The 2023 draft is killing this organization

[Creeper]

This organization has sold itself for years as being built as a “draft and develop“ team. Not only is this “draft and develop” model outdated and long ago shown to be not enough. Without some decent FAs thrown in as well, it places enormous pressure on each year’s draft to produce starters or at the very least, quality depth.

The 2023 draft is starting to look like a total disaster for an organization completely dependent on the draft to stay competitive, much less be a team capable of winning playoff games. When your first AND second round picks barely even make the box score, your draft is already a disaster.

Yesterday in Atlanta, 2023 1st round pick Mazi Smith had 28 snaps and literally did not make the stat sheet with even an assisted tackle. Second round pick TE Luke Schoonmaker had 1 snap on offense. The UFA Brevyn Spann-Ford is getting 4 times as many snaps as Schoonmaker. What a complete disaster.

The lone bright spot from last year’s draft is 3rd round LB DeMarvion Overshown who had 7 tackles yesterday including 3 TFLs. He is an impact player on a really bad defense.

So here are the players selected in 2023 and what they bring to the team:

• 1st round: DT Mazi Smith. Shown almost nothing in 25 regular season games so far. Not only showing he’s not a first round talent, he’s not even appearing to be even a draftable talent. On a team literally begging for DL to shore up the run stoppage, he plays less than 50% of the snaps.
• 2nd round TE Luke Schoonmaker. Can’t earn playing time. Typically gets less than 5 snaps a game. Has 8 receptions in 8 games this year and 16 receptions in 23 regular season games in his career.
• 3rd round LB DeMarvion Overshown. Missed his rookie year due to a knee injury but has been a real bright spot showing great speed, range and tackling ability.
• 4th round DE Vilami Fehoko. No longer with the team - waived this last September.
• 5th round T Asim Richards. A backup OL who has looked decent at times in training camp but will only be pressed into regular season duty in a pinch.
• 6th round CB Eric Scott. Was also waived in September; now on the chiefs practice squad.
• 6th round RB Deuce Vaughn. In a season and a half almost never plays. Has only played in 12 regular season games and has 7 carries for 20 yards.
• 7th round WR Jalen Brooks. He has played as a backup WR with occasional receptions but in a season and a half has 13 receptions, no TDs.
• There are some 2023 UFAs who have been decent for this team. FB Hunter Luepke, G TJ Bass and (now injured) TE John Stephens Jr. Contributors and depth pieces.

So for a draft and develop team, having a draft be this unhelpful is a disaster. It’s one of the biggest reasons this team is so bad this year.

I would not blame one draft for the problems Dallas is having. It really is a combination of things. Mazi looks like a bust. He just is not a football player. He late get off on the snap is going to hold him back as long as he plays. Even if he fixes that, he just does not seem to have good football instincts. He can't get off blocks.

I have not given up hope on Schoonmaker, but I will never understand why Dallas drafted him. They didn't really need him. I think they panicked when Schultz left for Houston.

Fehoko was just a bad pick. He is too slow for DE and not big or strong enough for DT. I hate when the draft guys hoping to move them to another position, even if it works our with Beebe.

I still like Asim Richards. He got a few snaps against the Falcons and looked okay. I think if they needed to replace an OT, he could help.

Scott and Vaughn was just dumb picks.

I am not a Jalen Brooks fan, and I think they should give Flournoy more playing time.

But the problem in Dallas is not just one draft, it is how they managed the entire off-season. Of course they could not have predicted all the injuries at DE and CB.

 

[fivetwos]

Bingo. That is the truth.

I got an opportunity over the weekend to see the Cowboys in Atlanta. I got there early bc the seats were great and observed Jerry and Stephen for almost a full 2 hours pregame on the field. Stephen is no alpha. He reminded me of a spoiled frat boy. He fits that stereotype to a tee. While Jerry is working the field talking to everyone and shaking hands like some kind of diplomat. Stephen just stands around with a goofy grin surrounded by a posse of backslapping pals. I was waiting for one of them to shotgun a beer. There is no doubt in my mind that Jerry is still running the team. Him his boy are not cut from the same cloth. I think when Jerry dies, we get a GM. SJ will handle finances but not football operations. IMO anyway

Nice. How’s that stayjum? Looks nice but the turf looks terrible on TV. I went to the Georgia Dome in 93 but don’t travel as much any longer.

Along the lines of what you’re saying, I was in Cleveland for another reason the weekend they inducted Jerry and played Arizona in the HOF game, so I drove down for the game. I was there early and watched the same way you’re describing. Complete puke material.

It fully sucks and falling flat on their faces is the only possible avenue for real change, but that means what, root to lose? That’s just awful.

 

[funkytown817]

Cowboys didn't like him. It was said both before and after the draft.

Which is why they didnt take him.

I'm saying they SHOULD have. And most fans, even casual fans, were hoping that would be the pick in round 2.

 

[atlantacowboy]

Nice. How’s that stayjum? Looks nice but the turf looks terrible on TV. I went to the Georgia Dome in 93 but don’t travel as much any longer.

Along the lines of what you’re saying, I was in Cleveland for another reason the weekend they inducted Jerry and played Arizona in the HOF game, so I drove down for the game. I was there early and watched the same way you’re describing. Complete puke material.

It fully sucks and falling flat on their faces is the only possible avenue for real change, but that means what, root to lose? That’s just awful.

Stadium is nice. Don't really enjoy going their b/c traffic is really bad and you have to sit through trap music blasting on PA system before every event.