Seven Things You Need To Know About Cowboys' Mysterious Draft Guru Will McClay

[waving monkey]

It's 2017, but sometimes when the evenings get chilly and IQs drop below room-temperature, you'll still hear voices railing against Jerry Jones "because he sucks as a GM," even if those voices are sounding more and more like ghosts stuck in a meme-generator from the last millennium. Will McClay is the defacto GM in Dallas in everything but the title; everybody around the league knows it and recognizes it.

On Thursday, the Dallas Morning News ran an article titled "10 things you might not know about Cowboys' mysterious draft guru, talent evaluator Will McClay."

The article is an interesting read, and the 10th point offers some insight on McClay from McClay's former Arena Football League assistant and confidante Terry Gray, who now apparently is a scouting consultant for the Cowboys.

link/http://www.bloggingtheboys.com/2017...erious-draft-guru-will-mcclay-ezekiel-elliott

 

[slick325]

Good stuff @waving monkey...thanks for posting.

 

[negativecreep]

Very good read, thanks. I didn't know much about his former experience, We are lucky to have him.

 

[waving monkey]

So when people say "JJones hire a GM" he de facto did

 

[Risen Star]

So when people say "JJones hire a GM" he de facto did

Yeah kinda sorta in a fan site kind of way but not really.


Take a look at these names....

DeMarcus Lawrence, Anthony Hitchens, Devin Street, Ben Gardner, Will Smith, Ahmad Dixon, Ken Bishop, Terrance Mitchell, Randy Gregory, Chaz Green, Damien Wilson, Ryan Russell, Mark Nzeocha, Laurence Gibson, Geoff Swaim.

That's a list of the players drafted after the first round since "draft guru" and kinda sorta GM but definitely not really Will McClay has served as the Cowboys assistant director of personnel with the exception of this past draft.

I present to you it's a big steaming pile of crap.

2016 looks better but that's one year. The other two were abortions. This reeks guru to me too. I just can't stand how lucky we are to have him. Our pretend GM. If you only read fan sites.

 

[DCBoysfan]

That was a very good read.

 

[Kaiser]

So McClay does a great job at everything football related while Jerry chases every camera and microphone within eyesight.

Works for me.

 

[waving monkey]

Yeah kinda sorta in a fan site kind of way but not really.


Take a look at these names....

DeMarcus Lawrence, Anthony Hitchens, Devin Street, Ben Gardner, Will Smith, Ahmad Dixon, Ken Bishop, Terrance Mitchell, Randy Gregory, Chaz Green, Damien Wilson, Ryan Russell, Mark Nzeocha, Laurence Gibson, Geoff Swaim.

That's a list of the players drafted after the first round since "draft guru" and kinda sorta GM but definitely not really Will McClay has served as the Cowboys assistant director of personnel with the exception of this past draft.

I present to you it's a big steaming pile of crap.

2016 looks better but that's one year. The other two were abortions. This reeks guru to me too. I just can't stand how lucky we are to have him. Our pretend GM. If you only read fan sites.

Well if the "the 2016 looks better" is your measuring stick for "better" thats a A+ draft by most accounts.
Me thinks your nose is too high in the air dear Mr. RS

 

[dogunwo]

DeMarcus Lawrence, Anthony Hitchens, Devin Street, Ben Gardner, Will Smith, Ahmad Dixon, Ken Bishop, Terrance Mitchell, Randy Gregory, Chaz Green, Damien Wilson, Ryan Russell, Mark Nzeocha, Laurence Gibson, Geoff Swaim.

You're out on Hitchens, Lawrence, Wilson, Nzeocha, Green, and Swaim already, or is this more shtick?

 

[Risen Star]

Well if the "the 2016 looks better" is your measuring stick for "better" thats a A+ draft by most accounts.
Me thinks your nose is too high in the air dear Mr. RS

Regardless of what you think of it the 2014 and 2015 drafts aren't much to be proud of after the 1st round.

Me thinks you're playing fan boy with McClay. He's not the kinda sorta GM. He may even be the kinda sorta draft guru either.

 

[Risen Star]

You're out on Hitchens, Lawrence, Wilson, Nzeocha, Green, and Swaim already, or is this more shtick?

The fact that you have to ask me that shows why you can't really have an honest discussion on talent amongst fans.

Yeah, believe it or not, I think most of those guys are stiffs. Lawrence not included. The point was the collective whole, ya know including the other 9 players you left out for convenience, isn't very good. Certainly not OMG draft guru worthy.

 

[Toruk_Makto]

Yeah kinda sorta in a fan site kind of way but not really.


Take a look at these names....

DeMarcus Lawrence, Anthony Hitchens, Devin Street, Ben Gardner, Will Smith, Ahmad Dixon, Ken Bishop, Terrance Mitchell, Randy Gregory, Chaz Green, Damien Wilson, Ryan Russell, Mark Nzeocha, Laurence Gibson, Geoff Swaim.

That's a list of the players drafted after the first round since "draft guru" and kinda sorta GM but definitely not really Will McClay has served as the Cowboys assistant director of personnel with the exception of this past draft.

I present to you it's a big steaming pile of crap.

