Players to target at #14

[RamziD]

These are players that we could be targeting at #14 or with a slight trade down (to around #20) to acquire a mid-round pick. There will undoubtedly be prospects who move up after the combine, but for now I think these are the main guys.

OG: David DeCastro (Stanford), Cordy Glenn (Georgia)
CB: Dre Kirkpatrick (Alabama), Alfonzo Dennard (Nebraska)
OLB: Courtney Upshaw (Alabama), Melvin Ingram (South Carolina)
ILB: Luke Kuechly (Boston College), Dont'a Hightower (Alabama)
DE: Devon Still (Penn State)

Out of that list, my top choices would be DeCastro, Kirkpatrick, and Ingram (in no particular order).

Interestingly, somebody on here (I think it was SDogo, maybe some others as well) mentioned the possibility of moving Bruce Carter to OLB to take advantage of his natural pass-rushing skills. I'm not much of a player evaluator to know how realistic that is, but that certainly opens up the possibility of drafting another tackling machine ala Luke Kuechly to pair with our other tackling machine, Sean Lee... and that could make a pretty dominant pairing.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

Sounds like a pretty good list. There is good and bad about going into this draft. The bad news is we need so much help in so many areas. The good news is nose should have a very good player fall to us since we have so many needs in so many positions. So even if we miss out on someone like decastro we should still be able to get another good player who can help us.

 

[cds99]

These are players that we could be targeting at #14 or with a slight trade down (to around #20) to acquire a mid-round pick. There will undoubtedly be prospects who move up after the combine, but for now I think these are the main guys.

OG: David DeCastro (Stanford), Cordy Glenn (Georgia)
CB: Dre Kirkpatrick (Alabama), Alfonzo Dennard (Nebraska)
OLB: Courtney Upshaw (Alabama), Melvin Ingram (South Carolina)
ILB: Luke Kuechly (Boston College), Dont'a Hightower (Alabama)
DE: Devon Still (Penn State)

Out of that list, my top choices would be DeCastro, Kirkpatrick, and Ingram (in no particular order).

Interestingly, somebody on here (I think it was SDogo, maybe some others as well) mentioned the possibility of moving Bruce Carter to OLB to take advantage of his natural pass-rushing skills. I'm not much of a player evaluator to know how realistic that is, but that certainly opens up the possibility of drafting another tackling machine ala Luke Kuechly to pair with our other tackling machine, Sean Lee... and that could make a pretty dominant pairing.

I love the top choices you have picked. Thats my favorite three as well. In the order i would take is Kirkpatrick, decastro, Ingram. However would love to get any of them. I really like Kirkpatrick for his size. The guy is listed at 6'3". He would be a handful at corner i think. I think Morris Claiborne would be the better shutdown natural corner but kirkpatrick would be more of a solid well rounded guy. Could be wrong thats just my opinion.

 

[jblaze2004]

idk about cody glenn at 14. Maybe if we drop back but 14 is too high. And unless Hightower test out like a beast at the combine than he is way too high at 14.

 

[supercowboy8]

Keuchly would be a great add he is a great ILB, and I know we have bigger needs but he and lee would've set for 12 years, and I know we got Carter but I think if he can gain 15 pounds he could be a olb which is what he played in college

 

[TheSport78]

These are players that we could be targeting at #14 or with a slight trade down (to around #20) to acquire a mid-round pick. There will undoubtedly be prospects who move up after the combine, but for now I think these are the main guys.

OG: David DeCastro (Stanford), Cordy Glenn (Georgia)
CB: Dre Kirkpatrick (Alabama), Alfonzo Dennard (Nebraska)
OLB: Courtney Upshaw (Alabama), Melvin Ingram (South Carolina)
ILB: Luke Kuechly (Boston College), Dont'a Hightower (Alabama)
DE: Devon Still (Penn State)

Out of that list, my top choices would be DeCastro, Kirkpatrick, and Ingram (in no particular order).

Interestingly, somebody on here (I think it was SDogo, maybe some others as well) mentioned the possibility of moving Bruce Carter to OLB to take advantage of his natural pass-rushing skills. I'm not much of a player evaluator to know how realistic that is, but that certainly opens up the possibility of drafting another tackling machine ala Luke Kuechly to pair with our other tackling machine, Sean Lee... and that could make a pretty dominant pairing.

Nice list. I believe if Jerry signs one of the top guards in free agency (Nicks or Grubbs), then DeCastro will be out of the running at #14. I just can't see a top FA guard and a #1 draft pick at guard coming to Big D. Here's my ideal offseason:

FA targets: OG Carl Nicks, S Michael Griffin and ILB Kirk Morrison
Round 1: OLB's Courtney Upshaw or Melvin Ingram
Round 2: Top CB on the board
Round 3: Top defensive lineman on the board

OL in 2012: LT Tyron Smith, LG Carl Nicks, C Kevin Kowalski, RG David Arkin or Bill Nagy, RT Doug Free

 

[windward]

These are players that we could be targeting at #14 or with a slight trade down (to around #20) to acquire a mid-round pick. There will undoubtedly be prospects who move up after the combine, but for now I think these are the main guys.

