Rick Gosselin question

[Cowboy from New York]

Does Rick Gosselin still work for the Dallas Newspaper? I remember reading that he has been more accurate with his mock drafts then anyone else's for the last ten years or so. When does he normally start to get involved? Only the last week or so? Does he answer fan questions anywhere? ANybody got an idea?

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

Does Rick Gosselin still work for the Dallas Newspaper? I remember reading that he has been more accurate with his mock drafts then anyone else's for the last ten years or so. When does he normally start to get involved? Only the last week or so? Does he answer fan questions anywhere? ANybody got an idea?

If I remember correctly he does some stuff prior to the draft but his final mock draft comes the day before and that is the one that has become well thought of for it's accuracy compared to other draft gurus.

 

[InmanRoshi]

He'll usually put out his first mock sometime around February. Keep in mind that Gosselin doesn't claim to be a scout. He's an insider. So his information doesn't really prove to be accurate until teams start building their boards in April. His drafts of mocks leading up to the draft are just as bad as anyone else's. His final mock the day of the draft is the accurate one.

He'll also occasionally be on KTCK from time to time on the Norm Hitzges show. He was on earlier this week and answered a few early draft questions. He said there's a good chance Derek Johnson could be there at the first Cowboys pick. He projects Johnson to go in the 8-12 pick range. He said linebackers generally aren't a high commodity with Top 10 picks. He thinks Johnson is comparable to DJ Williams who was selected with the 17th pick last year. He said he wouldn't draft a cornerback high with the current league rules. He would draft defensive line with both first round picks and then draft the best small college corner later on.

 

[jterrell]

Goose works for the Dallas Morning News.

He is kinda annoying on most of his football opinions. Winning is good losing is bad type nonsense.
But he has great mocks because he calls around the league and actually asks teams who they will be drafting. He tries to get them to rate a bunch of guys at different positions as well to get a sense of people's actual draft boards. It obviously helps because he is the most accurate.

His personal expertise is as a media guy tho not a talent scout. He really isn't that impressive untilt he week or so before the draft.

 

[Kchunda]

Just read his column today. . .

http://www.cowboysplus.com/columnists/rgosselin/stories/010605cpgosselin.7f26743f.html

Here's an interesting tidbit:

Q: It's obvious that Bill Parcells has been a great NFL coach. Is he still is a great coach, or is he, much like the players he has brought in, a has-been?

GOSSELIN: Great players make great coaches. Mike Shanahan hasn't won a playoff game since John Elway retired. Neither has Mike Holmgren since he left Brett Favre in Green Bay. If you'll recall, both of those coaches were considered offensive geniuses when they were winning Super Bowls.

Parcells and Joe Gibbs are old-school coaches who still believe you win with veteran players. But the new NFL -- the salary cap NFL -- demands that you get young players on the field. Neither Parcells nor Gibbs has grasped that concept yet. I believe they will struggle until they do.

Parcells was a Hall of Fame-caliber coach when he was with the New York Giants and had some of the best players in football. But he wouldn't go to the Hall of Fame based on his stints with the Patriots, Jets and Cowboys. Parcells did a nice job coaching the Cowboys into the playoffs in 2003, but 10-6 records and wild-card playoff berths aren't the ticket to Canton, Ohio.

I doubt Bill Parcells will be coaching the Cowboys the next time they go to a Super Bowl. But as a service to this franchise, he can at least get them pointed in that direction during the remainder of his tenure here. And you don't do that by playing a 41-year-old quarterback in the finale of a lost season.

•••

Q: Here is my draft projection: the Cowboys decide to go to a 3-4 defense and move Roy Williams to an outside linebacker position. The Cowboys draft Derrick Johnson to play the other outside position. I realize there are other holes to fill, but this could turn a hole into a mountain. Your thoughts?

Michael

GOSSELIN: I think you're on the right track. I do think the Cowboys will go to a 3-4 in 2005, and I see some players who don't fit, namely the undersized guys: La'Roi Glover, Dexter Coakley and Dat Nguyen. You need size to play a 3-4. Your three linemen must be wide bodies to attract double teams. That frees linebackers to make plays. But the linebackers also must be big enough to take on blocks. Your two inside guys must be able to stalemate guards in the hole, and your outside guys must fight off those 265-pound tight ends.

When Parcells coached the Giants, he had Lawrence Taylor, Carl Banks, Leonard Marshall, George Martin and Harry Carson on defense. Each was among the biggest players in the NFL at his position.

Size will be a priority this off-season. I think the Cowboys will draft defense and try to buy some offensive pieces in free agency. There are so many holes to fill on this depth chart and so few draft picks.

I agree that Roy Williams is miscast as a safety in the current defense and should be moved to linebacker. I also agree that Derrick Johnson (6-4, 230) has the size Parcells would like. And I do think the Cowboys will use both first-round draft picks on players they can plug into the defensive front seven.

•••

Q: Bill Parcells is talking about bringing in another back to lighten the load for Julius Jones. He can't keep carrying the ball 30-35 times every week and survive at his size. If you're looking for someone to get three to five carries a game, someone to play on third downs for blitz pickups and catch the occasional pass, why not bring back Emmitt? He proved he can still do it in 2004 with a 937-yard, nine-touchdown season.

GOSSELIN: Nice sentimental idea. I'm sure Jerry Jones would consider it. But it will never happen as long as Bill Parcells is here. He didn't want to deal with Emmitt Smith and the Emmitt aura the first time around. Parcells wants to surround himself with more of his "guys" and fewer of Jerry's "guys." Emmitt is definitely a Jerry guy. I think this would be a grand time for Emmitt to retire. There's no shame statistically in a 937-yard season for a 35-year-old. Start the five-year clock ticking on his Hall of Fame induction.