Some News Starts to Trickle In

[Hostile]

Today at 1:00 PM Eastern is the NFL Supplemental Draft (SD). All 32 teams have an agregate total of 10 minutes each for their 7 rounds to decide their course of action. The SD is conducted by conference call and they go in order with teams passing on taking any player or selecting a player.

Most teams will not select any player, and will not use up even 1 minute total of their alloted time. Expect Dallas to be one of those teams. They are not expected to have any interest in this crop of players. The lone exception might be CB Paul Oliver of Georgia if he drops out of the 1st and maybe the 2nd round.

Here are the players eligible.

Morgan State DT Robert Armstrong
Florida State DT Clifton Dickson
Maryland OT Jared Gaither
Central Missouri DB RoShawn Marshall
Glendale (Ariz.) Community College WR Eric McCain
Connecticut DB Donta' Moore
Georgia DB Paul Oliver
Nebraska OT Chris Patrick
Utah State DT Brian Soi
East Central (Okla.) OT Aaron Turner
Texas State-San Marcos LB Mark Washington

If a team has traded a choice they cannot use it. For example Cleveland's 1st to us, they do not have a 1st round pick to use.

Jerry, Wade, and Jeff will be in conference during the SD. Stephen Jones will be beginning contract negotiations with the Draft picks. Our first signings should begin within the next day or so. Usually the late round picks are the first to sign. This year will be no different.

Expect business to pick up and discussions about the Cowboys to finally begin in earnest.

 

[Jarv]

Thanks Hos, if none of these guys get drafted, are they FA's ?

 

[Hostile]

Thanks Hos, if none of these guys get drafted, are they FA's ?

Yes, they can sign with any team at that point.

 

[CATCH17]

Maryland OT Jared Gaither

Only guy im really interested in.

If you can get him for a 3 or 4 then why not?

 

[Hostile]

Maryland OT Jared Gaither

Only guy im really interested in.

If you can get him for a 3 or 4 then why not?

The only reason we won't is because we invested 2 draft picks on OTs.

 

[TheSport78]

The only reason we won't is because we invested 2 draft picks on OTs.

I agree...also if we drafted Zak DeOssie or Marcus Thomas instead of Doug Free in the 4th round, then maybe we would take a shot at Gaither, but not in the situation we have with Free and Marten. Free/Marten are in great positions because they aren't pressured to start right away but rather slowly work their way in.

 

[AbeBeta]

I agree...also if we drafted Zak DeOssie or Marcus Thomas instead of Doug Free in the 4th round, then maybe we would take a shot at Gaither, but not in the situation we have with Free and Marten. Free/Marten are in great positions because they aren't pressured to start right away but rather slowly work their way in.

Why are folks so strong on Marten and Free.

We need to recognize they are 3rd and 4th round picks -- both are guys who can play multiple positions - what harm is there in bidding a 4th for Gaither?

 

[Hostile]

Why are folks so strong on Marten and Free.

We need to recognize they are 3rd and 4th round picks -- both are guys who can play multiple positions - what harm is there in bidding a 4th for Gaither?

It's called an opinion. 3rd round OT picks do pan out. See Erik Williams for evidence.

 

[CATCH17]

It's called an opinion. 3rd round OT picks do pan out. See Erik Williams for evidence.

I agree. I especially like Free and his athletic ability.

I like all of our prospects at tackle.

Im just to the point that if Flozell is walking next year then the more options the better in my opinion.

Why not use a 3rd or 4th on a guy that is better than a 3rd or 4th round prospect with the situation we have looking at us next year at one of the 3 most important positions on the field?

 

[AbeBeta]

It's called an opinion. 3rd round OT picks do pan out. See Erik Williams for evidence.

Do those guys work out? Sure - there is evidence all over the league for that. But for more context, here are our other 3rd round O-line picks since Williams

Stephen Peterman G 2004
Steve Scifres G 1997
Clay Shiver C 1996
George Hegamin T 1994
James Brown T 1992
James Richards G 1991 (6 spots before Williams)

 

[TheSport78]

Do those guys work out? Sure - there is evidence all over the league for that. But for more context, here are our other 3rd round O-line picks since Williams

Stephen Peterman G 2004
Steve Scifres G 1997
Clay Shiver C 1996
George Hegamin T 1994
James Brown T 1992
James Richards G 1991 (6 spots before Williams)

Jeff Ireland > Larry Lacewell

 

[Yeagermeister]

Jeff Ireland > Larry Lacewell

That's not saying much. I'm better than Lacewell. :laugh1:

 

[Doomsday101]

Maryland tackle Jared Gaither will enter the NFL supplemental draft, leaving the Terrapins after two tumultuous seasons. Gaither made the decision to enter the July 12 draft less than a week after he was ruled academically ineligible for the upcoming season.