OG: David DeCastro (Stanford), Cordy Glenn (Georgia)
CB: Dre Kirkpatrick (Alabama), Alfonzo Dennard (Nebraska)
OLB: Courtney Upshaw (Alabama), Melvin Ingram (South Carolina)
ILB: Luke Kuechly (Boston College), Dont'a Hightower (Alabama)
DE: Devon Still (Penn State)

Out of that list, my top choices would be DeCastro, Kirkpatrick, and Ingram (in no particular order).

Interestingly, somebody on here (I think it was SDogo, maybe some others as well) mentioned the possibility of moving Bruce Carter to OLB to take advantage of his natural pass-rushing skills. I'm not much of a player evaluator to know how realistic that is, but that certainly opens up the possibility of drafting another tackling machine ala Luke Kuechly to pair with our other tackling machine, Sean Lee... and that could make a pretty dominant pairing.

In order of preference
1. DeCastro
2. Kirkpatrick
3. Ingram
4. Hightower
5. Kuechly
6. Glenn
7.. Upshaw
8. Still
9.. Dennard.

 

[Leadbelly]

These are players that we could be targeting at #14 or with a slight trade down (to around #20) to acquire a mid-round pick. There will undoubtedly be prospects who move up after the combine, but for now I think these are the main guys.

OG: David DeCastro (Stanford), Cordy Glenn (Georgia)
CB: Dre Kirkpatrick (Alabama), Alfonzo Dennard (Nebraska)
OLB: Courtney Upshaw (Alabama), Melvin Ingram (South Carolina)
ILB: Luke Kuechly (Boston College), Dont'a Hightower (Alabama)
DE: Devon Still (Penn State)

Out of that list, my top choices would be DeCastro, Kirkpatrick, and Ingram (in no particular order).

Interestingly, somebody on here (I think it was SDogo, maybe some others as well) mentioned the possibility of moving Bruce Carter to OLB to take advantage of his natural pass-rushing skills. I'm not much of a player evaluator to know how realistic that is, but that certainly opens up the possibility of drafting another tackling machine ala Luke Kuechly to pair with our other tackling machine, Sean Lee... and that could make a pretty dominant pairing.

Those seem like the guys we'll be picking through, but kind of underwhelmed outside of DeCastro. Not a fan of Dennard, Ingram, or Still, and kind of feel Upshaw may be no better than Spencer.

I wonder if Dontari Poe will get some consideration at DE, a la Haloti Ngata, and be on our radar. Maybe Garrett subscribes to George Young's planet theory. What could Ratliff and Ware do if offenses had to dedicate double teams at Poe just from a shear size/strength standpoint.

Could Alabama's Mark Barron be in the picture between 14-20? If Elam's gone, there's a gaping hole.

Demarco Murray and Bruce Carter were kind of outside the box picks. We say WR's is in good shape, but our 4 - 6 are poor. The Packers had Donald Driver, Greg Jennings, Jordy Nelson, and James Jones, plus Jermichael Finley at TE in 2010. What'd they draft in round 2? Another WR - Randall Cobb. Maybe Michael Floyd? NFL offenses are incorporating more spread elements.

 

[RamziD]

In order of preference
1. DeCastro
2. Kirkpatrick
3. Ingram
4. Hightower
5. Kuechly
6. Glenn
7.. Upshaw
8. Still
9.. Dennard.

I'm pretty much with you there. I don't like 6-9 that much either, but I figured they'd at least be in consideration. If Decastro and Kirkpatrick are gone by #14, then I would look for OG/CB in rounds 2-3. I'm not sold on what I've read about Still or Upshaw either. I'd rather look at Wolfe or Irvin in rounds 2-3 if Carter stays at ILB. I'd take any of numbers 1-5. Also, like I mentioned earlier, there's bound to be some other players we will consider that will shoot up into the mid first round after the Combine.

 

[RamziD]

Those seem like the guys we'll be picking through, but kind of underwhelmed outside of DeCastro. Not a fan of Dennard, Ingram, or Still, and kind of feel Upshaw may be no better than Spencer.

I wonder if Dontari Poe will get some consideration at DE, a la Haloti Ngata, and be on our radar. Maybe Garrett subscribes to George Young's planet theory. What could Ratliff and Ware do if offenses had to dedicate double teams at Poe just from a shear size/strength standpoint.

Could Alabama's Mark Barron be in the picture between 14-20? If Elam's gone, there's a gaping hole.

Demarco Murray and Bruce Carter were kind of outside the box picks. We say WR's is in good shape, but our 4 - 6 are poor. The Packers had Donald Driver, Greg Jennings, Jordy Nelson, and James Jones, plus Jermichael Finley at TE in 2010. What'd they draft in round 2? Another WR - Randall Cobb. Maybe Michael Floyd? NFL offenses are incorporating more spread elements.

