POLL What is position of greatest need for the draft

[EveryoneElse]

All of the above. Whitten and Barber and Ware seem to be the only guys on the team that have any heart.

Duck! , and you better know karate.

 

[GimmeTheBall!]

• Quarterback 1
• FB 2 I left RB out
• WR 3
• Tight End 4
• OT 5
• OG 6
• C 7
• DE 8
• DL 9
• OLB 10
• ILB 11
• CB 12
• Free Safety 13
• Strong Safety 14
• 2 technique NT

Love the poll.
Thx!!!

I always said, that Jobber is a werk in progress but he has . . . potential. Welcome to the Varsity!

 

[jobberone]

Agreed. Ratliff would be an absolute BEAST in a 4-3.

No one calls it a "0 technique" but a NT/NG is the same thing.

But again, calling it a 2 technique is incorrect. In a 3-4 they line up over the center. A 2 technique is lined up directly over the guard (or one guard actually, can't line up against both of them at the same time unless you weigh like 900 lbs).

Agree with you on Ratliff though. He's a beast when he can shoot the gaps, but he can't do the things a 2 gapper can do. Having Ratliff at DE (next to Ware) would be a nightmare for opposing offense. But I don't want to move him unless we get a GOOD replacement for him at NG.

"3-tech" "2-tech" is used as it is because others use it and the numbers don't work in the 3-4 well. Perhaps a 2-technique is called that from ignorance, or from a spinoff of 2 gap control, or just because the NT/DT in the 3-4 has to cover so much territory. I don't know why they don't use 0-technique but use 2-tech or even if everyone uses it. I do understand what people are trying to convery with it generally.

I don't necessarily agree Ratliff needs to be a DE. He needs to be a "3-tech" DT in the 3-4 IMO. That's a fast, quick, smaller DT who splits gaps and double teams. We need a behemoth to play heads up over the middle stuffing double and triple teams so our ILBs can make plays. In Wade's defense unless the front guys make their plays then there is way too much responsibility on the ILBs to hold their ground and tackle the carrier. It's a tall job to ask an ILB to cover fast TEs and RBs out of the backfield and to also stand big guards and centers up and control their gaps as well as busted DT assignments.

Now if I had a Ted Washington type of NT then I would use Ratliff as a 4th down lineman in a gap along with my two OLBs some. And I'd use him on obvious passing downs as a 3 tech DT with 3 down lineman in the interior. I'd still play my DEs across from the tackles or marginally off their shoulder depending of the flow of the game. IOWs I'd play a combination of heads up 3-4 like Parcells 3-4 and one like Wade or LeBeau depending on down and situation. And I'd use zone blitzes out the ying yang. Surprisingly that is what Wade does. A 4-6 is just mixing up who comes and creating confusion. It's not really different than the Philly or Pitt D or ours.

I'm not even sure we have a real base D. Certainly we start out in one most of the time which is a recognizable split gap 3-4. But we play all kinds of D both up front and in the secondary. That's one reason I liked having Pacman back there. He allowed us to play a lot of different looks and gave us the opportunity to have up to 5 CBs in the game at one time.

Anyway I digress.

Back to the original topic. A big NT, a ball hawking safety, OL both T and G/C, ILB and backup QB are the holes in the team. We look pretty good O/W. If we don't bring Pacman back then we need to draft some more CBs. I'd use a fair amt of our picks this year and hope to hit on the lower rounds with both talent scouting and numbers.

 

[jobberone]

BTW, the reason I'd go after Lewis is because of the above. It's so hard to find a 3 down ILB anymore. Lewis is big, fast, and quick enough to hold his own against interior lineman and also cover. Obviously he's not a Patrick Willis anymore but he's close enough and better than anything we have at present. Those guys are so critical in a 3-4 and even more so in Wade's type. NT is still a bigger priority as that would make the ILB's jobs so much easier on short yardage and running downs. But ILB is a very close second to NT and OL.

 

[28 Joker]

In my opinion, the biggest way to improve the team when you consider where Dallas is picking at number 51 is SS.

Emanuel Cook, a junior from South Carolina, played SS. However, he can line up and play both. He plays great in the box, and he can play single high or centerfield. He has great range, and he is a sure tackler. At 5-10, 205, he is built low to the gound. He has great tackling form and is sure stopper in the box or in space. He has 4.4 speed and can run with WRs and TEs. 71% of his team leading 87 tackles were of the solo variety. Cook is a two for 1 player. He's a SS and a FS.

