offense, wasn't what I would call, um traditional by any means. And Felix backed up McFadden his whole career at Arkansas. He excels as a situational runner.

As for Barber, he is done. Period. He is not good anymore. RB's in this league last 3 years - especially if you are an undersized bruiser like Barber. He is not going to be any better next year. You are only fooling yourself if you think he can be.

 

[theogt]

I think they were misspoken re: Smith's injury concerns. You don't get taken off draft boards for a knee scope.

 

[Doomsay]

i've not heard or read one bit about tyron smith having any injury concerns

He couldn't work out in the combine because he was coming off knee surgery - that's probably what they were referring to.