Should we have traded down?

[TheCount]

Not going to argue who we should have taken with the 22nd, but should we have traded down with the 28th? Seems like the 2nd was thick with talent and we just about missed it all by having such a low pick.

Jerry, on NFLN, made a comment about how there wasn't a lot going on where we were at late in the 1st, which leads me to believe they may have wanted to trade down, but by the time our turn was up, a lot of the guys that wanted to trade up had already done so and he couldn't find a dancing partner.

Wouldn't the old Jerry have gotten something done though? It just really seems to me like the best of this drafts talent, outside of the top tier guys, was in the 2nd round.

 

[Hoofbite]

After picking the TE in round 2, I really wished we had more 3rd and 4th round picks so we could grab a backup NT and a backup LB to go behind Thomas in those rounds.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

They said Jenkins was in their very top tier of corners and the last one of the three left. They didn't want to settle for one of the ones on the next (lower) level, so that's why they moved up and got him.

 

[NextGenBoys]

I like what we did. We had 21 players with first round grades, and we were able to grab two players in the first round with picks 22 and 25. Anytime you get two players with first round grades it is a good thing. Especially when we gave up a 5th and a 7th.

The rest of the draft is about depth and getting BPA. The later in the draft you get, you throw out need and go BPA. The earlier in the draft you filter BPA through need.
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[jjktkk]

Not going to argue who we should have taken with the 22nd, but should we have traded down with the 28th? Seems like the 2nd was thick with talent and we just about missed it all by having such a low pick.

Jerry, on NFLN, made a comment about how there wasn't a lot going on where we were at late in the 1st, which leads me to believe they may have wanted to trade down, but by the time our turn was up, a lot of the guys that wanted to trade up had already done so and he couldn't find a dancing partner.

Wouldn't the old Jerry have gotten something done though? It just really seems to me like the best of this drafts talent, outside of the top tier guys, was in the 2nd round.

Don't think so, the guy the Cowboys wanted was Jenkins, but Houston who was picking at 26, wanted him also, so Jerry traded up to get his guy. Jenkins by the way was ranked by TSN as the #1 cb prospect.

 

[NeonNinja]

If Jenkins would have been off the board, I would have traded down at 28.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

yeah, if Jenkins was off the board, since he was pretty much the last 1st round graded player, then a trade-down makes sense, but a 1st round talent was sitting there for the taking

 

[Eskimo]

They said Jenkins was in their very top tier of corners and the last one of the three left. They didn't want to settle for one of the ones on the next (lower) level, so that's why they moved up and got him.

I think this is where our draft strategy went a bit haywire.

We should have taken Jenkins at 22 and then traded down with the #28 into the top half of the second round. If no takers there, draft Phillips.

We could have still gotten a complimentary back Charles with our own 2nd rounder.

 

[Redball Express]

..going on with other clubs and taking guys in the 1st rd that should have been logically ending up in the early to mid 2nd rd.

And because these teams were jumping into slots and taking them..or just sitting pat and reaching back for them and taking them early..

..it forced players which we wanted down to us.

Making it less likely we would be able to trade back into the early and middle second and try to take advantage of the supposed talent there. The talent was being scalped and the Cowboys could see it.

Therefore, they were very smart to just sitback and decide where they wanted to go.

I think the fact that Mendenhall actually was there for us if we wanted to take him was a complete surprise to the scouts. He was projected way higher.

I'm going to assume so much work and analysis was already invested in taking Felix Jones, that even with Mendenhall there..

Dallas had to really go with what they had researched and prepared to take in Felix Jones and let Mendenhall go.

Not that it was a bad choice. Felix Jones was the guy they wanted.

But it was a shame that Dallas couldn't have taken advantage of a team at that point that really wanted Mendenhall and let them have him and still taken Felix Jones a couple of picks, later, picking up a draft pick somewhere.

I think Dallas was sort of stunned he was there and just hadn't anticipated it in their pre-draft scenarios and where just caught flatfooted with the situation.

Worked out fine for us, but finding a bidder for Mendenhall we could have used would have made it even all the more fun.

Whatever.

:starspin ReDBaLL ExPreSS :starspin