Random Draft Considerations

[AsthmaField]

Just a question. If the draft is supposed to be deep at DL ( idk that it is just repeating what I've seen on this thread) and we picked Charles tapper w pick #101 last year, how could our pick at #28 not be a better player. In theory shouldn't he be better than tapper

Yes but if we’re going off of what they’re rated as prospects, then Ebenezer Ekuban, Shante Carver, and Kavika Pittman were better than Tapper too, because they were drafted higher.

My point is, the team could be very lukewarm on the DE prospects left when they go on the clock.

 

[AzorAhai]

I assume you guys know that BPA is not a singular/absolute thing.
They group these guys in tiers even if there is a list.

Even he is in the top remaining tier when we pick at 28, there is no way they are taking Mahomes at 28, for example.
There is no chance of that whatsoever.

Take another player in the same tier at a position that makes more sense, or trade down if he's the last one left in that tier, or select him for another team in an approved trade.

Like I said, Im sure already know it but maybe someone didnt.
Drafting 101

It's so much easier to shout bpa in every thread. It's actually hilarious how draft successes are always bpa(or top of the board), but draft busts aren't. Nobody wants to talk about players who weren't bpa but became good players or the other way either.

They had a great draft last year so they must have drafted bpa.

 

[Paniolo22]

I think you should try to stick to your draft board for the most part, except in rare circumstances. The best DE available at #28 may not be that much better than a 3rd rounder. If so you don't reach there.
The same is also true of the other positions we mentioned.

We may take one of those positions at #28, but that isn't likely to be the BPA at DE and is dicey at corner. We might have a chance at a safety being the best player at 28.

My bad, I agree with this completely. The original point that I meant to say was that the ratings needed to be similar. If OJ Howard, Dalvin Cook, Derrick Barnett, and Buddha Baker are all there at 28, and the rankings are 15, 20,21 and 26, I would like to think that Barnett (21) would be considered, although, I would understand if OJ were taken. It would be hard to swallow Cook.

 

[big dog cowboy]

the BPA will probably be a defensive guy at 28.

I'd bet a weeks worth of lunch money on it.

 

[Vinnie2u]

BPA On defense. DE, DT,LB, DB. All are needs.

 

[DFWJC]

It's so much easier to shout bpa in every thread. It's actually hilarious how draft successes are always bpa(or top of the board), but draft busts aren't. Nobody wants to talk about players who weren't bpa but became good players or the other way either.

They had a great draft last year so they must have drafted bpa.

Yeah, Im not sure why some thing there is just a straight up list and always take the guy at the top of the list. You may have a list but #s. 45-49 on your list may have identical or neat identical grades. Its not absolute by amy means. The draft is inexact enough as it is without a team fooli g themselves by splitting hairs at that micro-level.

They know where the bigger dropoffs are. Those gaps are what they need to honor regarding "bpa" or trade down.

 

[DFWJC]

My bad, I agree with this completely. The original point that I meant to say was that the ratings needed to be similar. If OJ Howard, Dalvin Cook, Derrick Barnett, and Buddha Baker are all there at 28, and the rankings are 15, 20,21 and 26, I would like to think that Barnett (21) would be considered, although, I would understand if OJ were taken. It would be hard to swallow Cook.

Good example.

In this case, if players on their board are rated basically equal between, say, 14-22, then maybe they take Barnette...maybe. Certainly not Cook.
If theres a fairly big dropoff after 15 though, and they dont trade down some, OJ would be the pick.
Otherwise, theyd truly be reaching.

 

[Bigdog]

A DE will always be an upgrade over Tapper if Tapper is unavailable due to his back injury. Those types of injury are scary for a DE.

 

[StarHead69]

Mixon at 28 would be a disaster, IMO.

I can relate due to the baggage. He does intrigue me to think of having an offense that doesn't stall every time we rest Zeke though.

 

[Verdict]

Agree. Never reach for need.
That is proper drafting 101 as well

My point is that if we have a tier with 4-5 guys graded in the 88-89 range (there's rarely just a single player clearly way ahead of everyone remaining)...there is rarely a true "top of our board".
There is small group to choose from.
You, of course take the more useful player.
That IS how we have been drafting

If you're at the end of that tier group, as they've all been taken that are worth drafting at your current spot, or the only one left is at a position of less need....you then trade down.
Exactly like when we traded down the Frederick year.

But yes, avoid reaching

I understand your point and it has some validity, in theory. The problem is that it doesn't always work that way. We didn't take Martin because we had a need (we had much greater needs on the board when we selected him) but he was the best player available, by far, when we drafted so we took him. We see where that got us. Long ball out of the park.

I think that the players we will have to select from at #28 will either be a reach, or a very good player (maybe the best at his position) that doesn't fall into a position of need. Hopefully BPA available will line up with need and it will be a moot point.

 

[Verdict]

Bro, I’m with you on all of this… but Dallas isn’t going to pick Mixon or Mahomes.

However, if a guy like Corey Davis or Ross is there and the team has them rated way high and they are BPA by a long shot, I’m all for it. OJ Howard? Go right ahead. Even one of the OL, I’d say do it.