"It's a decision he's put a lot of thought into," Maryland Coach Ralph Friedgen said in a statement. "He's expressed desire to get his degree, but I think the opportunity to make a living and the chance to be successful at the next level was a deciding factor."

At 6 feet 9 and 350 pounds, Gaither emerged as perhaps the Terrapins' most talented lineman though he had been derailed by a preseason suspension, injuries and academic troubles in his second season in College Park.

Gaither, from White Plains, played just one season of organized football at Eleanor Roosevelt High School. He moved on to Hargrove Military Academy for one year before he joined the Terrapins in 2005.

Gaither started eight games as a freshman in place of injured left tackle Stephon Heyer. He showed his athleticism and potential that season, not allowing a sack. When Heyer returned last season, Gaither moved to right tackle, where he started nine games.

Gaither played in 23 of 24 games in his career at Maryland, including 17 starts.

But he was suspended for a portion of fall camp last season for an undisclosed violation of team rules and his performance was limited near the end of the regular season as he battled nagging injuries. He was excused from spring practice this year to focus on academics.

"This was a decision I came to after sitting down with my family and reviewing my academic situation," Gaither said in a statement.

Gaither could have attempted to regain eligibility for the 2008 season by staying in school. He said he is interested in returning to complete work on a degree. A school spokesman said that Gaither is in the process of selecting an agent.

Gaither became the second starting offensive lineman to leave Maryland early. Guard Donnie Woods announced last December his decision to forgo his senior season to join the military.

 

[AbeBeta]

Jeff Ireland > Larry Lacewell

He's going to have to demonstrate that over more than a year or two.

Are you going to pump him up for Skylar Green? Stanley? Whitley? That's 3 of 8 picks from '06 that couldn't make the team. One was, I believe, the highest pick in the '06 draft to not make an opening day roster.

 

[CrazyCowboy]

I don't believe we should mess with any of these players....unless they are FA's

 

[TheSport78]

He's going to have to demonstrate that over more than a year or two.

Are you going to pump him up for Skylar Green? Stanley? Whitley? That's 3 of 8 picks from '06 that couldn't make the team. One was, I believe, the highest pick in the '06 draft to not make an opening day roster.

Stanley is CURRENTLY on the team which is a positive thing and Whitley tore his ACL, what were the Cowboys supposed to do? Skylar Green was just a plain miss but you can't hit on every pick. We also started finding gems in the draft like Barber in the 4th, Crayton in the 7th and possibly Watkins in the 5th. That's just good scouting b/c that's what the late rounds are all about, scouting and luck. The Cowboys of the late 90's and early 2000's probably would have selected someone in the supplemental draft using a high pick, but those days are over. Whether anyone likes it or not, we need to find out what we have in Free and Marten. You can't just load up the roster in one position and expect to carry everyone on the gameday roster let alone the 53 man roster.

 

[AbeBeta]

Stanley is CURRENTLY on the team which is a positive thing

Actually, I'd think that if a player were picked by a team and released that he'd be very likely to end up with the team at a later date b/c that is easier than bringing in a new guy who has to learn the system. That's not a positive at all -- it isn't like we stashed the guy on the PS or anything -- he stank it up so much that we didn't even try to sign him to our PS.

 

[AbeBeta]

possibly Watkins in the 5th. That's just good scouting b/c that's what the late rounds are all about, scouting and luck.

Everyone is "possibly" a gem.

 

[dogunwo]

Maryland OT Jared Gaither

Only guy im really interested in.

If you can get him for a 3 or 4 then why not?

because we got alot of guys at that position now, that the Cowboys really like. You are always supposed to churn the bottom 20% of the roster a la Parcells, but you don't really know who falls in that category right now.

 

[firehawk350]

On top of that, you have Pat McQuistan, Doug Free and James Marteen. If you pick up Jared Gaither (assuming you carry 9 linemen), you have no true guard/center as reserves (all are tackles). Either that orr you have to relegate one or two of those guys to the practice squad.