Possibly, yes. Especially if we don't sign either Elam or Griffin. A lot will depend, obviously, on how we go about free agency. I hope we do not get tempted to draft another skill player in the early rounds..

 

[Nova]

Nice list. I believe if Jerry signs one of the top guards in free agency (Nicks or Grubbs), then DeCastro will be out of the running at #14. I just can't see a top FA guard and a #1 draft pick at guard coming to Big D. Here's my ideal offseason:

FA targets: OG Carl Nicks, S Michael Griffin and ILB Kirk Morrison
Round 1: OLB's Courtney Upshaw or Melvin Ingram
Round 2: Top CB on the board
Round 3: Top defensive lineman on the board

OL in 2012: LT Tyron Smith, LG Carl Nicks, C Kevin Kowalski, RG David Arkin or Bill Nagy, RT Doug Free

Right with you, only I had Cortland Finnegan instead of Griffin and the ball hawk safety in the draft, Mark Barron

However your setup is more error proof. There are quality corners in this draft and only one safety that I like, thus going after Michael Griffin would be better than Finnegan. I think Upshaw or Ingram (I'm leaning more toward Upshaw for his pass rushing ability) would be the safer bet as well and it would be nice to have another potential stud at OLB.

 

[TheSport78]

Right with you, only I had Cortland Finnegan instead of Griffin and the ball hawk safety in the draft, Mark Barron

However your setup is more error proof. There are quality corners in this draft and only one safety that I like, thus going after Michael Griffin would be better than Finnegan. I think Upshaw or Ingram (I'm leaning more toward Upshaw for his pass rushing ability) would be the safer bet as well and it would be nice to have another potential stud at OLB.

The only reason I would take Griffin over Finnegan is because usually you have to pay a steep price for free agent corners. They RARELY come cheap, and I'd rather have two veteran safeties back there. I think Sensabaugh would benefit from having a true ballhawk in Michael Griffin next to him.

Also, in my opinion, safety is more of a GLARING need because Elam most likely won't be re-signed, so I would try to address it in FA. Jenkins and Scandrick will probably be the starters at CB next year, with the rookie draft pick coming in to play in the nickel. If we get Nicks and Griffin, I'd be ecstatic!

 

[Zaxor]

I really like kuechly I seen three games of his and this guy was beasten each and every time

 

[tm1119]

I honestly don't want anybody besides Ingram or Decastro. And 1 of them should be there at 14. There are too many cb's that can be drafted in the 2nd/3rd round that won't grade out too far behind the likes of Kirkpatrick, and Bruce Carter needs a shot at ILB before we draft another.

 

[casmith07]

This is one draft that if Jerry were going to trade a future first rounder to get back in the first round, he should go ahead and do it.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

I think the OP's list is far to wide... Several players there I don't think merit the consideration of the 14th pick like Still & Glenn.

DeCastro & Kirkpatrick. Those are it for me.

I don't see any of the OLBers being a big improvement over Spencer quite frankly when you look at both pass rush and run defense.

 

[RamziD]

I think the OP's list is far to wide... Several players there I don't think merit the consideration of the 14th pick like Still & Glenn.

DeCastro & Kirkpatrick. Those are it for me.

I don't see any of the OLBers being a big improvement over Spencer quite frankly when you look at both pass rush and run defense.

You're right...I wanted to thin down the list, but didn't want to leave out anyone from a position of need. Some of those guys I would be disappointed if we drafted without a trade down to about #20. If we stay at #14, I only really like 4...DeCastro, Kirkpatrick, Ingram, and Kuechly.

 

[burmafrd]

the single greatest need is a second pass rusher. We need to identify how to get that player and concentrate on that. As much as we need to get a CB and some help in the inside of the O line that is PRIORITY ONE.

We MUST have someone the O has to account for besides Ware

 

[MichaelWinicki]

the single greatest need is a second pass rusher. We need to identify how to get that player and concentrate on that. As much as we need to get a CB and some help in the inside of the O line that is PRIORITY ONE.

We MUST have someone the O has to account for besides Ware

The challenge is that it's not a good year for 3-4 OLBer pass-rusher types... At least those that can step right in and give this team say double-digit sacks. I don't see any of them that are are "gimmees". Most seem rather "Spencer-like" in that they'll give you a solid half-dozen sacks, but then I question their ability to stop the run.

I think the best potential for generating more pass rush is grab one of the guys like Winn or Wolfe who seems to have some potential for creating some pass rush as a 3-4 DE.

If you want more pass rush here are the numbers to chew on...

Coleman 1 sack
Spears 1 sack
Ratliff 2 sacks

 

[jnday]

the single greatest need is a second pass rusher. We need to identify how to get that player and concentrate on that. As much as we need to get a CB and some help in the inside of the O line that is PRIORITY ONE.

We MUST have someone the O has to account for besides Ware

I agree with you but this draft is OG/CB strong draft and I rather not reach for a need position .