But not Mixon or Mahomes. The team won’t take a RB a year after taking Elliott at 4 and even if they did, it’d be McCaffery or Cook. That guy would have to be rated crazy high and clean as a whistle (which might cut out Cook). Mixon isn’t that guy. He’s not good enough to make them do something like take a RB a year after drafting Elliott.

I just can’t see them liking any QB enough to take him round 1 this year.

Other than those two guys though, I’m all for the team going BPA, regardless of which side of the ball they play on.

Having said all of that, the BPA will probably be a defensive guy at 28.

I respect your point of view and I acknowledge that none of us really know about the grades we have on players at this point, as it is proprietary, top secret stuff. You may well be right.

But I will say this .......I do not think that Mixon is the 4th best back in this draft. I think Mixon is in the mix as being the best overall back in this draft. If I recall he was a 5 star recruit coming out of high school and is arguably a more complete back than any back in the draft. Without the baggage, then he could really be in the mix in the top 10.

I am not saying that he is the next Zeke. I am saying that if he is the best back in the class and we have a top 10 grade on him, I don't care if you have Zeke on the roster or not, you pull the trigger on him (assuming that his character doesn't scare you off).

This time last year I heard tons of posters say no way we would take Zeke that high. Polian said it was a no brainer that the Cowboys would take Zeke if he was there at #4. He was spot on. He acted as if it was a foregone conclusion before it ever happened. That was late (probably the last 10 days before the draft).

Mixon is getting traction as a serious threat to go in the first round. The word on the street is that he is probably the best back in this draft. I think the buzz is starting to catch up with his actual grade. If he is not "in the box" and the grade is there, then I think he is in play. I grant you that wouldn't be ideal comparing to needs, but it is possible. Keep in mind the close relationship between Stoops and Jerry.

 

[Verdict]

Just a question. If the draft is supposed to be deep at DL ( idk that it is just repeating what I've seen on this thread) and we picked Charles tapper w pick #101 last year, how could our pick at #28 not be a better player. In theory shouldn't he be better than tapper

Tapper was supposedly a steal where we got him because he was miscast at OU. Last draft class was also deep on the OL. This draft is supposedly deep at DE, but no so much on the right side as the left side. That's just what I understand.

 

[Verdict]

Yes but if we’re going off of what they’re rated as prospects, then Ebenezer Ekuban, Shante Carver, and Kavika Pittman were better than Tapper too, because they were drafted higher.

My point is, the team could be very lukewarm on the DE prospects left when they go on the clock.

I think that is likely. Better than 50/50 unless Barnett falls.

 

[Denim Chicken]

BPA is a myth--everyone drafts for need.

 

[Verdict]

BPA is a myth--everyone drafts for need.

Yeah, that's why we waited until the 4th round to attempt to fix our biggest weakness last year. We also "needed" a guy who couldn't play last year that needed a redshirt. We needed him to cheer us on from the sidelines.

Come on man, think this stuff through. I'm not saying need isn't some component of drafting, but you should never reach based on needs.

 

[Denim Chicken]

Yeah, that's why we waited until the 4th round to attempt to fix our biggest weakness last year. We also "needed" a guy who couldn't play last year that needed a redshirt. We needed him to cheer us on from the sidelines.

Come on man, think this stuff through. I'm not saying need isn't some component of drafting, but you should never reach based on needs.

First, we tried to take a QB higher than the 4th multiple times.

I'm just saying team are not taking the best player in a position where they are stacked. Every team accesses their units needs and picks the best player available according to their needs.

You think we're going to take an RB round one even if he's BPA--heck no.

 

[fishspill]

A DE will always be an upgrade over Tapper if Tapper is unavailable due to his back injury. Those types of injury are scary for a DE.

We're really at the team's mercy with J Smith and Tapper's injuries. They think they have an idea of where these guys are but we have no clue. DE or LB become serious issues if those guys can't go.

 

[LocimusPrime]

Yes but if we’re going off of what they’re rated as prospects, then Ebenezer Ekuban, Shante Carver, and Kavika Pittman were better than Tapper too, because they were drafted higher.

My point is, the team could be very lukewarm on the DE prospects left when they go on the clock.

Fair point sir

 

[LocimusPrime]

Tapper was supposedly a steal where we got him because he was miscast at OU. Last draft class was also deep on the OL. This draft is supposedly deep at DE, but no so much on the right side as the left side. That's just what I understand.

Thanks for the clarification

 

[DFWJC]

I understand your point and it has some validity, in theory. The problem is that it doesn't always work that way. We didn't take Martin because we had a need (we had much greater needs on the board when we selected him) but he was the best player available, by far, when we drafted so we took him. We see where that got us. Long ball out of the park.

I think that the players we will have to select from at #28 will either be a reach, or a very good player (maybe the best at his position) that doesn't fall into a position of need. Hopefully BPA available will line up with need and it will be a moot point.

Like I said, if theyre the best player remaining by far (last plyer left in the tier group) its not even debateable unless you feel like trading down. You take the player.
But Martin absolutely did play a position of need anyway. The guy can play 4 positions on the oline. But if Shazier had been there, we were not taking Martin.

Smith, Freddy, and Zeke were also players of need.