2016 looks better but that's one year. The other two were abortions. This reeks guru to me too. I just can't stand how lucky we are to have him. Our pretend GM. If you only read fan sites.

You mean most draft picks don't work out? No way?

And why are we excluding the first round? It's not easy to draft anywhere. Go look at the list of first round players no better than some of the guys in your list above.

The most important place to get your picks right is round 1. You pay them more than the rest of the draft combined and they routinely make up the disproportionate value of everyone's draft class. Selectively ignoring the most important picks to try to prove a point about player picks is silly.

Don't be silly.

 

[big dog cowboy]

DeMarcus Lawrence, Anthony Hitchens, Devin Street, Ben Gardner, Will Smith, Ahmad Dixon, Ken Bishop, Terrance Mitchell, Randy Gregory, Chaz Green, Damien Wilson, Ryan Russell, Mark Nzeocha, Laurence Gibson, Geoff Swaim.

That's a list of the players drafted after the first round since "draft guru" and kinda sorta GM but definitely not really Will McClay has served as the Cowboys assistant director of personnel with the exception of this past draft.

I present to you it's a big steaming pile of crap.

And you would be wrong. You act like guys drafted in the 4th round or later should be All Pros.

 

[Risen Star]

And you would be wrong. You act like guys drafted in the 4th round or later should be All Pros.

I say I would be right. Will McClay's first two years don't impress me whatsoever. Last year was good. He's 1 for 3 in the draft. Those picks from the 2nd-7th rounds in 2014 and 2015 suck. Not even average.

But I get it. Tom Ciskowski was once the super secret and genius runner of this franchise. Now it's this Will McClay fella. In a few years it'll be someone else. Round and round we go.

 

[waving monkey]

The fact that you have to ask me that shows why you can't really have an honest discussion on talent amongst fans.

Yeah, believe it or not, I think most of those guys are stiffs. Lawrence not included. The point was the collective whole, ya know including the other 9 players you left out for convenience, isn't very good. Certainly not OMG draft guru worthy.

146
you just rattled off 7th rd players plus Street
not great but
2915

Devin Street Wide Receiver Pittsburgh
7 16 231 Ben Gardner Defensive End Stanford
7 23 238 Will Smith Linebacker Texas Tech
7 33 248 Ahmad Dixon Safety Baylor
7 36 251 Ken Bishop

2015

3 27 91 Chaz Green Offensive Tackle Florida
4 28 127 Damien Wilson Linebacker Minnesota
5 27 163 Ryan Russell Defensive End Purdue
7 19 236 Mark Nzeocha Linebacker Wyoming
7 26 243 Laurence Gibson Offensive Tackle Virginia Tech
7 29 246 Geoff Swaim

I haven't closed the door on DWilson his played fair ball his a forth rounder
Russell is playing on another team
Nzeocha this is his year or not injury again other 7th'ers
Swaim 6th round pick I like him his a good 6th rd pick
what is the national avg hit rate on 7th roundersyour star-ness

 

[Risen Star]

146
you just rattled off 7th rd players plus Street
not great but
2915

Devin Street Wide Receiver Pittsburgh
7 16 231 Ben Gardner Defensive End Stanford
7 23 238 Will Smith Linebacker Texas Tech
7 33 248 Ahmad Dixon Safety Baylor
7 36 251 Ken Bishop

2015

3 27 91 Chaz Green Offensive Tackle Florida
4 28 127 Damien Wilson Linebacker Minnesota
5 27 163 Ryan Russell Defensive End Purdue
7 19 236 Mark Nzeocha Linebacker Wyoming
7 26 243 Laurence Gibson Offensive Tackle Virginia Tech
7 29 246 Geoff Swaim

I haven't closed the door on DWilson his played fair ball his a forth rounder
Russell is playing on another team
Nzeocha this is his year or not injury again other 7th'ers
Swaim 6th round pick I like him his a good 6th rd pick
what is the national avg hit rate on 7th roundersyour star-ness

I "rattled off" every player drafted those years after the 1st round. Every single one.

And in conclusion they are a mediocre group at best. Worse, in fact.

Will McClay. GM incognito/Draft guru.

 

[dogunwo]

The fact that you have to ask me that shows why you can't really have an honest discussion on talent amongst fans.

Oh I forgot. Disagreement with Risen equals not honest conversation or immaturity as a fan. You can do better than that. You are too smart.

 

[Cowboys_22]

Regardless of what some may say, good to have you on our team Will McClay... Go Cowboys

 

[waving monkey]

I "rattled off" every player drafted those years after the 1st round. Every single one.

And in conclusion they are a mediocre group at best. Worse, in fact.

Will McClay. GM incognito/Draft guru.

Well I'll conclude with our exchange your Star-ness we just disagree

 

[Risen Star]

Well I'll conclude with our exchange your Star-ness we just disagree

Of course. Much less painful than to admit this....

DeMarcus Lawrence, Anthony Hitchens, Devin Street, Ben Gardner, Will Smith, Ahmad Dixon, Ken Bishop, Terrance Mitchell, Randy Gregory, Chaz Green, Damien Wilson, Ryan Russell, Mark Nzeocha, Laurence Gibson, Geoff Swaim.

....just isn't good enough for guru status.