Ken Hamlin isn't a strong safety, imo. His run defense is terrible when he plays the box. I say that, because I've seen him look that way too many times since he's been in Dallas. Hamlin's strength is preventing the bombs in centerfield. He has great range. He had 5 picks in 2007 and just 1 this year, because teams stopped throwing bombs towards the deep middle when he's back there.

I think offensive line is the # 1 priority along with SS. I would take 3 offensive line players with 3 of the first 5 picks.

 

[jobberone]

I wouldn't have a problem with Cook. I've seen him play at South Carolina. He can play CB or S. I think he's a better FS because of his size. There has been injury issues but I've forgotten details so take that with a grain of salt. He is quick, fast and a hitter. South Carolina is known for producing NFL quality CBs and WRs. He's a safe bet. Right now he looks like he will go before we get a shot but you never know. Mike Hamlin out of Clemson looks like a SS. I'm not as high on him as Cook but he's got better size. His senior year wasn't spectacular but steady.

There are better SSs out there but we won't get to sniff them most likely. Hamlin or Cook could fall.

I agree with drafting OL and S along with ILB. We need to address a big NT and/or ILB before the draft IMO. We have a lot of holes to fix with just the draft although its doable.

 

[28 Joker]

I wouldn't have a problem with Cook. I've seen him play at South Carolina. He can play CB or S. I think he's a better FS because of his size. There has been injury issues but I've forgotten details so take that with a grain of salt. He is quick, fast and a hitter. South Carolina is known for producing NFL quality CBs and WRs. He's a safe bet. Right now he looks like he will go before we get a shot but you never know. Mike Hamlin out of Clemson looks like a SS. I'm not as high on him as Cook but he's got better size. His senior year wasn't spectacular but steady.

There are better SSs out there but we won't get to sniff them most likely. Hamlin or Cook could fall.

I agree with drafting OL and S along with ILB. We need to address a big NT and/or ILB before the draft IMO. We have a lot of holes to fix with just the draft although its doable.

If the Cowboys can get him past the Texans in round 2, he might fall right in their lap. The Texans have drafted 2 CBs out of South Carolina. I really like his size and his versatility. He's compact, and you described him well.

I agree about ILB. I would look to free agency. I don't see the Cowboys spending a 2nd or 3rd round pick on one. I wish Kevin Burnett could be resigned. He's undersized and needs to be covered up, but Phillips did a good job running some 46 and helping him out. He was jacking people up in the Pittsburgh game. His coverage on TEs and blitzing will be missed if he walks. The defense is going to feel it.

 

[jobberone]

If the Cowboys can get him past the Texans in round 2, he might fall right in their lap. The Texans have drafted 2 CBs out of South Carolina. I really like his size and his versatility. He's compact, and you described him well.

I agree about ILB. I would look to free agency. I don't see the Cowboys spending a 2nd or 3rd round pick on one. I wish Kevin Burnett could be resigned. He's undersized and needs to be covered up, but Phillips did a good job running some 46 and helping him out. He was jacking people up in the Pittsburgh game. His coverage on TEs and blitzing will be missed if he walks. The defense is going to feel it.

I like him because of his versatility. He can play CB in this league IMO but he probably will fit better at FS. But that makes him a great dime or nickle DB.

Burnett really came on this year. He appeared to be a lot more comfortable and confident. He's not the greatest cover LB but he's good enough IMO. His injuries and his size bothers me. He doesn't play 'big'. I do think we will miss him because there isn't another like him on the team. If he could stay on the field near peak form and play a little bigger then he'd be a star. Like I said in other posts, it's hard to find a 3 down LB with size, speed and the ability to take on interior lineman. I'd really make a play at Lewis, Scott, Dansby, Peterson, Vilma, and Crowder are ILBs I think could help here.

I still think it starts up front. You cannot ask 3-4 ILBs to make tackles if interior lineman are all over them every play. Esp if you want them to cover well. No one can survive that consistently enough. We need a big NT on the field at times.

 

[ctrous25]

I said OG, just think we need some good depth there and proctor proved if stuff goes down that he cant handle it, now not sure on the status of Holland for next season do we have him signed for next season? Cause if we do than I feel a little better about our depth at OG